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2024 AP Psychology Exam Guide

9 min read • august 18, 2023

Your Guide to the 2024 AP Psychology Exam

We know that studying for your AP exams can be stressful, but Fiveable has your back! We created a study plan to help you crush your AP Psychology exam. This guide will continue to update with information about the 2024 exams, as well as helpful resources to help you do your best on test day.  Unlock Cram Mode  for access to our cram events—students who have successfully passed their AP exams will answer your questions and guide your last-minute studying LIVE! And don't miss out on unlimited access to our database of thousands of practice questions.

Format of the 2024 AP Psychology Exam

This year, all AP exams will cover all units and essay types. The 2024 exam format will be:

Section 1: Multiple Choice

You will have 70 minutes to answer 100 questions. 

This section counts as 66.7% of your total exam score.

Section II: Free Response

You will have 50 minutes to answer two FRQs.

This section counts as the remaining 33.3% of your total exam score.

When is the 2024 AP Psychology Exam and How Do I Take It?

How should i prepare for the exam.

First, download the AP Psychology Cheatsheet PDF - a single sheet that covers everything you need to know at a high level. Take note of your strengths and weaknesses! 

We've put together the study plan found below to help you study between now and May. This will cover all of the units and essay types to prepare you for your exam. Pay special attention to the units that you need the most improvement in.

Study, practice, and review for test day with other students during our live cram sessions via  Cram Mode . Cram live streams will teach, review, and practice important topics from AP courses, college admission tests, and college admission topics. These streams are hosted by experienced students who know what you need to succeed.

Pre-Work: Set Up Your Study Environment

Before you begin studying, take some time to get organized.

🖥 Create a study space.

Make sure you have a designated place at home to study. Somewhere you can keep all of your materials, where you can focus on learning, and where you are comfortable. Spend some time prepping the space with everything you need and you can even let others in the family know that this is your study space. 

📚 Organize your study materials.

Get your notebook, textbook, prep books, or whatever other physical materials you have. Also, create a space for you to keep track of review. Start a new section in your notebook to take notes or start a Google Doc to keep track of your notes. Get yourself set up!

📅 Plan designated times for studying.

The hardest part about studying from home is sticking to a routine. Decide on one hour every day that you can dedicate to studying. This can be any time of the day, whatever works best for you. Set a timer on your phone for that time and really try to stick to it. The routine will help you stay on track.

🏆 Decide on an accountability plan.

How will you hold yourself accountable to this study plan? You may or may not have a teacher or rules set up to help you stay on track, so you need to set some for yourself. First, set your goal. This could be studying for x number of hours or getting through a unit. Then, create a reward for yourself. If you reach your goal, then x. This will help stay focused!

AP Psych 2024 Study plan

🔎unit 1: scientific foundations of psychology.

According to the College Board, Unit 1 is about the basis of psychological theory as the study of human and animal behavior and mental processes and how psychologists design and conduct research. 

Topics that are included in this unit are:

Major historical figures in psychology

Theoretical approaches to describing the behavior

Branches of psychology

A variety of research methods used by psychologists

The application of research design and statistical analysis in psychology

Ethical guidelines

Definitely check these out:

📚 Read these study guides:

Unit 1 Overview

Introducing Psychology: The Historical Progression of Psychology

Research Methods in Psychology

The Experimental Method  

Selecting a Research Method

Statistical Analysis in Psychology  

Ethical Guidelines in Psychology

If you have more time or want to dig deeper:

💻 Learn about the best resources so you can start studying early:

Best Resources for AP Psych

🧠Unit 2: Biological Bases of Behavior

Unit 2 of the AP Psychology exam covers behaviors and mental processes from a biological perspective and the effects of the interaction between human biology and our environment. This has to do with the large nature vs nurture debate! 

The interaction of inherited traits, environment, and evolution in shaping behavior

Structures and functions of biological systems, including the endocrine system and nervous system

Brain function, neural firing, and the influence of medication

The study of the brain and research techniques for studying its structure and function

States of consciousness, including sleeping and dreaming

Addiction and drug dependence

Unit 2 Overview  

Interaction of Heredity and Environment  

The Endocrine System

Overview of the Nervous System and the Neuron

Neural Firing

Influence of Drugs on Neural Firing

Tools for Examining Brain Structure and Function

The Adaptable Brain: Neural Fluidity  

Sleep and Dreaming

💻 Here are the best AP Psych Quizlet Decks!

Best AP Psych Quizlet Decks by Unit

👀Unit 3: Sensation and Perception

Unit three is all about how we perceive and process our environment on a daily basis through our senses. You will learn all about how we convert those observations into perceptions that influence how we think and behave.

Basic principles of how humans experience and process stimuli

The role of experience and culture in perception

The mechanisms of the 5 senses and sensory disorders

Unit 3 Overview  

Principles of Sensation

Principles of Perception

Visual Anatomy

Visual Perception

Auditory Sensation and Perception

Chemical Senses

Body Senses

💻 Here are some AP Psych Self-Studying and Homeschooling tips to check out:

AP Psychology Self-Study and Homeschool

📚Unit 4: Learning

Unit 4 of AP Psych is all about the field of psychology that studies how humans and other animals learn as well as how learning changes over a lifetime. You will learn all about classical and operant conditioning and how incentives affect our learning! You’ll probably even learn a thing or two that could help you adjust your studying habits!

Influential researchers and theories of learning

Results of famous learning experiments

Types of learning

Types of conditioning and their effects

Social and cognitive factors in learning

Unit 4 Overview  

Introduction to Learning

Classical Conditioning  

Operant Conditioning  

Social and Cognitive Factors in Learning

🤔Unit 5: Cognitive Psychology

According to the College Board, in this unit, you will examine the complex nature of how memory, intelligence, and other mental processes impact human behavior.

The cognitive and physiological processes that make up memory

Forgetting and typical memory errors

The biological basis of short- and long-term memory

Creative thinking and problem-solving strategies

Biases and errors in thinking

Defining and measuring intelligence

The processes of learning and using language

Unit 5 Overview

Introduction to Memory  

Retrieving  

Forgetting and Memory Distortion  

Biological Bases of Memory  

Introduction to Thinking and Problem Solving  

Biases and Errors in Thinking  

Introduction to Intelligence  

Psychometric Principles and Intelligence Testing  

Components of Language and Language Acquisition

💻 Here are some steps to succeed on the AP Psych Multiple Choice Questions!

Psychology Multiple Choice Questions

👶Unit 6: Developmental Psychology

This unit is all about developmental psychology, which studies how physical and social changes over humans’ lifespans can influence behavior and mental processes. You will learn about several theories in this unit regarding our development in childhood, as teenagers, and as adults.

Physical and social development in childhood

Theories of cognitive development in childhood

Adolescent development and challenges

Adulthood and aging

Theories of moral development

Gender and sexual orientation

Unit 6 Overview  

The Lifespan and Physical Development in Childhood  

Social Development in Childhood  

Cognitive Development in Childhood  

Adolescent Development  

Adulthood and Aging  

Moral Development  

Gender and Sexual Orientation

💻 Here are some tips on how to succeed on the AP Psych FRQ Questions!

Psychology Free Response Questions

🤪Unit 7: Motivation, Emotion, and Personality

According to the College Board, in this unit, you will study personality through the lens of behavior and mental processes and how these processes interact to produce an individual’s personality. You will also dive deep into the different theories of motivation and why we, as humans, do certain things. Additionally, you will study stress and emotion in this unit and several theories regarding them as well.

Topics that are in this unit:

Theories of the motivation behind human and animal behavior

Major theories of emotion

The effects of stress

Conceptions of personality, including behaviorist, social cognitive, humanistic, and trait theories

Research and assessments to measure personality

Unit 7 Overview

  Theories of Motivation

  Specific Topics in Motivation

  Theories of Emotion

  Stress and Coping  

Introduction to Personality  

Psychoanalytic Theories of Personality  

Behaviorism and Social Cognitive Theories of Personality

  Humanistic Theories of Personality  

Trait Theories of Personality  

Measuring Personality

💻 Here are some AP Psych note taking tips!

Reading and Note Taking Skills

🤪Unit 8: Clinical Psychology

Unit 8 is all about how psychologists evaluate, study, and treat a range of psychological disorders.

Standards for diagnosing and approaches to explaining psychological disorders

Neurodevelopmental and schizophrenic spectrum disorders

Bipolar, depressive, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorders

Dissociative, somatic, and trauma- and stress-related disorders

Substance abuse, eating disorders, personality disorders, and related conditions

Historical developments in psychological treatment

Modern treatment options and methods

Unit 8 Overview  

Introduction to Psychological Disorders  

Psychological Perspectives and Etiology of Disorders  

Neurodevelopmental and Schizophrenic Spectrum Disorders  

Bipolar, Depressive, Anxiety, and Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders  

Trauma- and Stressor Related, Dissociative, and Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders  

Feeding and Eating, Substance and Addictive, and Personality Disorders  

Introduction to Treatment of Psychological Disorders  

Psychological Perspectives and Treatment of Disorders  

Treatment of Disorders from the Biological Perspective  

Evaluating Strengths, Weaknesses, and Empirical Support for Treatment of Disorders

💻 Here are some common misconceptions in psychology that are good to review for May!

Common Misconceptions in Psychology 

👫Unit 9: Social Psychology

Congrats, you made it to the final AP Psychology unit! In this last unit, you’ll study how humans interact in groups and social situations, as well as how others can affect an individual’s behavior and mental processes. You will probably learn a lot of the psychology behind some historical events in this unit too.

Topics that are in this unit include:

How social and cultural categories like gender and race can impact self-concept and behavior

The factors that lead people to form and change attitudes

Group dynamics, including conformity, compliance, and obedience to authority

Types of behavior caused by the presence of others

Bias, prejudice, and discrimination

Altruism and aggression

The variables that contribute to attraction

Unit 9 Overview  

Attribution Theory and Person Perception  

Attitude Formation and Attitude Change  

Conformity, Compliance, and Obedience  

Group Influences on Behavior and Mental Processes  

Bias, Prejudice, and Discrimination  

Altruism and Aggression  

Interpersonal Attraction

💻 Here are some time management and study tips! Time Management and Study Skills

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Interested in the scientific study of behavior and mental processes? The AP ® Psychology Exam is a college-level exam administered every year in May upon completion of an Advanced Placement Psychology course taken at your high school. If you score high enough, your  AP score  could earn you  college credit !

Check out our AP Psychology Guide for the essential info you need about the exam:

• Exam Overview

Sections & Question Types

• How to Prepare

What's on the AP Psychology Exam?

The College Board requires your AP teacher to cover certain topics in the AP Psychology course. As you complete your Psych review, make sure you are familiar with the following topics:

• Scientific Foundations of Psychology: Introducing Psychology; Research Methods in Psychology; Defining Psychological Science: The Experimental Method; Selecting a Research Method; Statistical Analysis in Psychology; Ethical Guidelines in Psychology
• Biological Bases of Behavior: Interaction of Hereditary and Environment; The Endocrine System; Overview of the Nervous System and the Neuron; Neural Firing; Influence of Drugs on Neural Firing; The Brain; Tools for Examining Brain Structure and Function; The Adaptable Brain; Sleep and Dreaming
• Sensation and Perception: Principles of Sensation; Principles of Perception; Visual Anatomy; Visual Perception; Auditory Sensation and Perception; Chemical Senses; Body Sense
• Learning: Introduction to Learning; Classical Conditioning; Operant Conditioning; Social and Cognitive Factors in Learning
• Cognitive Psychology: Introduction to Memory; Encoding; Storing; Retrieving; Forgetting and Memory Distortion; Biological Bases of Memory; Introduction to Thinking and Problem Solving; Biases and Errors in Thinking; Introduction to Intelligence; Psychometric Principles and Intelligence Testing; Components of Language and Language Acquisition
• Developmental Psychology: The Lifespan and Physical Development in Childhood; Social Development in Childhood; Cognitive Development in Childhood; Adolescent Development; Adulthood and Aging; Moral Development; Gender and Sexual Orientation
• Motivation, Emotion, and Personality: Theories of Motivation; Specific Topics of Motivation; Theories of Emotion; Stress and Coping; Introduction to Personality; Psychoanalytic Theories of Personality; Behaviorism and Social Cognitive Theories of Personality; Humanistic Theories of Personality; Trait Theories of Personality; Measuring Personality
• Clinical Psychology: Introduction to Psychological Disorders; Psychological Perspectives and Etiology of Disorders; Neurodevelopmental and Schizophrenic Spectrum Disorders; Bipolar, Depressive, Anxiety, and Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders; Trauma- and Stressor- Related, Dissociative, and Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders; Feeding and Eating, Substance and Addictive, and Personality Disorders; Introduction to Treatment of Psychological Disorders; Psychological Perspectives and Treatment of Disorders; Treatment of Disorders from the Biological Perspective; Evaluating Strengths, Weaknesses, and Empirical Support for Treatments of Disorders
• Social Psychology: Attribution Theory and Person Perception; Attitude Formation and Attitude Change; Conformity, Compliance, and Obedience; Group Influences on Behavior and Mental Processes; Bias, Prejudice, and Discrimination; Altruism and Aggression; Interpersonal Attraction

Read More: Review for the exam with our AP Psychology Crash Courses

The AP Psych exam is 2 hours long and has two sections: a multiple-choice section and a a free-response section. 

Multiple-Choice Questions

The AP Psychology multiple-choice questions test the following skills:

• Concept Understanding
• Data Analysis
• Scientific Investigation

Free-Response Questions

The AP Psych FRQs consists of two questions:

• Question 1 is about Concept Application, assessing a student’s ability to explain and apply theories and perspectives in authentic contexts
• Question 2 is about Research Design, assessing a student’s ability to analyze psychological research studies that include quantitative data.

For a comprehensive content review, check out our book,  AP Psychology Premium Prep

What’s a good AP Psychology Score?

AP scores are reported from 1 to 5. Colleges are generally looking for a 4 or 5 on the AP Psychology exam, but some may grant credit for a 3. Here’s how students scored on the May 2020 test:

Source: College Board

How can I prepare?

AP classes are great, but for many students they’re not enough! For a thorough review of AP Psychology content and strategy, pick the  AP prep option  that works best for your goals and learning style. 

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AP Psychology Exam: Study Plan and Resources

The AP Psychology exam is an opportunity for high school students to demonstrate their understanding of key concepts in psychology and potentially earn college credit. To excel on the exam, it's crucial to have a well-structured study plan and access to quality study resources. Here's a comprehensive guide to help you prepare effectively for the AP Psychology exam:

Creating Your Study Plan:

1. know the exam format:.

  - Familiarize yourself with the format of the AP Psychology exam. It consists of two sections: a multiple-choice section and a free-response section.

2. Set Clear Goals:

  - Define your goals for the exam, such as the score you aim to achieve. Having clear objectives will guide your study plan.

3. Create a Study Schedule:

  - Develop a study schedule that covers all the topics outlined in the AP Psychology curriculum. Allocate more time to challenging areas or topics you're less familiar with.

4. Break It Down:

  - Divide your study plan into manageable chunks. Assign specific topics or units to each study session to ensure comprehensive coverage.

5. Consistency Is Key:

  - Dedicate consistent daily or weekly study time. Regularity in your study routine will help you retain information effectively.

Top Resources for AP Psychology:

1. textbooks:.

  - "Psychology" by David G. Myers: This widely used textbook offers comprehensive coverage of AP Psychology topics. Make sure you have access to the most recent edition.

2. Online Courses:

  - Khan Academy: Khan Academy offers free online courses on psychology that align with the AP curriculum. Their interactive lessons and quizzes can be valuable study tools.

  - Coursera and edX: These platforms offer psychology courses from top universities, providing in-depth knowledge on specific topics that can complement your AP preparation.

3. Review Books:

  - "Barron's AP Psychology" and "Princeton Review's Cracking the AP Psychology Exam" are popular review books that provide practice questions and content review.

4. Flashcards:

  - Create or use flashcards to memorize key terms, concepts, and theories. Apps like Quizlet offer pre-made sets for AP Psychology.

5. Practice Tests:

  - Use official AP Psychology practice exams available on the College Board website. These exams closely resemble the real test and provide valuable practice.

  - Consider other practice test books like "5 Steps to a 5: AP Psychology" and "Barron's AP Psychology" for additional practice questions.

6. Online Resources:

  - Websites like AP Central (College Board's official AP resource) and AP Psychology Community provide sample questions, exam tips, and valuable insights from experienced AP Psychology teachers.

  - Psychology Today and American Psychological Association (APA) offer articles and resources that can help you understand real-world applications of psychology concepts.

Effective Study Strategies:

1. active learning:.

  - Engage actively with the material. Summarize, teach, or discuss topics with classmates to reinforce your understanding.

2. Practice Multiple-Choice Questions:

  - Regularly practice multiple-choice questions to improve your test-taking skills and knowledge retention.

3. Free-Response Practice:

  - Work on timed free-response questions to get comfortable with the format. Practice effective essay-writing skills and include relevant examples and terminology.

4. Mind Maps and Diagrams:

  - Use visual aids like mind maps, concept maps, and diagrams to organize complex information and relationships between concepts.

5. Mnemonics:

  - Create mnemonic devices to remember lists, theories, or key terms.

6. Study Groups:

 - Join or form a study group with peers. Discussing concepts and teaching each other can deepen your understanding.

7. Self-Assessment:

  - Periodically assess your progress with practice tests and quizzes. Identify areas where you need improvement and adjust your study plan accordingly.

Exam Day Preparation:

1. review your notes:.

  - On the day of the exam, review your notes and key concepts briefly but avoid cramming. Focus on building confidence in your knowledge.

2. Get a Good Night's Sleep:

  - Ensure you get adequate sleep the night before the exam to stay alert and focused during the test.

3. Bring Required Materials:

  - Check the College Board's website for the list of items you need to bring to the exam, such as a valid ID, No. 2 pencils, and a calculator (if allowed).

4. Manage Your Time:

  - During the exam, allocate time wisely. Don't spend too much time on a single question. Move on and return if needed.

5. Stay Calm:

  - Maintain a calm and positive mindset. Anxiety can affect your performance. Trust your preparation and stay confident.

By following this study plan and utilizing these resources, you can enhance your preparation for the AP Psychology exam. Remember that success comes from consistent effort, active learning, and effective test-taking strategies. Good luck with your AP Psychology exam!

In conclusion, preparing for the AP Psychology exam requires a well-structured study plan and access to quality study resources. This comprehensive guide has provided you with strategies to create an effective study plan, top resources for AP Psychology, and study strategies to maximize your preparation.

Remember that success on the AP Psychology exam is not solely about memorizing facts but understanding the underlying concepts and applying them to real-world scenarios. Active learning, practice tests, and self-assessment are key components of your preparation.

As you progress in your studies, stay focused, maintain a consistent study schedule, and use the resources available to you wisely. With dedication and a positive mindset, you can excel on the AP Psychology exam and earn college credit for your efforts. Best of luck in your AP Psychology journey!

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AP Psychology Free Response Questions

Ap psychology free response.

There are some great AP Pysch Free Response resources. Check our prior year questions along with tips and strategies for success.

Prior Year Questions

Attacking an frq, how to ace ap psych frqs, how to write the ap psychology essay.

AP Psychology | Practice Exams | Free Response | Notes | Flashcards |  Study Guides

Calculate for all schools

Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, ap psychology test format overview.

Can someone help me understand the overall format of the AP Psychology test? I'm trying to get a clearer picture of how many questions there are, how the sections are divided, and what kind of questions to expect. Any guidance would be appreciated!

Certainly! The AP Psychology exam has two sections: multiple-choice and free-response. Let's break down each section in more detail:

1. Multiple-Choice Section:

- This section has 100 questions.

- You'll have 70 minutes to complete the multiple-choice section (approximately 42 seconds per question).

- The multiple-choice questions cover a wide range of topics, including history and approaches, research methods, biological bases of behavior, sensation and perception, states of consciousness, learning, cognition, motivation and emotion, developmental psychology, personality, testing and individual differences, abnormal psychology, treatment of abnormal behavior, and social psychology.

- Each question will have 4 answer choices (A, B, C, and D), and you'll need to select the best answer.

2. Free-Response Section:

- This section has 2 questions, which are called "free-response questions" (FRQs).

- You'll have 50 minutes to complete the free-response section (25 minutes per question).

- The free-response questions will ask you to demonstrate your understanding of psychological concepts, terms, theories, and research findings.

- You might be asked to analyze a given scenario or situation, apply your knowledge of specific psychological topics to answer the questions, or design a research study on a given topic.

- Properly answering these questions will require using specific examples, clear explanations, and critical thinking skills.

To prepare for the AP Psychology test, it's important to study the course content thoroughly, practice both multiple-choice and free-response questions, and review commonly used terms and concepts. Make sure to familiarize yourself with the scoring guidelines for the free-response section since the knowledge of how points are awarded will help you better structure your responses. Good luck with your studies!

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CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, how to ace ap psychology frqs.

Advanced Placement (AP)

The AP Psychology exam has one of the lower average scores of all AP exams. However, if you know how to prepare, it can actually be one of the easier AP exams to take. Reading this guide will make you an expert on the AP Psych free-response section. By the end of this article, you'll know exactly what the format of the free-response section is, what types of questions you'll be asked, what graders will be looking for in your answers, and the best tips for studying for AP Psych FRQ. 

What’s the Format of the AP Psychology FRQ Section?

The AP Psychology free-response section is the second and final section of the AP Psych exam. You'll answer free-response questions after the multiple-choice section ends. The AP Psych FRQ section lasts 50 minutes and consists of two questions.

The first AP Psych FRQ is known as a Concept Application question. It often focuses on terminology and explaining examples of different psychological concepts. The second is known as a Research Design question and typically includes a chart or graph you need to analyze.

On the official AP Psychology exam website , it states that you'll be asked to do two main things during the free-response section:

• Explain behavior and apply theories using concepts from different theoretical frameworks or subdomains in the field of psychology.
• Analyze psychological research studies, including analyzing and interpreting quantitative data.

Each free-response question is worth 7 points. When you take the AP exam, your scores will be multiplied by 3.57 so that, in total, the free-response section makes up ⅓ of your total raw AP Psychology exam score. (Your raw score is then compared with the curve calculated by the College Board to see what score you'll get on the final 1-5 AP scale. ) You can learn more about the test format by reading our in-depth guide to the AP Psychology exam.

AP Psychology FRQ Examples

Below are two examples of the types of free-response questions you'll see on the AP Psych exam. For each of these AP Psychology FRQ examples we'll go through the answers so you can see exactly how points are earned. Both sample questions come from the second sitting of the 2021 AP Psych exam .

Question 1: Concept Application

As we mentioned above, this question, like all AP Psychology free-response questions, is worth seven points. You might notice there are seven bullet points to answer which makes it easy to see just where you can earn each point!

Let's go through each bullet point to see what you need to include to earn the point. Answers come from the official College Board answer explanations . 

Explain how each of the following psychological concepts applies to Damian’s gaming behavior.

Motor Cortex: The answer must state the motor cortex is responsible for some part of Damian's voluntary movement while gaming.

• Ex. Damian uses his motor cortex when playing games because it helps him push the controller buttons.
• Ex. Damian’s motor cortex has a larger area devoted to his fingers because he uses them so much when gaming. This gives him finer motor control over his fingers than most other people.
• NOTE: Can't refer to reflexive or involuntary movements such as, "Damian’s motor cortex would make him jump if he was startled by a sudden noise."

Algorithm: Must indicate a step-by-step procedure  (such as a formula, equation, etc.) used when Damian is gaming.

• Ex. Damian applies a step-by-step procedure he learned on the internet to advance through the game.
• NOTE: The response can't refer to heuristics, such as "Damian uses a shortcut rule he learned from his buddy to beat the hardest level
• in the game."

Reciprocity Norm: Answer must state that Damian or another gamer did something helpful for the other because they received or expected to receive something in return from the other.

• Ex. Damian knows that if he shares his best gaming tips with his online friends, they will help him when he needs it.
• Ex. Damian helped one of his online friends who was having trouble with gaming addiction because that friend helped him when he was struggling earlier. 
• NOTE: You won't earn the point if you don't mention reciprocity. For example, the response "Damian agreed to give his friend gaming tips" wouldn't earn you the point because there's no mention of reciprocity.

Monocular Depth Cue of Interposition: Your answer must state that Damian, while he is playing a video game, perceives objects that are partially blocked as being further away than the objects blocking them.

• Damian knows a character is farther away from him than a tree due to the monocular depth cue of interposition because the character is partially hidden by that tree. 

Mental Set: Your answer must state that Damian continues using the same video game strategies that have previously been successful for him OR Damian needs to modify a strategy that had been successful but no longer is.

• Ex. Damian has been successful in the game so far, so he keeps using the same strategies for every level. 
• Ex. Damian had been using the same strategy for every level, but when he reached level 10 the strategy no longer worked so he had to adjust his mental set about his game play to defeat the level. 

Explain how Damian’s parents could use a behavioral approach to get him to apply to college using a fixed-ratio schedule: Your answer must state that Damian's behavior will be reinforced after he completes a specific number of application-related behaviors.

• Ex. Damian’s parents let him game for one hour if he writes three essays for his college applications.
• NOTE: Answers that refer to a variable or interval reinforcement schedule, such as "Damian’s parents reward him at the end of each week that he completes a college application."

Explain how a psychoanalyst would use free association with Damian: Your answer must state that the psychoanalyst would encourage Damian to express his thoughts and feelings freely.

• Ex. Damian’s therapist tells him to say everything that comes to mind without censoring to help him figure out his problems
• NOTE: Answers that refer to dream analysis or word association are incorrect and won't earn the point.

Question 2: Research Design

Identify the independent variable presented in the study: Your answer must state that the independent variable is the use of mental imagery or instruction to use mental imagery

• Ex. The independent variable is the students being told to form a mental image.

Identify the control group: Your answer must state that the control group is the group that was not told to use mental imagery OR that the group that didn't receive the independent variable was Group B. 

Explain why the type of research design being used is appropriate for this study: Your answer must state that the design is appropriate because it is an experiment AND that the design is appropriate because it is trying to show cause and effect.

• Ex. The only research design that shows a cause-and-effect relationship is an experiment, so that is why the researcher chose this.

Explain what the different standard deviations indicate about the data from the two groups: Your answer must state that the scores in Group B varied more than the scores in Group A OR that the scores in Group A varied less than the scores in Group B.

• Ex. The standard deviation from Group B is higher than in Group A, so the scores in Group B were more different from each other than those in Group A
• Ex. Group A had scores that were more similar to each other than Group B.

Explain the ethical flaw that is explicitly presented in the scenario: Your answer must state that that the researcher required the students to participate.

• Ex. The researcher failed to obtain informed consent.

Explain how the primacy effect could apply to this research: Your answer must state that if the primacy effect took place, the students would remember more of the words they heard at the beginning of the list than they did from other parts of the list.

• Ex. If students remember more words at the beginning of the list, then they have demonstrated the primacy effect.
• NOTE: Describing primacy and recency without accurately identifying primacy will not earn you the point, such as "The students remembered the words better if they studied them earlier."

Explain how levels of processing are related to this research: Your answer must state that students who did better/Group A used deep processing or that students who did worse/Group B used shallow processing OR that the response must correctly relate mental imagery to deep processing.

• Ex. Students used mental imagery which allowed them to process the words deeply.
• Ex. The students who had no instructions did worse because they used shallow processing.

Tips for Answering Free-Response Questions

The AP Psych free-response questions often trip students up. For the two sample questions above, the mean scores were a 2.21/7 and a 2.96/7, respectively. That's quite a bit less than 50% for each of them. But studying can help you make significant progress. Below are three tips to keep in mind while studying as well as when you’re taking the test to help you improve your chances of scoring well on this section.

#1: Know Your Vocab

You basically can't do well on the AP Psych exam if you don't have a good grasp of psychology vocabulary. And you'll need to do some studying to keep all the terms straight. Some definitions are relatively intuitive, but others are almost impossible to figure out if you haven't studied them directly.

Be meticulous about going over all the terms covered in your class so that you don't second-guess yourself on the test. This is especially important for the Concept Application free-response question for which you will be asked to describe how terms relate to certain situations. You need to understand the terms beyond just the ability to pick their correct definitions out of a multiple-choice lineup. Flashcards are a particularly useful study tool for AP Psychology.

#2: Write in Complete Sentences, Not Complete Paragraphs

A lot of students are confused about how in-depth their free-response answers should be. If you write too much, you'll lose precious time, but if you write too little, you can lose points. The trick to getting the balance correct is to write in complete sentences, but not to write entire paragraphs. Psychology is about your grasp of science—not English—so don't bother with introductions, conclusions, or any other fluff in your answers to the free-response questions. But also don't think that one word answers will cut it.

One of the best ways to get a feel for how much to write is to look over the scoring guidelines after you complete a set of practice problems. Here are the scoring guidelines for the two AP Psych FRQ above. You'll see that most answers are 1-2 sentences. That's all you need to earn a high score on the AP Psych FRQ section.

#3: Connect Your Answer Back to the Question

Right in the official scoring guidelines for the AP Psychology free-response questions is the following statement: "The response must apply the concept to the prompt; a definition alone will not earn the point." This is a key point that many AP Psych students overlook. For example, for the first sample question above, simply stating the definitions of motor cortex, algorithm, reciprocity norm, etc. won't earn you any points. You must always relate them back to the question and, in this case, how they relate to Damian and his behavior. The AP Psych FRQs require more than just regurgitating vocab definitions; you must always connect it back to the question itself.

How to Practice AP Psych FRQ 

You can know all about the format and types of questions you'll see on AP Psychology FRQ, but the way to really test and improve your skills is by answering practice problems. Doing so helps you become even more familiar with free response types and helps you see more clearly which types of questions are easy for you and which you need to study more.

Choosing high-quality practice questions is key to ensuring you're really practicing what you'll be seeing on the exam. Fortunately, the College Board (who designs AP exams) has dozens of old, official AP Psych free-response questions easily available.

Currently, the College Board has AP Psychology FRQ from 2021 as well as 1999-2019 . That's dozens of free-response questions for you to review and try out! The AP Psych exam was updated in 2019, so we recommend focusing on the most recent FRQ, but the free-response question format and topics didn't change all that much, so even older AP Psych FRQ answers and sample questions are still valuable.

Because there are so many free-response problems, you can begin completing practice problems a few months into your class (say, around November) and continuing up until the AP exam in May.

At the beginning of the school year, when you're still learning a lot of the main course material, you can read through the questions to find the ones that focus on topics you've already covered. In order to get the most out of these practice problems, make sure to use a timer and give yourself the same timing limitations the real exam will have.

Summary: AP Psychology FRQ

AP Psychology free-response questions are often the most challenging part of the AP exam. However, by knowing what to expect from this section, you'll give yourself a great shot at getting a high score. The free-response section contains two questions:

• 1 Concept Application question (worth 7 points)
• 1 Research Design question (worth 7 points)

You’ll have 50 minutes to complete this section, and it’s worth 33% of your total exam score. To maximize your chances of doing well keep these three tips in mind:

• Know your vocab
• Write in complete sentences, not complete paragraphs
• Connect your answer back to the question 

Taking practice tests is one of the best ways to prepare for AP Psychology FRQ, and you should absolutely take advantage of the many official AP Psychology FRQ examples that the College Board has released.

What's Next?

Are you concerned about the AP Psychology test? Read this article to decide whether AP Psych will be especially challenging for you (or not!) .

How should you prepare for AP Psychology?  We've come up with the absolute best study plan for the AP Psych exam. Check out the five steps you need to follow!

Want some more study resources?  We've found the 4 best AP Psych books you should be using as you study.

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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AP® Psychology

How to answer ap® psychology free response questions.

• The Albert Team
• Last Updated On: March 1, 2022

One of the unique characteristics of AP® Psychology is the fact that the FRQ section accounts for just a third of a student’s score. While the free response may not be as greater weighted as the FRQs of other Advanced Placement classes, the two questions posted are still very important to a student’s ability to score a 3, 4, or 5. In this post, we’re going to review the best tips and tricks for answering AP® Psychology free response questions so you can feel confident about your FRQs.

Keep reading to get the scoop on everything you need to make the most of your AP® Psychology exam review. 

What We Review

5 Steps on How to Write Effective AP® Psychology Free Responses

There are a few vital steps when it comes to putting your best foot forward in your AP® Psychology free response section.

1. Understand the difference between the concept application question and the research question.

The concept application and the research question are the two types of questions you’ll find on the AP® Psychology free response section. 

For the concept application question, you’ll be presented with a scenario in which you will need to apply concepts to the scenario to demonstrate your content mastery. The intent of this question is to assess what the College Board calls Skill Category 1: Concept Understanding. 

Concept Understanding is the ability to define, explain, and apply concepts, behavior, theories, and perspectives. 

For the research question, you’ll often be given data from some form of research (i.e. experiment, survey, etc) and you’ll be assessed on your mastery of analyzing research studies.

The two skill categories assessed here are Data Analysis and Scientific Investigation. 

Data Analysis is as you can imagine, the ability to read and interpret quantitative data. 

Scientific Investigation is the ability to analyze psychological research studies. 

A few years ago, it wasn’t always guaranteed that students would receive a research question; however, the College Board in recent years has made this more explicit that students should expect one of the two FRQs to be research questions. 

Here are two examples of concept application questions from the 2019 and 2018 AP® Psychology exams:

Source: College Board

Notice how the key directive for students in these concept application questions is to explain and apply concepts you learned in class. 

Here are two examples of research questions from 2019 and 2017: 

Notice how in these research questions, one part is dedicated to assessing your ability to analyze the set up of the research study, while the other part is more similar to a concept application question and requires explanation of how certain concepts relate to the scenario. 

Here is a link for AP® Psychology past released exams

These past exams include scoring guidelines PDFs which outline how points were distributed for each respective question. 

2. Learn from the mistakes of students from the past exams.

The nice thing about AP® Psychology is that it hasn’t changed all that much in the last decade. This means referencing past released exams can be a way to gain more insight than you might be able to get from other places. 

You can learn a lot from these scoring guidelines. For example, if you read through the 2017-2019 guidelines, you’ll notice the College Board emphasizes a few general rules of thumb regarding the concept application question:

• Answers need to be complete sentences (but spelling or grammatical mistakes are not penalized).
• Just defining concepts or repeating terms given in the prompt is not enough to earn the point. 
• You can’t lose points for misinformation unless it directly contradicts correct information that would have scored a point. 

When it comes to the research question:

• Answering the wrong question won’t score you points (this shouldn’t be a big surprise).
• Wishy washy answers do not score points. For example, if you’re asked whether or not the data supports the hypothesis, a response that falls into “it depends on how you view it” would not score points. 
• Connecting the concept to the behavior addressed in the question was one of the most common student mistakes. Students knew the general idea of a concept but couldn’t apply it. 
• Correlation does not equal causation. 
• Just knowing methods of research is not enough; you need to be able to compare and contrast related research methods and psychology concepts with each other. 

Work your way through the last three year’s worth of scoring guidelines and read about the mistakes of past students. This will help familiarize you understand what to be mindful of when you start answering your own FRQs. 

3. Underline or circle what each question part is asking you.

The bulk of the time, you will be asked to identify, describe, or explain. 

To properly identify , you must provide 1-2 sentences where you directly answer the question. You will need to name the particular concept and connect it to the question prompt. 

To describe , you’ll need to characterize something. This will typically take 2-3 sentences since after you characterize it, you’ll want to apply it back to the prompt. Similar directives more occasionally used could be expressed as show or illustrate .

When asked to explain , these responses often will be three sentences. One sentence to directly respond to the question, followed by 2-3 supporting and specific facts that support your answer. You’ll need to go into depth about how the particular concept or theory connects back to the prompt. Teachers often refer to these questions as ones where you want to “show the why”. Similar directives could be expressed as discuss or relate .

Aside from the directives, build the habit of also marking key vocabulary words or influential people brought up. 

4. Plan out your response BEFORE you start writing.

Taking just a couple minutes to think about your response to each part of the AP® Psychology free response questions can make a huge difference in the thoroughness of your answers.

Consider what studies from your class you can bring in; citing past studies you’ve been exposed to is a stronger response than giving a personal life example when responding to an FRQ. Think about how clear it is as to why you’re bringing up an example or study. 

Finally, consider what your topic sentence will be in each explanation of yours. Writing one can help bring clarity to your thoughts as you mold your response to the question. 

Remember, the College Board uses the free response of the AP® Psychology exam to assess your ability to apply concepts, read and interpret data, and analyze psychological research studies. 

This means this section just recalling definitions is not enough to earn you points. You must be able to apply what you know to the situations described to you.

5. Practice, practice, and then practice some more.

There is no better way to build your AP® Psychology free response test-taking confidence than through practicing. 

You need to practice in order to gain exposure to enough past AP® Psych FRQs to better understand what sorts of questions will be asked of you. 

For example, when it comes to the research question, you’ll be tested to demonstrate you know what is a hypothesis, independent variable, dependent variable, random sample, potential biases, and more. 

The College Board provides a plethora of past released exams to help you navigate the preparation process, so use them! 

We recommend teaming up with a friend or two to work on the same year together. Then, use the scoring guidelines to review the sample responses, and then to grade each other’s work. This will help you understand how a peer may have responded to the same question you answered, as well as what would and would not score you points. 

20 AP® Psychology FRQ Tips to Scoring a 4 or 5

Now that we’ve gone over five steps to writing effective AP® Psychology free response questions, we can dig into test taking tips and strategies to help with approaching the concept application and research question. 

We recommend you read through a few of these every time you start and end your AP® Psychology FRQ practice. Then, in the days leading up to your exam, read the entire list so they stay fresh in your mind. 

7 AP® Psychology Concept Application Question Tips and Test Taking Strategies

• Be mindful of your time spent for the concept application question. The research question typically takes more time so you need to allocate time accordingly. 
• Always define your term before you provide an example that relates back to the prompt. This helps serve as backup and demonstrates what you know.
• Remember to apply the term. Defining the term alone is not enough. 
• Some teachers have told their students to underline the term in their responses; this is up to you, but could be a nice way to cue your reader in when they’re looking for whether or not you understand the definition of the term. 
• One way to remember the last time is UDA: underline the term or concept being tested, define the term without using the term itself in the definition, and apply the term to an example. 
• Use synonyms when elaborating on your definition of a term. Don’t use the term itself with its definition. 
• Leave a line break or space after each part of your response. This makes it easier for your reader to follow along vs. a long block of text. 

3 AP® Psychology Research Question Tips and Test Taking Strategies

• Review your definitions every day in the two weeks leading up to the exam. Make sure you’re confident in identifying the operational definition of different variables, what is a hypothesis, independent variable vs. dependent variable, etc. Here is a link to a series of operational definition flashcards.
• Include topic sentences when you’re explaining. They help give your responses direction as you translate the question for yourself. 
• When providing supporting examples or studies, clearly state the purpose of you doing so. Avoid abstract references. 

10 General AP® Psychology Free Response Tips and Test Taking Strategies

• Write in complete sentences. You should not outline or bullet your AP® Psychology free response answers.
• Outline your responses before you begin writing by using your question sheet. 
• Be concise and direct. Don’t skirt around in your responses. 
• This is not an AP® History class. There is no need for an introduction or conclusion paragraph. 
• Don’t make diagrams or lists; you only get points for responses that use sentences.  
• Use the appropriate psychological terms when responding to the FRQs. Same goes for the proper names of theories and theorists. 
• Remember you can’t lose points for incorrect answers unless they contradict part of a correct response. 
• Answer what you know first. Leave space for the things you don’t know or need more time to think about to go back to that part later. 
• If you’re low on time and need to squeeze out a response, feel free to scratch out what you don’t want your reader to read. An erasable pen can also be helpful. 
• Watch YouTube videos to refresh your memory on key concepts and theories. Crash Course has a great playlist that is a little dated but still helpful here .

Wrapping Things Up: How to Write AP® Psychology FRQs

We’ve gone over a lot in this AP® Psychology study guide. At this point, you should have everything you need to begin practicing writing your concept application and research question responses. 

As we wrap things up, here are a few takeaways to remember:

• It’s important to always define the term, and then apply the term to an example. One cannot happen without the other. 
• Create a system for yourself on how you’ll respond to each part of both questions. Consider using the UDA method for term-based questions. This is where you’ll underline the term, define the term, and then apply it.
• Plan your responses before you start writing by using your question sheet. Make sure your response is concise and direct, and structured in a way that is easy to grade.
• Master all your key psychological terms. Go through at least three years of past exams to familiarize yourself with the sorts of questions asked on the research question.
• Budget your time accordingly. Make sure you do not spend too much time on one question that you’re left with insufficient time to fully address the other question. 

We hope you’ve taken away a lot from this AP® Psychology review guide.

If you’re looking for more free response questions or multiple choice questions, check out our website! Albert has tons of original standards-aligned practice questions for you with detailed explanations to help you learn by doing and score that 4 or 5.

If you found this post helpful, you may also like our AP® Psychology tips here or our AP® Psychology score calculator here .

We also have an AP® Psychology review guide here .

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