Explore AP Psychology Unit 1 questions on brain structures, executive functions, sleep and circadian rhythms, visual sensation, and biological bases of behavior.
Simone finds herself frequently panicked when surprising things happen. What part of the peripheral nervous system likely accounts for Simone's reactions?
Prefrontal cortex
Sympathetic nervous system
Somatic nervous system
Amygdala
B
Ashley planned to drive from New York to California to attend college. However, shortly after departing, she
became uncertain about which roads to take and called her parents for assistance with directions. Because she
was distracted, she drove off the side of the road and grazed the front bumper of her car on the guardrail.
Fortunately, the car was not too badly damaged, so she continued on her journey. Although she ultimately
made it to California, she had a lingering fear of guardrails for several months following her experience.
Part A
Explain how each of the following might have helped Ashley drive from New York to California.
Definitions alone will not score.
- Motor neurons
- Retinal disparity
- Heuristic
Motor neurons
Point 1: Motor Neurons
Student must depict motor neurons enabling Ashley's movement in the context of driving a car.
- Score: "Ashley's motor neurons allow her to press the gas pedal in her car."
- Do NOT score: "Motor neurons help her drive the car."
Part B
Explain how each of the following might have led Ashley to have a negative experience on her trip from
New York to California. Definitions alone will not score.
- Circadian rhythms
- Conditioned response
Circadian rhythms
Point 5: Circadian Rhythms
Student must reference a specific biological cycle/pattern (e.g., sleep/wake, hormonal, elimination) that
leads to a negative experience related to the trip.
- Score: "Because she has to cross different time zones, Ashley will have to drive when she would
normally be asleep, putting her at risk for an accident."
○ Note: Student may refer to the disruption of the biological cycle as the negative effect.
- Do NOT score: "Biological clock" (not a specific cycle).
- Do NOT score: Simply getting tired from the long drive (without a reference to the cycle
demanding sleep).
Chandler and Alex were transferred to a new city and needed to find a new home. They carefully considered
every house within their price range and finally purchased one that met all their criteria.
Explain how each of the following is related to their decision to buy the home.
- Prefrontal cortex
One month before the move, Chandler and Alex asked friends to help them organize and pack their belongings.
One week before the scheduled moving day, they learned that they needed to move out within 48 hours, so they
quickly finished packing.
Prefrontal cortex
Point 1: Prefrontal cortex
Student must specify an active cognitive process (e.g., decision making, executive functioning, planning,
logical thinking, judgment, inhibition, evaluating, integrating, influence of personality, intentional retrieval).
Examples:
Score "Chandler and Alex might use their prefrontal cortex to evaluate the pros and cons of all the
houses they look at."
Do not score "decision" or "decide" or "making a decision" as a cognitive process, but each may
establish the context of the application ("decision making" is sufficient as a cognitive process
because it is actively deliberative, but it does not establish context by itself).
Do not score "thinking" or "memory" by itself.
Ruth is bored at home alone, so she decides to watch a scary movie. At the most tense part of the movie, when
a large, scary-looking creature is being chased through the village by an angry mob, Ruth's roommate Lynn
comes home unexpectedly and flips on the lights. Ruth is startled and spills her hot chocolate on herself.
Part C
The next morning, Lynn tells Ruth that she saw her sleepwalking and she must have been acting out a
dream of being chased by the creature.
- Explain why Lynn's assumption is likely incorrect.
The response must indicate that the assumption is likely incorrect because during REM sleep the body is paralyzed, immobile, etc. OR The response must indicate that sleepwalking and dreaming typically occur in different stages of sleep. Acceptable explanations include: - It is highly unlikely that Ruth was in REM sleep because during REM sleep the muscles of the body are paralyzed, so she wouldn't be able to walk around. Unacceptable explanations include: - Lynn's assumption is incorrect because if Ruth was acting out a dream of being chased, she would be running around, not walking slowly. & 1 point