AP®︎ Psychology: Unit 5 Practice Test
Prepare for your quiz, test, or the AP exam with focused practice questions on Unit 5 of AP Psychology – Mental and Physical Health.
Questions List
Unit 5 (All Topics)
Question 1 Topic 5.1Easy
This question tests the following: 5.1.A
What does health psychology primarily study?
What You’re Being Tested On:
Explore the learning objectives taken directly from the College Board’s AP® Psychology Curriculum. Ensure you’re prepared for the exact topics covered on the AP® exam, in-class tests, and quizzes, and gain confidence in your mastery of the material.
Unit 5: Mental and Physical Health
This unit introduces psychological disorders, their classification, and approaches to treatment. It also explores the connection between mental and physical well-being through health psychology and positive psychology.
Topic 5.1: Introduction to Health Psychology
Learning Objective: 5.1.A
Explain how health psychology addresses issues of physical health and wellness as they apply to behavior and mental processes.
Learning Objective: 5.1.B
Explain how stress applies to behavior and mental processes.
Essential Knowledge: 5.1.B.1
Stress is a factor in heightened susceptibility to disorders and disease. Stress has been linked to physiological issues such as hypertension, headaches, and immune suppression.
Essential Knowledge: 5.1.B.2
Stressors can be viewed as motivating (eustress) or debilitating (distress). Stressors can be experienced as traumatic or as daily hassles that can build up over time. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are sources of stress that can affect a person throughout the lifespan.
Learning Objective: 5.1.C
Explain how reactions to stress apply to behavior and mental processes.
Essential Knowledge: 5.1.C.1
The general adaptation syndrome (GAS) describes the process of experiencing stress. Initially, alarm reaction occurs when the stress is encountered (via a fight-flight-freeze response). Then, a resistance phase occurs as the stress is confronted. Finally, an exhaustion phase occurs when the stress subsides, or resources are spent. The greatest susceptibility to illness occurs during the exhaustion phase.
Essential Knowledge: 5.1.C.2
The tend-and-befriend theory proposes that some people react to stress by tending to their own needs and/or the needs of others and seeking connection with others. This phenomenon seems to occur mostly in women.
Learning Objective: 5.1.D
Explain how the ways that people cope with stress applies to behavior and mental processes.
Essential Knowledge: 5.1.D.1
Problem-focused coping involves seeing stress as a problem to be solved and working solutions until a solution is found.
Essential Knowledge: 5.1.D.2
Emotion-focused coping involves managing emotional reactions to stress as a means of coping. Strategies that are emotion-focused may include deep breathing, meditation, or taking medication aimed at reducing stressful emotional responses.
Topic 5.2: Positive Psychology
Learning Objective: 5.2.A
Explain how positive psychology approaches the study of behavior and mental processes.
Essential Knowledge: 5.2.A.1
Positive psychology seeks to identify factors that lead to well-being, resilience, positive emotions, and psychological health.
Learning Objective: 5.2.B
Explain how positive subjective experiences apply to behavior and mental processes.
Essential Knowledge: 5.2.B.1
Expressing gratitude, a positive subjective experience, increases subjective well-being.
Essential Knowledge: 5.2.B.2
People who exercise their signature strengths or virtues report higher levels of positive objective experiences such as happiness and subjective well-being. A classification of character strengths has been developed around 6 categories of virtues: wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence.
Essential Knowledge: 5.2.B.3
Posttraumatic growth, a positive subjective experience, may result after the experience of trauma or stress.
Topic 5.3: Explaining and Classifying Psychological Disorders
Learning Objective: 5.3.A
Describe the approaches used to define behaviors and mental processes as psychological disorders.
Essential Knowledge: 5.3.A.1
Level of dysfunction, perception of distress, and deviation from the social norm are all factors used to identify psychological disorders.
Essential Knowledge: 5.3.A.2
Diagnosing or classifying psychological disorders has positive and negative consequences depending on the nature of the disorder, the individual being diagnosed, and the presence of cultural/societal norms, stigma, racism, sexism, ageism, and discrimination.
Essential Knowledge: 5.3.A.3
Diagnosing psychological disorders requires specialized training and the use of evidence-based diagnostic tools. The American Psychiatric Association developed the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) of Mental Disorders to classify mental disorders. The World Health Organization developed the International Classification of Mental Disorders (ICD) to classify mental disorders. These classification systems are updated regularly to be responsive to new research and practice advances.
Learning Objective: 5.3.B
Explain how psychological perspectives define psychological disorders.
Essential Knowledge: 5.3.B.1
Most psychologists employ an eclectic approach (using more than one psychological perspective) when diagnosing and treating clients.
Essential Knowledge: 5.3.B.2
The behavioral perspective proposes that the causes of mental disorders focus on maladaptive learned associations between or among responses to stimuli.
Essential Knowledge: 5.3.B.3
The psychodynamic perspective proposes that the causes of mental disorders focus on unconscious thoughts and experiences, often developed during childhood.
Essential Knowledge: 5.3.B.4
The humanistic perspective proposes that the causes of mental disorders focus on a lack of social support and being unable to fulfill one’s potential.
Essential Knowledge: 5.3.B.5
The cognitive perspective proposes that the causes of mental disorders focus on maladaptive thoughts, beliefs, attitudes, or emotions.
Essential Knowledge: 5.3.B.6
The evolutionary perspective proposes that the causes of mental disorders focus on behaviors and mental processes that reduce the likelihood of survival.
Essential Knowledge: 5.3.B.7
The sociocultural perspective proposes that the causes of mental disorders focus on maladaptive social and cultural relationships and dynamics.
Essential Knowledge: 5.3.B.8
The biological perspective proposes that the causes of mental disorders focus on physiological or genetic issues.
Learning Objective: 5.3.C
Explain how interaction models define psychological disorders.
Essential Knowledge: 5.3.C.1
The biopsychosocial model assumes that any psychological problem potentially involves a combination of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors.
Essential Knowledge: 5.3.C.2
The diathesis-stress model assumes that psychological disorders develop due to a genetic vulnerability (diathesis) in combination with stressful life experiences (stress).
Topic 5.4: Selection of Categories of Psychological Disorders
Learning Objective: 5.4.A
Describe the symptoms and possible causes of selected neurodevelopmental disorders.
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.A.1
Neurodevelopmental disorders are a group of disorders with onset occurring during the developmental period. Symptoms of neurodevelopmental disorders focus on whether the person is exhibiting behaviors appropriate for their age or maturity range. Selected disorders in scope for AP Psychology in this category are attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Exclusion Statement: While there are many disorders listed in diagnostic manuals used by professionals in the field, the AP Psychology Exam focuses on the disorders listed in Topic 5.4 as representative of an introductory understanding of psychological disorders.
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.A.2
Possible causes of neurodevelopmental disorders may be environmental, physiological, or genetic in nature.
Learning Objective: 5.4.B
Describe the symptoms and possible causes of selected schizophrenic spectrum disorders.
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.B.1
Schizophrenic spectrum disorders are characterized by issues in one or more of these five areas: delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking or speech, disorganized motor behavior, and negative symptoms. Schizophrenia can be experienced as an acute or chronic condition.
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.B.1.i
Delusions (false beliefs) are positive symptoms and may manifest in ways such as delusions of persecution or grandeur.
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.B.1.ii
Hallucinations (false perceptions) are positive symptoms and may involve one or more of the senses.
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.B.1.iii
Disorganized thinking or speech is a positive symptom and may manifest as speaking in ways such as speaking in a word salad (stringing together words in nonsensical ways).
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.B.1.iv
Disorganized motor behavior may manifest as catatonia. Catatonia, or disordered movement, may be experienced as excitement (a positive symptom manifestation) or stupor (a negative symptom manifestation).
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.B.1.v
Negative symptoms present as the lack of a typical behavior, such as the lack of emotional expression (flat affect) or lack of movement (catatonic stupor).
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.B.2
Possible causes of schizophrenia suggest a genetic or biological link, such as prenatal virus exposure or imbalances with certain neurotransmitters (dopamine hypothesis).
Learning Objective: 5.4.C
Describe the symptoms and possible causes of selected depressive disorders.
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.C.1
Depressive disorders are characterized by the presence of sad, empty, or irritable mood along with physical and cognitive changes that affect a person’s ability to function. Selected disorders in scope for AP Psychology in this category are major depressive disorder and persistent depressive disorder.
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.C.2
Possible causes of depressive disorders focus on biological, genetic, social, cultural, behavioral, or cognitive sources.
Learning Objective: 5.4.D
Describe the symptoms and possible causes of selected bipolar disorders.
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.D.1
Bipolar disorders are characterized by periods of mania and periods of depression. Bipolar cycling involves experiencing periods of depression and mania in alternating periods that can last various amounts of time. Selected disorders in scope for AP Psychology in this category are Bipolar I disorder and Bipolar II disorder.
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.D.2
Possible causes of bipolar disorders focus on biological, genetic, social, cultural, behavioral, or cognitive sources.
Learning Objective: 5.4.E
Describe the symptoms and possible causes of selected anxiety disorders.
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.E.1
Anxiety disorders are characterized by excessive fear and/or anxiety with related disturbances to behavior. Selected disorders in scope for AP Psychology in this category are specific phobia, agoraphobia, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder.
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.E.1.i
Specific phobia involves fear or anxiety toward a specific object or situation, such as acrophobia (heights) or arachnophobia (spiders).
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.E.1.ii
Agoraphobia is intense fear of specific social situations, including using public transportation, being in open spaces, being in enclosed spaces (e.g., shops, theaters, etc.), standing in line or being in a crowd, or being outside of the home alone.
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.E.1.iii
Panic disorder involves the experience of panic attacks (unanticipated and overwhelming biological, cognitive, and emotional experiences of fear/anxiety). Panic disorder can manifest as a culture-bound anxiety disorder such as ataque de nervios (experienced mainly by people of Caribbean or Iberian descent).
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.E.1.iv
Social anxiety disorder involves the intense fear of being judged or watched by others. Social anxiety disorder is distinct from but may include agoraphobia. Taijin kyofusho is a culture-bound anxiety disorder experienced mainly by Japanese people in which people fear others are judging their bodies as undesirable, offensive, or unpleasing.
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.E.1.v
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) involves prolonged experiences of nonspecific anxiety or fear.
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.E.2
Possible causes of anxiety disorders focus on learned associations between and among stimuli, maladaptive thinking or emotional responses, and biological or genetic sources.
Learning Objective: 5.4.F
Describe the symptoms and possible causes of selected obsessive-compulsive disorders and related disorders.
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.F.1
Obsessive-compulsive and related disorders are characterized by the presence of obsessions (intrusive thoughts) and compulsions (intrusive, often repetitive, behaviors intended to address obsessions). Selected disorders in scope for AP Psychology in this category are obsessive-compulsive disorder and hoarding disorder.
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.F.2
Possible causes of obsessive-compulsive disorders involve learned associations between and among stimuli, maladaptive thinking or emotional responses, and biological or genetic sources.
Learning Objective: 5.4.G
Describe the symptoms and possible causes of selected dissociative disorders.
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.G.1
Dissociative disorders are characterized by dissociations from consciousness, memory, identity, emotion, perception, body representation, motor control, and behavior. Selected disorders in scope for AP Psychology in this category are dissociative amnesia (with and without fugue) and dissociative identity disorder.
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.G.2
Possible causes of dissociative disorders involve the experience of trauma or stress.
Learning Objective: 5.4.H
Describe the symptoms and possible causes of selected trauma and stressor-related disorders.
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.H.1
Trauma and stressor-related disorders are characterized by exposure to a traumatic or stressful event with subsequent psychological distress. Symptoms of trauma and stressor-related disorders may involve hypervigilance, severe anxiety, flashbacks to traumatic or stressful experiences, insomnia, emotional detachment, and hostility. The selected disorder in scope for AP Psychology in this category is posttraumatic stress disorder.
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.H.2
Possible causes of trauma and stressor-related disorders involve the experience of trauma or stress.
Learning Objective: 5.4.I
Describe the symptoms and possible causes of selected feeding and eating disorders.
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.I.1
Feeding and eating disorders are characterized by altered consumption or absorption of food that impairs health or psychological functioning. Selected disorders in scope for AP Psychology in this category are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.I.2
Possible causes of feeding and eating disorders focus on biological, genetic, social, cultural, behavioral, or cognitive sources.
Learning Objective: 5.4.J
Describe the symptoms and possible causes of selected personality disorders.
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.J.1
Personality disorders (which fall into three clusters) are characterized by enduring patterns of internal experience and behavior that is deviant from one’s culture; is pervasive and inflexible; begins in adolescence or early adulthood; is stable over time; and leads to personal distress or impairment.
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.J.1.i
Cluster A is the odd or eccentric cluster and includes paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal personality disorders.
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.J.1.ii
Cluster B is the dramatic, emotional, or erratic cluster and includes antisocial, histrionic, narcissistic, and borderline personality disorders.
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.J.1.iii
Cluster C is the anxious or fearful cluster and includes avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders.
Essential Knowledge: 5.4.J.2
Possible causes of personality disorders focus on biological, genetic, social, cultural, behavioral, or cognitive sources.
Topic 5.5: Treatment of Psychological Disorders
Learning Objective: 5.5.A
Describe research and trends in the treatment of psychological disorders.
Essential Knowledge: 5.5.A.1
Many researchers who have conducted meta-analytic studies of psychotherapy conclude that psychotherapies are generally effective. Many psychologists use evidence-based interventions to develop treatment plans. Therapists should exhibit cultural humility and establish a therapeutic alliance with the client to deliver therapy successfully.
Learning Objective: 5.5.B
Describe research and trends in the treatment of psychological disorders.
Essential Knowledge: 5.5.B.1
Due to the increased use and effectiveness of psychotropic medication therapy, hospitals and asylums deinstitutionalized massive numbers of people in the late 20th century. Therapists now prefer to treat in decentralized ways, often with a combination of medication and psychological therapies.
Learning Objective: 5.5.C
Describe ethical principles in the treatment of psychological disorders.
Essential Knowledge: 5.5.C.1
Psychologists in clinical or therapeutic situations must follow certain ethical principles as established by the APA, including nonmaleficence, fidelity, integrity, and respect for people’s rights and dignity.
Learning Objective: 5.5.D
Describe techniques used with psychological therapies.
Essential Knowledge: 5.5.D.1
Psychodynamic therapies employ free association and dream interpretation to uncover the unconscious mind.
Essential Knowledge: 5.5.D.2
Cognitive therapies may employ cognitive restructuring or fear hierarchies to combat maladaptive thinking. Cognitive therapy proposes that people should focus on the cognitive triad—negative thoughts about oneself, the world, and the future.
Essential Knowledge: 5.5.D.3
Applied behavior analysis involves applying principles of conditioning to address mental disorders and developmental disabilities. Exposure therapies (such as systematic desensitization), aversion therapies, and token economies all employ principles of applied behavior analysis. Biofeedback uses principles of conditioning to help clients regulate body systems (such as the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems) that contribute to feelings of anxiety or depression.
Essential Knowledge: 5.5.D.4
Cognitive-behavioral therapies, such as dialectical behavior therapy and rational-emotive behavior therapy, combine techniques from the cognitive and behavioral perspectives to treat mental and behavioral disorders.
Essential Knowledge: 5.5.D.5
Therapy from the humanistic perspective, commonly referred to as person-centered therapy, employs active listening and unconditional positive regard.
Learning Objective: 5.5.E
Explain how group therapy is different from individual therapy.
Learning Objective: 5.5.F
Describe effective uses of hypnosis.
Essential Knowledge: 5.5.F.1
Hypnosis has shown effectiveness in treating pain and anxiety. Research does not support the use of hypnosis to retrieve accurate memories or regress in age.
Learning Objective: 5.5.G
Describe interventions derived from the biological perspective.
Essential Knowledge: 5.5.G.1
Psychoactive medications, such as antidepressants, antianxiety drugs, lithium, or antipsychotic medications, interact with specific neurotransmitters in the central nervous system to address possible biochemical causes of mental disorders. Psychoactive medications can have side effects such as tardive dyskinesia (a movement disorder related to the regulation of dopamine in the nervous system).
Essential Knowledge: 5.5.G.2
Surgical or invasive interventions include psychosurgery (which may involve lesioning), TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation), or electroconvulsive therapy. The lobotomy is a form of psychosurgery that was popular in the mid-20th century but is rarely, if ever, performed today.
