GKE - Mastering Multiple Choice Lesson

Learning Targets:

  • Analyze multiple-choice questions to understand their components and relationships.
  • Apply effective strategies to navigate through multiple-choice questions efficiently.
  • Recall and apply psychological knowledge to different scenarios, images, and graphs. 

Navigating the Multiple-Choice Section:

In the AP Psychology Exam, the multiple-choice section comprises 75 questions, accounting for 66.7% of your final score. You will have 90 minutes to complete this segment, which challenges your understanding of psychological principles, theories, and real-world applications. This section will test your knowledge, analytical skills, and practical application of psychological concepts. You must use your knowledge and critical thinking to answer each question correctly.

Multiple-choice questions allow you to demonstrate your understanding of essential concepts, link theories to practical situations, and apply your reasoning abilities. The psychology portion of the exam goes beyond rote memorization; it requires a thorough understanding of psychology and the ability to apply its principles to various situations.

Sample Multiple-Choice Question:        

The multiple-choice section of the AP Psychology exam is crucial to success. Here is a scenario that illustrates classical conditioning and its relationship to a familiar event.

Imagine a student named Jamie who loves drinking hot chocolate. Whenever Jamie sips her favorite hot chocolate, she feels a sense of Photograph of sweaters hanging in a display warmth and comfort. Over time, Jamie's friend, Maria, always wears a distinctive blue sweater when they have hot chocolate together.

Let's examine how this scenario could be used to create a multiple-choice question for the AP exam.

One day, Jamie walks into a store and sees a blue sweater resembling Maria’s. Suddenly, she starts craving hot chocolate, even though she wasn't thinking about it. In this scenario, which of the following best represents the blue sweater regarding classical conditioning?

  1. Unconditioned stimulus (UCS)
  2. Conditioned stimulus (CS)
  3. Positive reinforcement
  4. Unconditioned response (UCR)

The correct answer is (B) Conditioned stimulus (CS). Just like how Jamie's friend Maria’s blue sweater became associated with the pleasure of drinking hot chocolate, a conditioned stimulus in classical conditioning is a previously neutral stimulus that triggers a conditioned response after being paired with an unconditioned stimulus.

Mastering multiple-choice questions involves understanding the principles and concepts behind each scenario presented. It also involves recognizing the relationships between stimuli and responses and applying your knowledge to select the most appropriate answer.

By practicing and familiarizing yourself with different scenarios like the one discussed here, you can sharpen your analytical skills, improve your comprehension of psychological concepts, and ultimately excel in the multiple-choice section of the AP Psychology exam. Remember, each question is an opportunity to showcase your understanding and critical thinking abilities.

Throughout the modules, you will be exposed to this type of question in your assessments in preparation for module exams and the AP exam in May.

Tips for Excelling in the Multiple Choice Section:

 

[CC BY 4.0] UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED | IMAGES: LICENSED AND USED ACCORDING TO TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION