As you review the content in this book to work toward earning that 5 on your AP PSYCHOLOGY exam, here
are five things that you MUST know above everything else:
1
Know the psychological perspectives. Psychological researchers study the mind and behavior from different “perspectives.” Each
perspective uses some unique research methods, concepts, and vocabulary to describe and explain thinking and behavior. Knowing the
vocabulary and concepts associated with each perspective can help you better understand psychological theories and quickly narrow
down possible answers to exam questions. For instance, if a question uses the term classical conditioning, you should be able to
immediately identify the question as belonging in the “behavioral” area of psychology and look for answers that include other behavioral
terms or key individuals.
2
Know your terms. Psychological terms refer to specific concepts, and it is important that you don’t confuse these terms with “pop”
psychological ideas or the casual ways nonpsychologists use the same words. For example:
• To a psychologist, people diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder are not shy or unfriendly but rather callous and unfeeling
toward others.
• “Learning” in psychological terms refers to much more than learning in school and is divided into many specific kinds of learning such
as classical and operant conditioning.
You should make sure that you understand the specific, scientific meaning of psychological terms. Most of the multiple-choice items on
the exam (which determine the majority of your final score) measure your knowledge and ability to apply psychological terminology.
3
Psychology is a science. Psychological researchers use the scientific method to gather data and test hypotheses about the mind and
behavior instead of relying on intuition, what the majority of people believe, or “common sense.” Often what people refer to as
“common sense” offers contradictory ideas. Regarding attraction, common sense tells us both that “opposites attract” and that “birds of
a feather flock together.” Psychological researchers carefully gather data about topics like attraction to reach conclusions rather than
relying on “common sense.” The “Methods” chapter of this book describes in detail how psychologists gather data and test hypotheses,
and understanding research methodology is vital to your performance on the exam and your understanding of the science of psychology.
4
Application is key. The AP Psychology test is designed to measure your knowledge of psychological concepts and ability to apply
these concepts. Exam items (especially the free-response ones) usually require you to go beyond defining terms by applying them to a
scenario or making connections between different concepts. However, the AP Psychology exam is not designed to measure your
writing ability or ability to express your knowledge in creative or unique ways. The measurement goal of this exam is to assess your
knowledge of psychological concepts and your ability to apply this knowledge.
