2026 AP PSYCHOLOGY
COMPREHENSIVE
STUDY…QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
A comprehensive study guide for AP Psychology, covering scientific foundations, biological
bases of behavior, research methods, statistics, and social psychology concepts.
# Term Definition
1 What are cultural norms?
Rules or expectations for behavior shared by a group.
2 AP Psych is… Fun!!!
3 What is confirmation bias?
The tendency to search for, interpret, or remember
information that confirms one's beliefs.
4 What is hindsight bias?
The "I-knew-it-all-along" phenomenon; believing, after
an outcome, that you predicted it.
5
The tendency to overestimate the accuracy of our
What is overconfidence in psychology?
knowledge or judgments.
6 What is experimental research?
A research method involving manipulation of variables to
determine cause and effect.
7 What is a case study in research?
An in-depth study of one individual or group, used in
non-experimental research.
8 What is correlation in research?
A non-experimental measure of the relationship
between two variables.
,2026 AP PSYCHOLOGY COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE
9
A statistical method combining results of many studies
What is meta-analysis in research?
on the same topic.
10 What is a hypothesis in research? A testable prediction, often implied by a theory.
11
What does it mean for a hypothesis to
It is capable of being tested and potentially disproven.
be falsifiable?
12 Defining variables in measurable, specific ways.
What are operational definitions in
research?
13 The variable manipulated by the experimenter.
What is the independent variable (IV) in
an experiment?
# Term Definition
14 The variable being measured.
What is the dependent variable (DV) in
an experiment?
15
What are confounding variables in Variables that unintentionally affect the DV, making
research? results unclear.
16 What is a sample in research? The group of participants actually studied.
17
What is the population in research? The larger group you want to generalize your findings to.
18 What is a representative sample? A sample that accurately reflects the population.
19 What is random sampling?
A sampling method where every member of the
population has an equal chance of being selected.
20 What is convenience sampling?
A sampling method using participants who are easily
accessible.
,2026 AP PSYCHOLOGY COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE
21 What is sampling bias?
A flawed sampling process that does not represent the
population.
22 How well findings apply to the population.
What is generalizability in research?
23 The group that receives the treatment or IV.
What is the experimental group in
research?
24
The group that does not receive the treatment, used for
What is the control group in research?
comparison.
25 What is a placebo in research?
An inactive substance or fake treatment used to control
for expectations.
26 What is a single-blind study?
Participants don’t know if they’re in the experimental or
control group.
27 What is a double-blind study?
Neither participants nor researchers know who is in
which group.
# Term Definition
28 What is social desirability bias?
The tendency to respond in a way viewed favorably by
others.
29 What is qualitative research?
Research that collects non-numerical data to understand
thoughts and feelings.
30 What is quantitative research?
Research that collects numerical data that can be
statistically analyzed.
31 What is peer review in research?
Other experts review a study before publication to check
for quality.
, 2026 AP PSYCHOLOGY COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE
32 What is replication in research?
Repeating a study to see if results are consistent.
33
What is the directionality problem in When two variables are correlated, it's unclear which
correlation? one causes changes in the other.
34 What is the third variable problem in
correlation? An unmeasured third variable influences both variables
in a study, creating a false impression of a relationship.
35
A method that gathers data by asking people to respond
What is a survey technique in research?
to a series of questions.
36 What is self-report bias?
Participants inaccurately report behaviors or feelings,
often due to social desirability or memory issues.
37 What is institutional review in
The process by which an Institutional Review Board (IRB)
research?
evaluates the ethics of a research proposal involving
human subjects.
38
Participants are given all relevant information about a
What is informed consent in research?
study and voluntarily agree to take part.
39 What is informed assent in research?
When minors or individuals unable to provide full
consent agree to participate, often alongside guardian
consent.
40
What is the ethical principle of Ensures participants will not be exposed to physical or
protection from harm? psychological harm during a study.
# Term Definition
41 What is confidentiality in research?
The assurance that information provided by participants
will not be shared without their permission.
COMPREHENSIVE
STUDY…QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
A comprehensive study guide for AP Psychology, covering scientific foundations, biological
bases of behavior, research methods, statistics, and social psychology concepts.
# Term Definition
1 What are cultural norms?
Rules or expectations for behavior shared by a group.
2 AP Psych is… Fun!!!
3 What is confirmation bias?
The tendency to search for, interpret, or remember
information that confirms one's beliefs.
4 What is hindsight bias?
The "I-knew-it-all-along" phenomenon; believing, after
an outcome, that you predicted it.
5
The tendency to overestimate the accuracy of our
What is overconfidence in psychology?
knowledge or judgments.
6 What is experimental research?
A research method involving manipulation of variables to
determine cause and effect.
7 What is a case study in research?
An in-depth study of one individual or group, used in
non-experimental research.
8 What is correlation in research?
A non-experimental measure of the relationship
between two variables.
,2026 AP PSYCHOLOGY COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE
9
A statistical method combining results of many studies
What is meta-analysis in research?
on the same topic.
10 What is a hypothesis in research? A testable prediction, often implied by a theory.
11
What does it mean for a hypothesis to
It is capable of being tested and potentially disproven.
be falsifiable?
12 Defining variables in measurable, specific ways.
What are operational definitions in
research?
13 The variable manipulated by the experimenter.
What is the independent variable (IV) in
an experiment?
# Term Definition
14 The variable being measured.
What is the dependent variable (DV) in
an experiment?
15
What are confounding variables in Variables that unintentionally affect the DV, making
research? results unclear.
16 What is a sample in research? The group of participants actually studied.
17
What is the population in research? The larger group you want to generalize your findings to.
18 What is a representative sample? A sample that accurately reflects the population.
19 What is random sampling?
A sampling method where every member of the
population has an equal chance of being selected.
20 What is convenience sampling?
A sampling method using participants who are easily
accessible.
,2026 AP PSYCHOLOGY COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE
21 What is sampling bias?
A flawed sampling process that does not represent the
population.
22 How well findings apply to the population.
What is generalizability in research?
23 The group that receives the treatment or IV.
What is the experimental group in
research?
24
The group that does not receive the treatment, used for
What is the control group in research?
comparison.
25 What is a placebo in research?
An inactive substance or fake treatment used to control
for expectations.
26 What is a single-blind study?
Participants don’t know if they’re in the experimental or
control group.
27 What is a double-blind study?
Neither participants nor researchers know who is in
which group.
# Term Definition
28 What is social desirability bias?
The tendency to respond in a way viewed favorably by
others.
29 What is qualitative research?
Research that collects non-numerical data to understand
thoughts and feelings.
30 What is quantitative research?
Research that collects numerical data that can be
statistically analyzed.
31 What is peer review in research?
Other experts review a study before publication to check
for quality.
, 2026 AP PSYCHOLOGY COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE
32 What is replication in research?
Repeating a study to see if results are consistent.
33
What is the directionality problem in When two variables are correlated, it's unclear which
correlation? one causes changes in the other.
34 What is the third variable problem in
correlation? An unmeasured third variable influences both variables
in a study, creating a false impression of a relationship.
35
A method that gathers data by asking people to respond
What is a survey technique in research?
to a series of questions.
36 What is self-report bias?
Participants inaccurately report behaviors or feelings,
often due to social desirability or memory issues.
37 What is institutional review in
The process by which an Institutional Review Board (IRB)
research?
evaluates the ethics of a research proposal involving
human subjects.
38
Participants are given all relevant information about a
What is informed consent in research?
study and voluntarily agree to take part.
39 What is informed assent in research?
When minors or individuals unable to provide full
consent agree to participate, often alongside guardian
consent.
40
What is the ethical principle of Ensures participants will not be exposed to physical or
protection from harm? psychological harm during a study.
# Term Definition
41 What is confidentiality in research?
The assurance that information provided by participants
will not be shared without their permission.
