PSYCHSTUDYGUIDES.doc

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Andrew Shapiro

AP Psychology Tri 3 AY 2011-12

Study Guide Intelligence (Chapter 14)

1. Distinguish between achievement and aptitude tests.

Aptitude tests measure a student's ability to learn, while achievement tests measure howmuch students have already learned

Know the purpose of intelligence, neuropsychological, and personality tests.

You will be expected to know what is meant by: frequency distribution, mean, median,

variability, and normal curve.

Know the meaning of correlation and what the correlation coefficient is.

2. Define reliability and name different measures of reliability; explain predictive and

construct validity and the procedure of standardization.

Reliability: the consistency with which a mental test measures what it measures

Measures of Reliability

Inter-rater reliability

Test-retest reliability

Inter-method reliability

Internal consistency reliability

Predictive validity: the effectiveness of one set of test or research results as a predictor

of the outcome of future experiments or tests

Construct validity: the degree to which an instrument measures the characteristic being

investigated; the extent to which the conceptual definitions match the operationaldefinitions

Standardization is the process of developing and implementing technical standards

To obtain these standards, a test is administered to a carefully-chosen, large

sample of the population on which the test is to be used (the standardization

sample)

Be familiar with:

> the difficulties in defining intelligence,

> the strategy behind constructing intelligence tests,

> a few types of intelligence tests.

Review the reliability and validity of intelligence tests.

Be familiar with problems in inferring causation from the correlation of intelligence tests with

school grades or job performance.

Be familiar with the psychometric approach to studying intelligence.

3. What is the WAIS?


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A standardized intelligence test for assessing people aged 16 and older.

Is there evidence for g?

Be able to distinguish fluid from crystallized intelligence.

The information-processing approach:

Be aware of the logic and evidence behind the suggestion that simple cognitive processes, such

as performance on simple or choice reaction time tasks or on a lexical decision task, may be

components of intelligence.

Know some of the limitations of intelligence tests, in terms of the range of mental abilities

measured.

4. What are Gardners multiple intelligences?

Logical-mathematical

Spatial

Linguistic

Bodily-kinesthetic

Musical

Interpersonal

Intrapersonal

Naturalistic

Know whether there are problems with the multiple intelligence idea.

Know how cultural differences might produce different performances on questions onintelligence tests.

Review the history of positions on genetic factors in intelligence differences related to racial

groups or social class.

Know why it is not possible for any trait to be determined completely by the genotype.

Review basic terms in genetics (phenotype, genotype) and the relation between genotype and

phenotype.

5. Why can the studies of the similarities in intelligence of members of the same family

notbe used to distinguish between genetic and environmental factors.

Because biological family members share the same genetic materialandthe same

environment, so it is impossible to tell from a study alone what factors led to what

Know how twin and adoption studies can be used to make this same distinction; be able to

summarize the results of these studies.


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Know the possible shortcomings of these studies, e.g., the assumption that the environments of

identical twins raised separately may not be very different.

Know the effects of deprived or enriched environments on IQ scores.

6. What is the Flynn effect, and why is it evidence for environmental factors? The Flynn effect is the continued year-on-year rise of IQ test scores seen in all parts of

the world

It is evidence for environmental factors because IQ is increasing at a rate faster than the

human genome

Be able to summarize the evidence for and against genetic and environmental explanations of

differences in IQ in American whites, from twin and adoption studies, from situations where

major environmental differences were studied, and from trends over time in IQ scores.

Know how to explain the idea ofheritability, why it only makes sense to use it to explain

differences across individuals within a population, and how it can change markedly over time.

Be able to describe the mean differences and overlap in IQ between African Americans and

European Americans.

Be able to explain how heritability within groups can differ markedly from heritability of the same

trait between groups.

Be able to evaluate each of the following explanations of the reported difference between

average IQ scores of African Americans and European Americans:

1. the difference doesnt exist

2. unfairness of the tests and test situations for African Americans3. differences in environments between the groups

4. genetic differences between the groups

5. stereotype threat


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AP Psychology Tri3 AY 2011-12 Study Guide- Personality, Chapter 15

Dr. Kenny

Methods of Assessment

Structured Personality Tests

Understand the construction and use of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory(MMPI).

1. Why isnt the MMPI a commonly used test for normal people?

Validity issues patients can manipulate their answers to yield a desired diagnosis from

the doctor, whether that diagnosis is one of healthiness or illness

2. What is one of the tests that is used instead?

California Psychological Inventory (CPI)

Be familiar with predictive test validity.

Projective Personality Tests

3. What is the rationale for projective techniques?

Projective techniques dont allow the patient to cheat, since the test is unstructured and

the patient does not know which answers will yield their desired result

Projective techniques allow the observer to see into the subconscious of the patient,

rather than the patient just showing whatever he/she wants to show

Be able to describe 2 of those techniques.

Be familiar with scoring categories used in the interpretation of Rorschach inkblots, and what

general rules are employed.Know how the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) interpretation is impressionistic and global.

Summarize the issues and arguments in assessing the validity of the TAT and the Rorschach.

4. Of what value are projective tests in a clinical setting?

Allow examiner to circumvent the examinees defenses and see deeper facets of

[his/her] personality without the examinee manipulating the examiners perception of

him/her

The Trait Approach

5. What is the trait approach to personality?

Traits are consistent patterns in the way that people think, act, and feel

Traits are fundamental building blocks of personality

Traits can be organized

Know Cattells approach to developing a taxonomy of personality traits, and what modifications

of Cattells analysis have been suggested and why.


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6. What are the Big Five?

Extraversion

Agreeableness

Conscientiousness

Neuroticism Openness

Be familiar with Eysencks taxonomy of neuroticism and extroversion-introversion; do these two

dimensions apply to other cultures?

Know the arguments about the validity of a factor-analytic approach to personality

Trait vs. situation: the consistency controversy

7. What is the importance of cross-situational consistency, or inconsistency, in the

argument against trait theory? How does this affect the validity of personality tests?

People do not behave consistently in every situation - While there is a degree of

consistency, situation seems to be a much stronger predictor of behavior

The test, according to Mischel, tests a subjects personality in only one setting, and since

behavior is not entirely consistent cross-situationally, the tests cannot be considered

valid in different situations

8. What is situationism, and how is it related to personality?

Situationism: human behavior is largely determined by the characteristics of the situation

itself rather than by the characteristics of the indivdual's personality

9. What is the definition of the word temperament, and what effect does it have on apersons personality?

Temperament: a characteristic level of reactivity and energy

Personality traits appear to stem from an individuals temperament

Know how evidence from the study of twins contributes to our understanding of personality

traits.

Know the evidence that personality traits may have a genetic component.

10. What traits are most heritable?

extroversion/introversion neuroticism/emotional stability

Know studies that have been done to show that between-family differences in environment are

not important in determining personality traits.

The Social-Cognitive Approach


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11. What is the central assumption of the social-cognitive approach to personality?

Portions of an individual's knowledge acquisition can be directly related to observing

others within the context of social interactions, experiences, and outside media

influences

Know the 5 cognitive qualities that Mischel has proposed as dimensions on which people differ.Be familiar with the evidence that control over a situation is a cognitive dimension that people

seek.

12. How does explanatory style have an effect on such conditions as depression?

Allows for prediction of depression based on an individual's general tendencies

Self-control: how is the early ability to delay gratification related to coping ability?

Know how social-cognitive theories differ from trait theories.

The Psychodynamic Approach

Be familiar with aspects of Freuds view: resistance, repression, free association, hysteria,

unconscious conflict, psychoanalysis.

13. What are the three structures of personality, according to Freud describe (briefly)

how they develop, how they interact to cause conflict and resolution.

The id is the impulsive (and unconscious) part of our psyche which responds directly and

immediately to the instincts. The personality of the newborn child is all id and only later

does it develop ego and super-ego.

The ego develops in order to mediate between the unrealistic id and the external real

world. Ideally the ego works by reason whereas the id is chaotic and totallyunreasonable. The ego operates according to the reality principle, working our

realistic ways of satisfying the ids demands, often compromising or postponing

satisfaction.

The superego incorporates the values and morals of society which are learnt from one's

parents and others. It develops around the age of 4 5 during the phallic stage of

psychosexual development. The superego's function is to control the id's impulses,

especially those which society forbids, such as sex and aggression. It also has the

function of persuading the ego to turn to moralistic goals rather than simply realistic

ones and to strive for perfection.

14. How is anxiety a motivating force in keeping unacceptable urges repressed?

Anxiety acts as a signal to the ego that things are not going right, which makes a child

repress unacceptable urges in order to remove the anxiety

15. What are defense mechanisms? be familiar with specific examples.

tactics developed by the ego to protect against anxiety


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16. What are Freuds stages of psychosexual development?

Oral Stage - Birth to 1 year

Anal Stage - 1 to 3 years

Phallic Stage - 3 to 6 years

Latent Stage - 6 to 11 years

Genital Stage - 11 to 18 years

What are oral and anal personality characters?

Surely, you will know the Oedipus complex.

And the female version of it.

Know Freuds theory of dreams.

Now some of the methodological and conceptual difficulties with Freuds theories,

Is the Oedipus complex universal?

What are Freuds major contributions to our understanding of human nature and to the field ofpsychology?

What are the shortcomings?

The Humanistic Approach

Be able to describe the basic differences between the humanistic approach and all of the other

approaches to personality that have been discussed.

Explain the hierarchy of needs, including self-actualization.

What is the self-concept according to Rogers?

Describe the contributions and weaknesses ofpositive psychology.

The Sociocultural Perspective

Indicate important cultural variations in basic personality features and gender roles.

How do child-rearing practices differ by type of culture and socioeconomic class?

Describe collectivism and individualism. What are the different features of each?

Indicate countries or areas of the world in which one or the other is dominant.

Review evidence indicating a different concept of self in some Asian cultures.

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