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How to Approach Each Type of AP® Psychology Multiple-Choice Question (MCQ)

The AP® Psychology exam includes two sections: multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and free-response questions (FRQs). We will review the 6 types of MCQs and provide key strategies for efficient exam prep so you can succeed on test day.

Note: For the May 2025 session, AP Psychology has undergone course and exam revisions. The AP Psychology examples provided on this page reflect the style of previous exams; however, they may differ from the May 2025, which will feature new question types debuting this year. To learn more, refer to our AP Psychology Course and Exam Description (CED) overview.

The AP Psychology MCQ section is worth 66.7% of your score and consists of 75 questions, each with four answer choices. You’ll encounter these 6 types of MCQs on the exam:

Text-based questions
Diagram-based questions
Graph-based questions
Calculation questions
Graph answer choice questions
Passage-based questions

Our QBank offers hundreds of inquiries that mimic these 6 question types. Each requires a different strategy to guide you to the correct answer. Here are some example questions and tips on how to answer them confidently.

Text-Based Questions

Text-based questions test your knowledge-based skills and require you to carefully analyze the information provided. Longer questions may test simple concepts, whereas shorter inquiries require much more thought. Don’t let the length of the question determine your focus time.

MCQ Example 1

Which of the following is the best example of a self-fulfilling prophecy?

A father stops nagging his daughter once she does her homework, which encourages her to do her homework in the future.
A rat passively learns a maze when there is no food reward and later demonstrates learning by quickly completing the maze for food.
An athlete earns a spot on an elite soccer team and tells his friends he always knew he would make the team.
A teacher believes a student will not perform well in her class and therefore pays less attention to the student, who then does poorly in the class.
A high schooler who is unsuccessful in student government elections claims he lost because the election was unfair.

To successfully answer this question, you must know the definition of a self-fulfilling prophecy and apply that definition to select the correct example of a self-fulfilling prophecy. A self-fulfilling prophecy is a term that you need to know for the exam, so this question tests your AP Psych vocabulary and how you can apply this knowledge.

Diagram-Based Questions

Diagram-based questions contain an image, such as an illustration of a neuron or results from a particular neuropsychology assessment in the stem with text either above or below it. You’ll have to analyze the diagram to get the correct answer.

MCQ Example 2

What is a major function of the region of the brain labeled III?

Processing visual stimuli
Processing auditory stimuli
Planning and making judgments
Movement coordination and balance
Sensing the position of the body in space

To answer this question, you need to apply your knowledge of the functions of the lobes and other major parts of the brain to the illustration.

Graph-Based Questions

Graph-based questions display a graph containing data and a text description in the stem. You will analyze a graph and choose the correct answer. Graph-based questions can display a lot of information but steadily review the data.

Tips for Answering Graph-Based Questions:

MCQ Example 3

The graph above depicts the results of a classical conditioning experiment in which dogs were trained to salivate to the sound of a bell. The results reveal that

positive reinforcement was given in phase I
habituation to the unconditioned stimulus occurred during phase I
spontaneous recovery of the conditioned response occurred at the beginning of phase IV
extinction was demonstrated in phase III
stimulus discrimination is shown at the end of phase II

This question assesses your knowledge of the classical conditioning process and related terms. Using the graph in the question, use your knowledge of classical conditioning and graph analysis to select the best answer.

Calculation Questions

Calculation questions involve taking the information provided in the question stem, graph, or table and calculating to get the correct answer. You are not permitted to use a calculator. Although this type of question appears less frequently, you should be ready if it appears on your exam.

MCQ Example 4

A psychologist uses the approach developed by Alfred Binet to calculate a child's intelligence quotient. If a 10-year-old child scores an intelligence quotient of 90, what is the child's mental age?

To answer this question, you will need basic math skills and an understanding of calculating a child's IQ score according to Alfred Binet’s system using the concepts of mental and chronological age.

Graphical Answer Choice Questions

Graphical answer choice questions can be more complicated because you have to choose a graph that best represents the answer instead of a sentence or numerical option. You must apply information in the stem and sometimes content knowledge to choose the best image option.

MCQ Example 5

Which of the following best depicts a correlation of −.28?

Here you will need to choose the graphical representation for the answer choice, but don’t let this intimidate you! You will use your knowledge of correlations to choose the best answer.

Passage-Based Questions

Passage-based questions consist of several inquiries tied to a particular passage. Passages may vary in length, be text-based, or contain drawn images, data tables, and/or graphs. They may introduce an experiment or describe a psychological process.

Each passage will contain 2 to 4 associated questions. Passage-based questions may contain any of the previously introduced question types. Usually, you will need to apply content knowledge in addition to the information in the passage or question stem to arrive at the best answer choice.

Passage

The patient is given a muscle relaxant and put under general anesthesia.
A brief pulse of electrical current is administered to the patient's brain; the patient wakes up soon after and does not remember the treatment or what happened several hours before it.
The process is repeated several times per week for several weeks.

MCQ Example 6

Which of the following approaches is most closely aligned with the procedure described in the passage?

Client-centered
Psychodynamic
Biological
Cognitive
Behavioral

To answer this question, you will use your knowledge of therapeutic techniques and approaches to treating mental disorders to select the best answer.

Tips To Approach the AP Psychology Multiple-Choice Questions

Before answering any question, carefully read it, note key information, and mentally review what you know about the topic.

Depending on the question type, here are some specific strategies to keep in mind:

Focus on critical information and follow any clues or instructions provided in the question to locate the answer in the passage or figures.

Carefully examine the entire diagram, focusing on key labels, patterns, and relevant details while considering the question to ensure a complete and accurate answer.

Examine the graph closely, focusing on the legend (if present), axis labels, and captions.

Work through the problem before reviewing the answer choices, and if you're short on time, estimate the solution to select the best option.

Look closely at each graph, focusing on labels, units, and the legend. Check for patterns and make sure the graph matches the question. Eliminate any graphs that clearly don’t align with the data.

How Can I Practice AP Psychology Multiple-Choice Questions?

The key to excelling on the AP Psychology exam lies in preparation. You can practice AP Psych MCQs on the UWorld AP Psychology question bank. Our QBank has hundreds of AP Psychology practice MCQs with rationales that are illustrated and explain the correct and incorrect answer options.

References

AP Psychology. (n.d.). Collegeboard.org. Retrieved October 15, 2024, from https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-psychology
AP Psychology Course and Exam Description. (2024). Collegeboard.org. Retrieved October 15, 2024, from https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/ap-psychology-course-and-exam-description.pdf
AP Psychology Revisions for 2024-25. (n.d.). Collegeboard.org. Retrieved October 15, 2024, from https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-psychology/revisions-2024-25

Frequently Asked Questions

How many multiple-choice questions are on the AP Psych exam?

There are 75 questions on the AP Psychology MCQ section.

How are AP Psych multiple-choice questions graded?

A computer grades the multiple-choice questions. Each question in the AP Psych MCQ is worth 1 point. The points earned on multiple-choice questions make up 66.7% of your total score.

How long is the multiple-choice question section of the AP Psychology exam?

The multiple-choice section of the AP Psychology exam is known as Section 1 and lasts 90 minutes.

Where can I get multiple-choice questions from past AP Psychology exams?

Since 2012, the College Board® has not released any official practice tests or multiple-choice questions for the AP Psychology exam. However, you can find some AP Psychology practice MCQs on the official course and exam description (CED) published by the College Board.