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AP Psychology Cheat Sheet 2026
Key terms and concepts by unit · Updated for 2026 exam
All 9 AP Psychology units in one reference. The MC section is 67% of your score — knowing these terms cold is the single highest-leverage thing you can do to prepare.
Quick Answer: Does AP Psychology provide a formula sheet? No — there is no formula sheet on the AP Psych exam. All terms, theories, and researchers must be memorized.
Unit 1 — Biological Bases of Behavior
| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Neuron | Basic unit of the nervous system; receives and transmits signals |
| Action potential | All-or-nothing electrical signal that travels down the axon |
| Synapse | Gap between terminal buttons of one neuron and dendrites of the next |
| Reuptake | Reabsorption of neurotransmitters back into the sending neuron |
| Acetylcholine (ACh) | Muscle movement, memory; deficit → Alzheimer's |
| Dopamine | Reward, movement; deficit → Parkinson's; excess → schizophrenia |
| Serotonin | Mood, sleep, appetite; deficit → depression |
| GABA | Main inhibitory NT; deficit → anxiety |
| Endorphins | Natural pain relief; released during exercise |
| Hippocampus | Forms new explicit (declarative) memories |
| Amygdala | Fear, aggression, emotional memory |
| Hypothalamus | Hunger, thirst, body temp, controls pituitary gland |
| Frontal lobe | Planning, impulse control, voluntary movement, Broca's area |
| Broca's area | Speech production (left frontal); damage → can't speak fluently |
| Wernicke's area | Speech comprehension (left temporal); damage → fluent but meaningless speech |
| Sympathetic NS | Fight-or-flight; increases heart rate, dilates pupils |
| Parasympathetic NS | Rest-and-digest; slows heart rate, aids digestion |
Unit 2 — Research Methods & Statistics
| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Independent variable (IV) | Variable manipulated by the researcher |
| Dependent variable (DV) | Variable measured as the outcome |
| Control group | Group not exposed to the IV; baseline for comparison |
| Random assignment | Each participant equally likely to be in any condition; controls confounds |
| Placebo effect | Improvement due to belief in treatment, not the treatment itself |
| Double-blind study | Neither participants nor researchers know who got the real treatment |
| Correlation coefficient (r) | Measures strength/direction of a relationship; ranges from −1 to +1 |
| Correlation ≠ causation | Two variables can be related without one causing the other |
| Normal distribution | Bell curve; mean = median = mode |
| Standard deviation | Measure of how spread out scores are around the mean |
Unit 3 — Sensation & Perception
| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Absolute threshold | Minimum stimulation needed to detect a stimulus 50% of the time |
| Difference threshold (JND) | Minimum difference needed to detect a change |
| Weber's law | JND is a constant proportion of the original stimulus intensity |
| Signal detection theory | Detecting a stimulus depends on sensitivity AND decision criteria |
| Sensory adaptation | Decreased sensitivity after constant exposure to a stimulus |
| Perceptual set | Tendency to perceive stimuli based on expectations |
| Figure-ground | Organizing perception into a focal object (figure) against a background |
| Depth cues | Binocular: retinal disparity, convergence. Monocular: relative size, linear perspective, interposition |
Unit 4 — Learning
| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Classical conditioning | Associating a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus (Pavlov) |
| Unconditioned stimulus (US) | Naturally triggers a response (food) |
| Conditioned stimulus (CS) | Previously neutral; now triggers response after pairing |
| Extinction | Conditioned response disappears when CS no longer paired with US |
| Operant conditioning | Behavior strengthened or weakened by its consequences (Skinner) |
| Positive reinforcement | Adding something pleasant to increase behavior |
| Negative reinforcement | Removing something unpleasant to increase behavior |
| Punishment | Consequence that decreases a behavior |
| Fixed ratio schedule | Reward after set number of responses; highest response rate |
| Variable ratio schedule | Reward after unpredictable number; most resistant to extinction (slot machines) |
| Observational learning | Learning by watching others (Bandura; Bobo doll experiment) |
| Latent learning | Learning that occurs without reinforcement; shown when motivation appears |
Unit 5 — Cognition & Memory
| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Encoding | Getting information into memory |
| Storage | Retaining encoded information |
| Retrieval | Getting information out of memory |
| Sensory memory | Very brief storage of sensory information (iconic: visual; echoic: auditory) |
| Short-term memory | Limited capacity (~7 items); holds info for ~20 seconds without rehearsal |
| Long-term memory | Relatively permanent and unlimited storage |
| Working memory | Active processing of information; includes phonological loop, visuospatial sketchpad, central executive |
| Explicit memory | Conscious recall: episodic (events) and semantic (facts) |
| Implicit memory | Unconscious memory: procedural skills, classical conditioning |
| Proactive interference | Old memories interfere with new ones |
| Retroactive interference | New memories interfere with old ones |
| Confirmation bias | Tendency to search for information that confirms existing beliefs |
| Availability heuristic | Judging likelihood by how easily examples come to mind |
Unit 6 — Developmental Psychology
| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Piaget's stages | Sensorimotor (0–2), Preoperational (2–7), Concrete operational (7–11), Formal operational (12+) |
| Object permanence | Understanding objects exist when out of sight (sensorimotor stage) |
| Conservation | Understanding quantity stays same despite appearance changes (concrete operational) |
| Egocentrism | Difficulty seeing things from another's perspective (preoperational) |
| Secure attachment | Healthy bond; child explores freely with caregiver as safe base (Ainsworth) |
| Authoritative parenting | High warmth + high control; best outcomes |
| Authoritarian parenting | Low warmth + high control; children may be obedient but less happy |
| Erikson's stages | 8 psychosocial stages from infancy to old age; each has a conflict to resolve |
Unit 7 — Social Psychology
| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Fundamental attribution error | Overestimating personality, underestimating situation when explaining others' behavior |
| Self-serving bias | Attributing success to self, failure to external factors |
| Conformity | Adjusting behavior to match group norms (Asch line studies) |
| Obedience | Following authority figures' orders (Milgram shock studies) |
| Bystander effect | Less likely to help in an emergency when others are present |
| Diffusion of responsibility | Each bystander feels less personally responsible as group size increases |
| Social facilitation | Performing better on simple/well-learned tasks in front of others |
| Social loafing | Exerting less effort in a group than alone |
| Groupthink | Group prioritizes harmony over critical thinking; leads to bad decisions |
| Cognitive dissonance | Discomfort from holding conflicting beliefs; resolved by changing beliefs or behavior |
| In-group bias | Favoring members of one's own group over out-group members |
Unit 8 — Abnormal Psychology
| Term | Definition |
|---|
| DSM-5 | Diagnostic manual used to classify psychological disorders |
| Anxiety disorders | Excessive fear or worry; includes GAD, phobias, panic disorder, OCD, PTSD |
| Major depressive disorder | Persistent sadness, loss of interest, low energy lasting 2+ weeks |
| Bipolar disorder | Alternating episodes of mania and depression |
| Schizophrenia | Positive symptoms (hallucinations, delusions) + negative symptoms (flat affect, social withdrawal) |
| Dissociative identity disorder | Two or more distinct personality states; linked to severe trauma |
| Somatic symptom disorder | Physical symptoms with no medical cause; driven by psychological distress |
| Antisocial personality disorder | Persistent disregard for others' rights; lack of empathy or remorse |
Unit 9 — Treatment of Psychological Disorders
| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Psychoanalysis | Freud's method; explore unconscious conflicts through free association and dream analysis |
| Cognitive therapy (CBT) | Identifies and changes distorted thinking patterns; most evidence-based for depression and anxiety |
| Behavior therapy | Uses conditioning principles; exposure therapy, systematic desensitization, token economies |
| Systematic desensitization | Gradual exposure to feared stimulus while relaxed; treats phobias |
| Humanistic therapy | Rogers' client-centered therapy; unconditional positive regard, empathy, genuineness |
| Antidepressants (SSRIs) | Block serotonin reuptake; treat depression and anxiety |
| Antipsychotics | Block dopamine receptors; treat schizophrenia |
| Lithium | Mood stabilizer used for bipolar disorder |
| ECT | Electroconvulsive therapy; used for severe depression when medication fails |
Common AP Psych Exam Tasks
- Apply a concept to a scenario — FRQ prompts describe a situation and ask you to identify a psychological term and explain how it applies. Name the concept clearly, then connect it to the specific details in the prompt.
- Identify the researcher — Pavlov (classical conditioning), Skinner (operant), Bandura (observational), Milgram (obedience), Asch (conformity), Piaget (cognitive development), Erikson (psychosocial stages). These names appear regularly on MC.
- Distinguish similar terms — negative reinforcement vs. punishment; proactive vs. retroactive interference; sensation vs. perception. MC questions frequently test these distinctions.
- Research methods questions — identify IV, DV, control group, and potential confounds. Know why random assignment matters and what a double-blind study controls for.
How to Memorize AP Psychology Fast
- Group by unit, not alphabetically — terms in the same unit share a context. Memorizing dopamine alongside serotonin and GABA is more efficient than memorizing them as isolated facts.
- Know the researchers — on MC, "who conducted the Bobo doll experiment?" is a free point if you know Bandura. There are about 15 researchers that appear repeatedly — learn them specifically.
- Use the FRQ as a study tool — AP Psych FRQs ask you to apply terms to new scenarios. Practicing this forces deeper understanding than re-reading definitions.
- Focus on Units 1, 4, and 5 — Biological Bases, Learning, and Cognition/Memory consistently have the highest question frequency on the exam.
- Know the "classic studies" — Milgram, Asch, Pavlov's dogs, Skinner's box, Bandura's Bobo doll, Harlow's monkeys. Questions about these appear almost every year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you get a formula sheet on AP Psychology?
No. There is no formula sheet on the AP Psychology exam. All terms, theories, researchers, and concepts must be memorized.
What units are most important for AP Psychology?
Units 1 (Biological Bases), 4 (Learning), 5 (Cognition and Memory), and 7 (Social Psychology) are highest-frequency on the exam. Unit 8 (Abnormal Psychology) also carries significant weight in both MC and FRQ.
Is AP Psychology hard?
AP Psych has a ~67% pass rate — one of the higher rates among AP exams. The MC section is 67% of your score and rewards breadth of vocabulary. Students who engage with the material consistently throughout the year generally do well.
What is the EBQ in AP Psychology?
The EBQ (Explanation, Behavior, Question) is a common FRQ format that asks you to explain a psychological concept, describe a behavior it could explain, and pose a research question. See our AP Psych EBQ guide for the full breakdown.
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