AP Psychology — Cheatsheet

On the exam

• For neurotransmitter items, memorize one disorder or behavior per transmitter: dopamine–movement/reward, serotonin–mood, ACh–muscles/memory, GABA–anxiety (inhibitory), glutamate–excitatory, endorphins–pain. A single anchor per transmitter is usually enough to earn the point.
• When a question distinguishes brain-imaging tools, sort by structure vs. function: **CT/MRI = structure** (a photograph), **fMRI/PET = function** (a movie of activity), **EEG = electrical activity over time**. Naming the structure/function split usually earns the point on FRQs.
• On nature–nurture FRQs, name the *method* that isolates the influence: **twin studies** (identical vs. fraternal) and **adoption studies** (biological vs. adoptive relatives). Then note that the modern answer is always **interaction**, not one or the other.
• For color-vision items, pair the two theories: **trichromatic (three cones)** explains detection at the receptor level, while **opponent-process** explains **afterimages** and color pairs. Questions about staring at a color then seeing its complement are always opponent-process.
• Sort long-term memory quickly on the exam: **explicit** = "can declare it" (facts = semantic, events = episodic); **implicit** = "can’t easily state it" (skills = procedural, conditioned responses). A skill like typing is always implicit/procedural.
• When a question describes leading questions, false details, or unreliable eyewitnesses, the answer is almost always **Loftus / the misinformation effect** and memory as **reconstruction**. Confidence does not equal accuracy — a favorite exam point.
• On FRQs, tie each bias to a one-line trigger: availability = vivid/easily recalled examples, representativeness = matches a stereotype, confirmation bias = only seeking supporting evidence, framing = same facts worded differently. Naming the trigger nails the definition point.
• For intelligence theorists, keep a one-liner each: Spearman = **g** (one general factor), Gardner = **multiple intelligences**, Sternberg = **analytical/creative/practical**. For language, remember the debate: **Skinner (learning/reinforcement)** vs. **Chomsky (inborn LAD)**.
• On classical-conditioning FRQs, always identify the response type: classical conditioning produces an **automatic, reflexive** response (salivation, fear, nausea) to a stimulus. If the behavior is voluntary and shaped by consequences, it is *operant*, not classical.
• For schedules, decode the two words: first word = predictability (**fixed** = set, **variable** = unpredictable), second word = trigger (**ratio** = number of responses, **interval** = time). **Variable-ratio** = fastest, most persistent responding (gambling).
• Distinguish the two development theorists cleanly: **Piaget** = stages a child moves through largely on their own; **Vygotsky** = learning driven by *social* interaction (ZPD, scaffolding). If a question emphasizes a mentor or culture, think Vygotsky.
• For attachment items, pair each researcher with a takeaway: **Harlow** = contact comfort over food (cloth vs. wire mother), **Ainsworth** = Strange Situation reveals secure vs. insecure styles. For lifespan crises, know Erikson’s adolescence stage — **identity vs. role confusion** — cold.
• For cognitive dissonance, look for the setup: a person acts against their attitude with *weak external justification*, then changes the attitude to match the act. Low pay/reward for the counter-attitudinal behavior increases dissonance and therefore attitude change.
• Match the landmark study to its lesson: **Asch** = conformity to a group’s wrong answer, **Milgram** = obedience to authority, **Darley & Latané** = bystander effect/diffusion of responsibility, **Janis** = groupthink. FRQs often give the scenario and want the study or term named.
• Sort personality theories by their core question: **psychodynamic** = unconscious conflict (Freud), **humanistic** = growth and self-actualization (Maslow/Rogers), **trait** = describing stable dimensions (Big Five), **social-cognitive** = person × environment interaction (Bandura, Rotter).
• For Yerkes–Dodson, remember the inverted-U and the task twist: **moderate arousal is best overall**, but **easy/practiced tasks favor higher arousal** and **hard/novel tasks favor lower arousal**. Naming both the peak and the difficulty adjustment earns full credit.
• When a scenario lists causes from *multiple* domains (genes + thoughts + environment), the answer is the **biopsychosocial model**. For disorder identification, anchor each category to one signature: anxiety = persistent fear/worry, mood = emotional extremes, schizophrenia = break from reality.
• Match drug class to neurotransmitter and disorder: **antidepressants (SSRIs) → raise serotonin → depression/anxiety**; **antipsychotics → lower dopamine → schizophrenia**; **lithium (mood stabilizer) → bipolar**. The neurotransmitter link is a frequent exam target.
• For GAS, memorize the three phases in order — **Alarm → Resistance → Exhaustion** — and that the *exhaustion* phase is when the body’s depleted reserves leave it vulnerable to illness. Link chronic stress and cortisol to weakened immunity for FRQ health questions.
• Distinguish two happiness dampeners: the **adaptation-level phenomenon** is comparing to your *own past* (you adapt to gains), while **relative deprivation** is comparing to *other people*. Both explain why objective improvements often fail to raise lasting happiness.

How to get a 5

• On "apply the concept" FRQs, pair a correct definition with a specific example tied to the prompt — a definition alone or a vague example usually earns nothing.
• Write complete sentences and never use a term to define itself; state the mechanism explicitly (e.g., "fight-or-flight arousal").
• Learn the frequently-confused pairs — negative reinforcement vs punishment, James-Lange vs Cannon-Bard, IV vs DV — because the exam targets exactly these contrasts.
• For research methods, be ready to give an operational definition, identify variables, and explain why random assignment permits causal claims.

Key terms