AP Psychology Final Exam | Questions and Answers | Fall 2025/2026 Update |
100% Correct graded a+| pass!!
iconic memory -answer-momentary sensory memory of visual stimuli
echoic memory -answer-momentary sensory memory of auditory stimuli; sounds can
be recalled within 3 or 4 seconds
long-term potentiation (LTP) -answer-increase in synapse's firing potential after brief,
rapid stimulation
amnesia -answer-loss of memory
implicit memory -answer-retention independent of conscious recollection
explicit memory -answer-memory of facts and experiences that one can consciously
know and "declare"
hippocampus -answer-neural center that is located in limbic system and helps process
explicit memories for storage
recall -answer-measure of memory in which the person must retrieve information
learned earlier
recognition -answer-measure of memory in which the person need only identify items
previously learned
relearning -answer-memory measure that assesses the amount of time saved when
learning material for a second time
priming -answer-activation, often unconsciously, of particular associations in memory
deja vu -answer-that eerie sense that "I've experienced this before"
mood-congruent memory -answer-tendency to recall experiences that are consistent
with one's current good or bad mood
proactive interference -answer-disruptive effect of prior learning on the recall of new
information
retroactive interference -answer-disruptive effect of new learning on the recall of old
information
,repression -answer-in psychoanalytic theory, the basic defense mechanism that
banishes from consciousness anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories
misinformation effect -answer-incorporating misleading information into one's memory
of an event
source amnesia -answer-attributing to the wrong source an event we have
experienced, heard about, read about, or imagined
Parallel Processing -answer-the processing of many aspects of a problem
simultaneously; the brain's natural mode of information processing for many functions,
doing many things at once
Maintenance Rehearsal -answer-The process of repeatedly verbalizing or thinking
about a piece of information.
Elaborative Rehearsal -answer-A memory technique that involves thinking about the
meaning of the term to be remembered, as opposed to simply repeating the word to
yourself over and over.
Primacy Effect -answer-This is the tendency for the first items presented in a series to
be remembered better or more easily, or for them to be more influential than those
presented later in the series.
Declarative Memory -answer-It refers to memories which can be consciously recalled
such as facts and events.
Procedural Memory -answer-A type of long-term memory of how to perform different
actions and skills. Essentially, it is the memory of how to do certain things.
Episodic Memory -answer-A category of long-term memory that involves the
recollection of specific events, situations and experiences.
State Dependent Memory -answer-Learning that takes place in one situation or "state"
is generally better remembered later in a similar situation or state.
Decay Theory -answer-The act of forgetting something as the memory fades with time
Herman Ebbinghaus -answer-He was a German psychologist who pioneered the
experimental study of memory, and is known for his discovery of the forgetting curve
and the spacing effect. He was also the first person to describe the learning curve.
Elizabeth Loftus -answer-She is an American psychologist and expert on human
memory. She has conducted extensive research on the misinformation effect and the
nature of false memories.
,memory -answer-the mental capacity or faculty of retaining and reviving facts, events,
impressions, etc., or of recalling or recognizing previous experiences.
learning -answer-a relatively permanent change in an organism's behavior due to
experience
habituation -answer-an organism's decreasing response to a stimulus with repeated
exposure to it
associative learning -answer-learning that certain events occur together. The events
may be two stimuli (as in classical conditioning) or a response and its consequences (as
in operant conditioning
classical conditioning -answer-a type of learning in which one learns to link two or more
stimuli and anticipate events
behaviorism -answer-the view that psychology: (1) should be an objective science that
(2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes. Most research
psychologists today agree with (1) but not with (2)
unconditioned response (UR) -answer-in classical conditioning, the unlearned, naturally
occurring response to the unconditioned stimulus (US), such as salivation when food is
in the mouth
unconditioned stimulus (US) -answer-in classical conditioning, a stimulus that
unconditionally - naturally and automatically - triggers a response
conditioned response (CR) -answer-in classical conditioning, the learned response to a
previously neutral (but now conditioned) stimulus (CS)
conditioned stimulus (CS) -answer-in classical conditioned, an originally irrelevant
stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus (US), comes to trigger a
conditioned response
acquisition -answer-in classical conditioning, the initial stage, when one links a neutral
stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus so that the neutral stimulus begins triggering
the conditioned response. In operant conditioning, the strengthening of a reinforced
response
higher-order conditioning -answer-a procedure in which the conditioned stimulus in one
conditioning experience is paired with a new neutral stimulus, creating a second (often
weaker) conditioned stimulus. (For example, an animal that has learned that a tone
predicts food might then learn that a light predicts the tone and begin responding to the
light alone.) (Also called Second-Order Conditioning)
, extinction -answer-the diminishing of a conditioned response; occurs in classical
conditioning when a unconditioned stimulus (US) does not follow a conditioned stimulus
(CS); occurs in operant condition when a response is no longer reinforced
spontaneous recovery -answer-the reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished
conditioned response
generalization -answer-the tendency, once a response has been conditioned, for
stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus to elicit responses
discrimination -answer-in classical conditioning, the learned ability to distinguish
between a conditioned stimulus and stimuli that do not signal an unconditioned stimulus
learned helplessness -answer-the hopelessness and passive resignation an animal or
human learns when unable to avoid repeated aversive events
respondent behavior -answer-behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some
stimulus
operant conditioning -answer-a type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if
followed by a reinforce or diminished followed by a punisher
operant behavior -answer-behavior that operates on the environment, producing
consequences
law of effect -answer-Thorndike's principle that behaviors followed by faborable
consequences become more like, that behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences
become less likely
operant chamber -answer-in operant conditioning research, a chamber (also known as
a Skinner box) containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to obtain food or
water reinforce; attached devices record the animal's rate of bar pressing or key pecking
shaping -answer-an operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior
toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior
discriminative stimulus -answer-in operant conditioning, a stimulus that elicits a
response after association with reinforcement (in contrast to related stimuli not
associated with reinforcement)
reinforce -answer-in operant conditioning, any event that strengthens the behavior it
follows
positive reinforcement -answer-increasing behaviors by presenting positive stimuli,
such as food. A positive reinforce in any stimulus that, when presented after a
response, strengthens the response
100% Correct graded a+| pass!!
iconic memory -answer-momentary sensory memory of visual stimuli
echoic memory -answer-momentary sensory memory of auditory stimuli; sounds can
be recalled within 3 or 4 seconds
long-term potentiation (LTP) -answer-increase in synapse's firing potential after brief,
rapid stimulation
amnesia -answer-loss of memory
implicit memory -answer-retention independent of conscious recollection
explicit memory -answer-memory of facts and experiences that one can consciously
know and "declare"
hippocampus -answer-neural center that is located in limbic system and helps process
explicit memories for storage
recall -answer-measure of memory in which the person must retrieve information
learned earlier
recognition -answer-measure of memory in which the person need only identify items
previously learned
relearning -answer-memory measure that assesses the amount of time saved when
learning material for a second time
priming -answer-activation, often unconsciously, of particular associations in memory
deja vu -answer-that eerie sense that "I've experienced this before"
mood-congruent memory -answer-tendency to recall experiences that are consistent
with one's current good or bad mood
proactive interference -answer-disruptive effect of prior learning on the recall of new
information
retroactive interference -answer-disruptive effect of new learning on the recall of old
information
,repression -answer-in psychoanalytic theory, the basic defense mechanism that
banishes from consciousness anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories
misinformation effect -answer-incorporating misleading information into one's memory
of an event
source amnesia -answer-attributing to the wrong source an event we have
experienced, heard about, read about, or imagined
Parallel Processing -answer-the processing of many aspects of a problem
simultaneously; the brain's natural mode of information processing for many functions,
doing many things at once
Maintenance Rehearsal -answer-The process of repeatedly verbalizing or thinking
about a piece of information.
Elaborative Rehearsal -answer-A memory technique that involves thinking about the
meaning of the term to be remembered, as opposed to simply repeating the word to
yourself over and over.
Primacy Effect -answer-This is the tendency for the first items presented in a series to
be remembered better or more easily, or for them to be more influential than those
presented later in the series.
Declarative Memory -answer-It refers to memories which can be consciously recalled
such as facts and events.
Procedural Memory -answer-A type of long-term memory of how to perform different
actions and skills. Essentially, it is the memory of how to do certain things.
Episodic Memory -answer-A category of long-term memory that involves the
recollection of specific events, situations and experiences.
State Dependent Memory -answer-Learning that takes place in one situation or "state"
is generally better remembered later in a similar situation or state.
Decay Theory -answer-The act of forgetting something as the memory fades with time
Herman Ebbinghaus -answer-He was a German psychologist who pioneered the
experimental study of memory, and is known for his discovery of the forgetting curve
and the spacing effect. He was also the first person to describe the learning curve.
Elizabeth Loftus -answer-She is an American psychologist and expert on human
memory. She has conducted extensive research on the misinformation effect and the
nature of false memories.
,memory -answer-the mental capacity or faculty of retaining and reviving facts, events,
impressions, etc., or of recalling or recognizing previous experiences.
learning -answer-a relatively permanent change in an organism's behavior due to
experience
habituation -answer-an organism's decreasing response to a stimulus with repeated
exposure to it
associative learning -answer-learning that certain events occur together. The events
may be two stimuli (as in classical conditioning) or a response and its consequences (as
in operant conditioning
classical conditioning -answer-a type of learning in which one learns to link two or more
stimuli and anticipate events
behaviorism -answer-the view that psychology: (1) should be an objective science that
(2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes. Most research
psychologists today agree with (1) but not with (2)
unconditioned response (UR) -answer-in classical conditioning, the unlearned, naturally
occurring response to the unconditioned stimulus (US), such as salivation when food is
in the mouth
unconditioned stimulus (US) -answer-in classical conditioning, a stimulus that
unconditionally - naturally and automatically - triggers a response
conditioned response (CR) -answer-in classical conditioning, the learned response to a
previously neutral (but now conditioned) stimulus (CS)
conditioned stimulus (CS) -answer-in classical conditioned, an originally irrelevant
stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus (US), comes to trigger a
conditioned response
acquisition -answer-in classical conditioning, the initial stage, when one links a neutral
stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus so that the neutral stimulus begins triggering
the conditioned response. In operant conditioning, the strengthening of a reinforced
response
higher-order conditioning -answer-a procedure in which the conditioned stimulus in one
conditioning experience is paired with a new neutral stimulus, creating a second (often
weaker) conditioned stimulus. (For example, an animal that has learned that a tone
predicts food might then learn that a light predicts the tone and begin responding to the
light alone.) (Also called Second-Order Conditioning)
, extinction -answer-the diminishing of a conditioned response; occurs in classical
conditioning when a unconditioned stimulus (US) does not follow a conditioned stimulus
(CS); occurs in operant condition when a response is no longer reinforced
spontaneous recovery -answer-the reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished
conditioned response
generalization -answer-the tendency, once a response has been conditioned, for
stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus to elicit responses
discrimination -answer-in classical conditioning, the learned ability to distinguish
between a conditioned stimulus and stimuli that do not signal an unconditioned stimulus
learned helplessness -answer-the hopelessness and passive resignation an animal or
human learns when unable to avoid repeated aversive events
respondent behavior -answer-behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some
stimulus
operant conditioning -answer-a type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if
followed by a reinforce or diminished followed by a punisher
operant behavior -answer-behavior that operates on the environment, producing
consequences
law of effect -answer-Thorndike's principle that behaviors followed by faborable
consequences become more like, that behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences
become less likely
operant chamber -answer-in operant conditioning research, a chamber (also known as
a Skinner box) containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to obtain food or
water reinforce; attached devices record the animal's rate of bar pressing or key pecking
shaping -answer-an operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior
toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior
discriminative stimulus -answer-in operant conditioning, a stimulus that elicits a
response after association with reinforcement (in contrast to related stimuli not
associated with reinforcement)
reinforce -answer-in operant conditioning, any event that strengthens the behavior it
follows
positive reinforcement -answer-increasing behaviors by presenting positive stimuli,
such as food. A positive reinforce in any stimulus that, when presented after a
response, strengthens the response
