AP® Psychology Course And Exam Description
If you plan to take AP® Psychology, going through its course and exam descriptions is an excellent place to start. But reading through the hundred-plus pages of the official AP Psych Course and Exam Description (CED) provided by the College Board® can be a bit tiring. Don't worry! We've simplified the AP Psychology Course and Exam Description to help you understand what to expect when you take the course. This comprehensive article will guide you through the units, topics, key concepts, and skills you need to learn to succeed in the AP Psych course and exam.
AP Psychology Course Overview
Before we explore the course curriculum, let's address a few commonly asked questions you might have before taking this course. One question we frequently encounter is whether the AP Psychology course is a dual credit course in high school. AP Psych is equivalent to a one-semester introductory college course in psychology. If you are wondering what college course is equivalent to AP Psych, the answer is that you can get credit, placement, or both for a first-semester introductory psychology course at your college. Because colleges differ in what they call their introductory psychology course, talk to your prospective college admissions department to find out the exact name of the equivalent college psychology course.
AP Psychology, like all other AP courses, is not a dual credit course. Additionally, because there are no prerequisites, any high school student interested in psychology can take it. Now, how does the College Board classify AP Psychology? Is it a science course or a social science course? Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and the mind in humans and animals. Because it deals with human behavior, the College Board classifies AP Psychology as a social science course.
The AP Psychology course comprises two parts — course content and course skills. These two parts work together to help you build a strong foundation in psychology and succeed on the AP Psychology exam. Now, let's explore the AP Psychology units, topics, and key concepts you will learn in the course.
AP Psychology Units, Topics, and Key Concepts
The AP Psychology course content has nine units. Each unit focuses on a set of topics that explore the theme of that unit. In this section, we'll look at these units and their weighting on the end-of-course exam.
Each AP Psychology unit carries a specific weight on the exam. While the College Board publishes the unit weighting for the exam's multiple-choice (MCQ) section, the amount each unit will apply toward the free-response (FRQ) section is always confidential. If you are wondering what unit weights are, a unit's weight determines how often questions from that unit appear on the exam. So, you can expect to encounter more questions from a unit with a higher weighting than another unit with a lower weighting on the exam. The table below shows the unit weights for the MCQ section of the AP Psychology exam:
| Units | Weight |
|---|---|
| Unit 1: Scientific Foundations of Psychology | 10–14% |
| Unit 2: Biological Bases of Behavior | 8–10% |
| Unit 3: Sensation and Perception | 6–8% |
| Unit 4: Learning | 7–9% |
| Unit 5: Cognitive Psychology | 13–17% |
| Unit 6: Developmental Psychology | 7–9% |
| Unit 7: Motivation, Emotion, and Personality | 11–15% |
| Unit 8: Clinical Psychology | 12–16% |
| Unit 9: Social Psychology | 8–10% |
AP Psychology - 9 Units and Their Topics
Now that you understand the nine units in the course and their relative weights on the exam, let's dive deeper into the topics and key concepts you will learn in each unit. Click on the tabs below to learn more about AP Psychology units and their respective topics in detail:
Unit 1: Scientific Foundations of Psychology
Exam Weight: 10 – 14 % | Class periods ~ 13 – 14
In Unit 1 of AP Psychology, you will learn that the definition of psychology is the scientific study of behavior and the mind. In this unit, you’ll learn about the history of psychology and psychological thinking, modern perspectives and applications of psychology, and psychological research methods.
Unit 1 consists of 6 topics. These are:
- 1.1 Introducing Psychology
- 1.2 Research Methods in Psychology
- 1.3 Defining Psychological Science: The Experimental Method
- 1.4 Selecting a Research Method
- 1.5 Statistical Analysis in Psychology
- 1.6 Ethical Guidelines in Psychology
Unit 2: Biological Bases of Behavior
Exam Weight: 8 – 10% ｜ Class periods ~ 11 – 12
As the name suggests, Unit 2 focuses on biological systems and how their functions influence behavior and mental processes. You will learn about the interaction between biology and the environment in shaping behavior. You will also gain insight into the causes and treatments for psychological disorders.
The topics you will learn about are:
- 2.1 Interaction of Heredity and Environment
- 2.2 The Endocrine System
- 2.3 Overview of the Nervous System and the Neuron
- 2.4 Neural Firing
- 2.5 Influence of Drugs on Neural Firing
- 2.6 The Brain
- 2.7 Tools for Examining Brain Structure and Function
- 2.8 The Adaptable Brain
- 2.9 Sleep and Dreaming
Unit 3: Sensation and Perception
Exam Weight: 6 – 8% ｜ Class periods ~ 11 – 12
In Unit 3, you will learn how sensation and perception affect mental processes and behavior. You’ll learn about the methods psychologists use to study how the nervous system receives sensory information and then interprets it in a process known as perception in Unit 3. This unit explains the ways that perception and behavior influence each other.
The topics covered in this unit are:
- 3.1 Principles of Sensation
- 3.2 Principles of Perception
- 3.3 Visual Anatomy
- 3.4 Visual Perception
- 3.5 Auditory Sensation and Perception
- 3.6 Chemical Senses
- 3.7 Body Senses
Unit 4: Learning
Exam Weight: 7 – 9% ｜ Class periods ~ 9 – 10
Unit 4 covers how humans and other animals learn. In this unit, you will learn about the influence of the environment on mental processes and behavior. You’ll also see how to apply learning principles to understand and modify behavior.
The topics covered in this unit are:
- 4.1 Introduction to Learning
- 4.2 Classical Conditioning
- 4.3 Operant Conditioning
- 4.4 Social and Cognitive Factors in Learning
Unit 5: Cognitive Psychology
Exam Weight: 13 – 17% ｜ Class periods ~ 17 – 18
In Unit 5 of AP Psychology, you will learn about cognitive psychology, which studies the ways that thinking influences behavior. This unit covers how information is gathered and processed, intelligence, and intelligence testing. You will also learn the ways in which thought impacts psychological disorders, as well as the therapeutic techniques that utilize the cognitive approach.
Unit 5 is divided into the following topics:
- 5.1 Introduction to Memory
- 5.2 Encoding
- 5.3 Storing
- 5.4 Retrieving
- 5.5 Forgetting and Memory Distortion
- 5.6 Biological Bases of Memory
- 5.7 Introduction to Thinking and Problem Solving
- 5.8 Biases and Errors in Thinking
- 5.9 Introduction to Intelligence
- 5.10 Psychometric Principles and Intelligence Testing
- 5.11 Components of Language and Language Acquisition
Unit 6: Developmental Psychology
Exam Weight: 7 – 9% ｜ Class periods ~ 9 – 10
Unit 6 of AP Psychology addresses developmental psychology, which is the study of human behavior from conception to death. Across the lifespan, changes in biology, thinking, and social situations influence behaviors. Developmental psychologists utilize a range of perspectives and research designs while attempting to understand these changes.
This unit covers the following topics:
- 6.1 The Lifespan and Physical Development in Childhood
- 6.2 Social Development in Childhood
- 6.3 Cognitive Development in Childhood
- 6.4 Adolescent Development
- 6.5 Adulthood and Aging
- 6.6 Moral Development
- 6.7 Gender and Sexual Orientation
Unit 7: Motivation, Emotion, and Personality
Exam Weight: 11 – 15% ｜ Class periods ~ 16 – 17
Unit 7 will teach you the theories and concepts used to categorize and explain personality and motivation. For example, psychologists may emphasize how personalities differ, how personalities develop, or how personalities could change. This unit also covers the assessment criteria of personality.
The topics you will learn about in this unit are:
- 7.1 Theories of Motivation
- 7.2 Specific Topics in Motivation
- 7.3 Theories of Emotion
- 7.4 Stress and Coping
- 7.5 Introduction to Personality
- 7.6 Psychoanalytic Theories of Personality
- 7.7 Behaviorism and Social Cognitive Theories of Personality
- 7.8 Humanistic Theories of Personality
- 7.9 Trait Theories of Personality
- 7.10 Measuring Personality
Unit 8: Clinical Psychology
Exam Weight: 12 – 16% ｜ Class periods ~ 17 – 18
Unit 8 of AP Psychology teaches you about psychological disorders and the theoretical perspectives psychologists use to explain and treat them. This unit covers different disorders, their characteristic symptoms, and how to evaluate treatment approaches to determine which are most effective.
Unit 8 covers the following topics:
- 8.1 Introduction to Psychological Disorders
- 8.2 Psychological Perspectives and Etiology of Disorders
- 8.3 Neurodevelopmental and Schizophrenic Spectrum Disorders
- 8.4 Bipolar, Depressive, Anxiety, and Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders
- 8.5 Trauma- and Stressor-Related, Dissociative, and Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders
- 8.6 Feeding and Eating, Substance and Addictive, and Personality Disorders
- 8.7 Introduction to Treatment of Psychological Disorders
- 8.8 Psychological Perspectives and Treatment of Disorders
- 8.9 Treatment of Disorders from the Biological Perspective
- 8.10 Evaluating Strengths, Weaknesses, and Empirical Support for Treatments of Disorders
Unit 9: Social Psychology
Exam Weight: 8 – 10% ｜ Class periods ~ 10 – 11
The final unit in the AP Psychology course, Unit 9, focuses on social psychology: the study of how the presence of others influences behavior and mental processes. Social psychology also considers how people behave in social situations based on mental processes.
Topics in this unit include:
- 9.1 Attribution Theory and Person Perception
- 9.2 Attitude Formation and Attitude Change
- 9.3 Conformity, Compliance, and Obedience
- 9.4 Group Influences on Behavior and Mental Processes
- 9.5 Bias, Prejudice, and Discrimination
- 9.6 Altruism and Aggression
- 9.7 Interpersonal Attraction
With thorough insight into the course and unit description, we are now ready to explore the skills that you will acquire as you journey through the AP Psychology key concepts and units. Because the exam tests your knowledge of psychological concepts and how you apply those concepts to authentic scenarios, these skills play an important role in the AP Psychology exam.
What Skills Do You Learn in the AP Psychology Course?
AP Psychology skills describe the abilities you will acquire while working through the course. These skills include understanding psychological concepts, analyzing data, and analyzing research studies. These skills form the basis of tasks on the AP Exam.
There are three skill categories for the AP Psychology course and exam. They are as follows:
Skill Category 1: Concept Understanding
The 'concept understanding' skill category includes defining, explaining, and applying concepts, theories, and perspectives to explain mental processes in authentic, real-life contexts.
Skill Category 2: Data Analysis
The second skill category, 'data analysis,' will enable you to analyze and interpret quantitative data that forms the backbone of psychological research studies.
Skill Category 3: Scientific Investigation
Under the third skill category of 'scientific investigation,' you will learn how to analyze psychological research studies. This skill borrows from the first two categories you will learn during the course.
Now that you have explored the topics, concepts, and skills you need to know in the AP Psychology course, make sure you master those skills with our AP Psychology practice tests. UWorld provides detailed answer explanations, flashcards, and quality MCQs to help you get that 5!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is AP Psychology an easy course?
AP Psych is a great introductory course for students beginning to explore AP courses. The passing rates are typically higher, and there are no prerequisites for the course. AP Psych requires hard work, dedication, and effort for success, just like every other AP subject. Remember that all AP courses are equivalent to college-level introductory courses. These courses require more work than the regular high school classes.
What are the most important topics in AP Psychology?
Based on their respective exam weights, the most important AP Psychology topics are:
- Unit 5: Cognitive Psychology (13 – 17%)
- Unit 8: Clinical Psychology (12 – 16%)
- Unit 7: Motivation, Emotion, and Personality (11 – 15%)
- Unit 1: Scientific Foundations of Psychology (10 – 14%)
Can you take AP Psychology without taking high school psychology?
Yes, you can take AP Psychology without having taken high school psychology. This AP course has no prerequisites.
