Ap Psych 20 Day Review Packet Answer Key

AP Psychology 20-Day Review Packet: A Comprehensive Guide

The AP Psychology exam is a significant hurdle for many high school students. This comprehensive 20-day review packet aims to provide a structured approach to mastering the key concepts and preparing you for exam success. While I cannot provide the answers to a specific, unnamed review packet (as that would constitute plagiarism and copyright infringement), I can offer detailed explanations and study strategies for each major topic within the AP Psychology curriculum. This guide will serve as your roadmap to navigate the vast landscape of psychological concepts and effectively prepare for the exam.

Day 1-3: Foundations of Psychology

These initial days should focus on the fundamental principles of psychology.

1. History and Approaches:

• Key Concepts: Understand the evolution of psychology from structuralism and functionalism to the modern perspectives (biological, behavioral, cognitive, humanistic, psychodynamic, sociocultural, evolutionary). Be able to compare and contrast these approaches and identify key figures associated with each.
• Study Strategy: Create flashcards with key figures (e.g., Wilhelm Wundt, William James, Sigmund Freud, B.F. Skinner) and their associated perspectives and contributions. Practice identifying the approach used in hypothetical scenarios.

2. Research Methods:

• Key Concepts: Master the scientific method in psychology. Understand the different types of research (descriptive, correlational, experimental), variables (independent, dependent, confounding), sampling techniques, ethical considerations (informed consent, debriefing), and data analysis (statistical significance). Learn to identify flaws in research designs.
• Study Strategy: Practice identifying the type of research method used in descriptions of studies. Create examples of different research designs and identify potential confounding variables. Focus on understanding the difference between correlation and causation.

3. Biological Bases of Behavior:

• Key Concepts: Dive deep into the nervous system (neurons, neurotransmitters, brain structures and their functions), endocrine system, and the impact of genetics and heredity on behavior. Understand the techniques used to study the brain (e.g., EEG, fMRI).
• Study Strategy: Draw diagrams of the neuron and brain, labeling key parts and their functions. Create flashcards with neurotransmitters and their effects. Practice matching brain structures to their functions.

Day 4-6: Sensation and Perception

These days will focus on how we receive and interpret information from our environment.

4. Sensation:

• Key Concepts: Understand the process of transduction, absolute thresholds, difference thresholds, sensory adaptation, and the different sensory systems (vision, hearing, touch, taste, smell). Learn about the anatomy and physiology of each sensory system.
• Study Strategy: Use diagrams to illustrate the process of transduction in different sensory systems. Create flashcards with key terms and definitions.

5. Perception:

• Key Concepts: Explore Gestalt principles, depth perception (monocular and binocular cues), perceptual constancies, and perceptual sets. Understand how our expectations and experiences influence perception. Discuss illusions and how they reveal limitations in our perceptual systems.
• Study Strategy: Practice identifying Gestalt principles in images. Draw diagrams illustrating binocular and monocular depth cues. Discuss how cultural differences might influence perception.

Day 7-9: States of Consciousness

Here, the focus shifts to altered states of mind and sleep.

6. Sleep and Dreams:

• Key Concepts: Understand the stages of sleep (NREM and REM), sleep disorders (insomnia, narcolepsy, sleep apnea), theories of dreaming (Freudian, activation-synthesis), and the effects of sleep deprivation.
• Study Strategy: Draw a diagram illustrating the sleep cycle. Create flashcards with sleep disorders and their symptoms. Compare and contrast different theories of dreaming.

7. Hypnosis and Meditation:

• Key Concepts: Explore the nature of hypnosis, its uses, and its limitations. Understand the different types of meditation and their effects on the brain and body. Discuss the role of altered states of consciousness in therapeutic interventions.
• Study Strategy: Research different types of meditation and their benefits. Discuss the ethical considerations surrounding the use of hypnosis.

8. Psychoactive Drugs:

• Key Concepts: Categorize and understand the effects of different types of psychoactive drugs (depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, opiates). Discuss the physiological and psychological effects of drug use, addiction, and withdrawal.
• Study Strategy: Create a table comparing different types of drugs, their effects, and their potential risks.

Day 10-12: Learning

This section delves into how we acquire and retain information.

9. Classical Conditioning:

• Key Concepts: Master Pavlov's experiment, understand unconditioned stimulus (UCS), unconditioned response (UCR), conditioned stimulus (CS), conditioned response (CR), extinction, spontaneous recovery, generalization, and discrimination.
• Study Strategy: Create diagrams illustrating classical conditioning. Practice identifying the different components of classical conditioning in examples.

10. Operant Conditioning:

• Key Concepts: Understand Skinner's work, reinforcement (positive and negative), punishment (positive and negative), shaping, schedules of reinforcement (continuous, partial), and observational learning (Bandura's Bobo doll experiment).
• Study Strategy: Create diagrams illustrating different schedules of reinforcement. Practice applying operant conditioning principles to real-world examples.

11. Memory:

• Key Concepts: Understand the three stages of memory (sensory, short-term, long-term), encoding, storage, retrieval, different types of long-term memory (explicit/declarative and implicit/nondeclarative), and memory distortions (false memories, misinformation effect).
• Study Strategy: Create diagrams illustrating the three stages of memory. Practice applying different memory techniques (mnemonic devices).

Day 13-15: Cognitive Psychology

This section focuses on mental processes.

12. Language:

• Key Concepts: Understand the components of language (phonemes, morphemes, grammar), language acquisition (Chomsky's theory of language acquisition), linguistic relativity hypothesis (Sapir-Whorf hypothesis), and the influence of language on thought.
• Study Strategy: Practice identifying phonemes and morphemes in sentences. Discuss the implications of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis.

13. Thinking and Problem Solving:

• Key Concepts: Explore concepts like algorithms, heuristics, biases (confirmation bias, availability heuristic), mental sets, functional fixedness, and different problem-solving strategies.
• Study Strategy: Practice solving problems using different strategies. Discuss the effects of biases on decision-making.

14. Intelligence:

• Key Concepts: Understand different theories of intelligence (Spearman's g factor, Gardner's multiple intelligences, Sternberg's triarchic theory), methods of assessing intelligence (IQ tests, standardization, reliability, validity), and the nature vs. nurture debate in intelligence.
• Study Strategy: Compare and contrast different theories of intelligence. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of different intelligence tests.

Day 16-18: Motivation and Emotion

These days cover the driving forces behind our behavior.

15. Motivation:

• Key Concepts: Understand different theories of motivation (instinct theory, drive-reduction theory, arousal theory, Maslow's hierarchy of needs), hunger and eating (biological and psychological factors), achievement motivation, and the importance of intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation.
• Study Strategy: Create a diagram illustrating Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Discuss the factors that influence hunger and eating.

16. Emotion:

• Key Concepts: Understand the physiological, behavioral, and cognitive components of emotion (James-Lange theory, Cannon-Bard theory, Schachter-Singer two-factor theory), the role of the amygdala and other brain structures in emotion, and the expression and recognition of emotions (cultural influences).
• Study Strategy: Compare and contrast different theories of emotion. Discuss the cultural differences in emotional expression.

Day 19-20: Developmental and Social Psychology

The final days focus on how we change over time and interact with others.

17. Developmental Psychology:

• Key Concepts: Understand Piaget's stages of cognitive development, Kohlberg's stages of moral development, Erikson's psychosocial stages, attachment theory, and the influence of nature vs. nurture on development.
• Study Strategy: Create timelines illustrating the stages of development according to Piaget, Kohlberg, and Erikson.

18. Social Psychology:

• Key Concepts: Explore social influence (conformity, obedience, groupthink), persuasion, attribution theory, prejudice and discrimination, aggression, altruism, and the bystander effect.
• Study Strategy: Discuss the classic studies in social psychology (e.g., Asch's conformity experiment, Milgram's obedience experiment, Zimbardo's Stanford Prison experiment).

This comprehensive 20-day review packet provides a structured framework for your AP Psychology exam preparation. Remember to actively engage with the material, utilize diverse study techniques, and seek clarification on any concepts that remain unclear. Good luck! Remember, consistent effort and strategic studying are key to success. This detailed outline should serve as a robust foundation for your review, enabling you to confidently approach the exam. Remember to consult your textbook and class notes for specific details and examples to supplement this overview.