College Board-Aligned
AP Psychology
This page follows the current official College Board course outline. Each unit/topic links to original local notes built for studying, practice, and review.
Course Snapshot
5
official units
28
linked topics/skills
Alignment Sources
Units & Topics
Unit 1: Biological Bases of Behavior
On the AP exam: 15%-25% of exam score.
- Unit 1 Topic 1: The interaction of inherited traits, environment, and evolution in shaping behavior Original Notes
- Unit 1 Topic 2: Structures and functions of nervous systems Original Notes
- Unit 1 Topic 3: Neural firing and the influence of psychoactive substances Original Notes
- Unit 1 Topic 4: The study of the brain, including its structures and functions Original Notes
- Unit 1 Topic 5: Sleep Original Notes
- Unit 1 Topic 6: Sensation Original Notes
Unit 2: Cognition
On the AP exam: 15%-25% of exam score.
- Unit 2 Topic 1: Perception Original Notes
- Unit 2 Topic 2: Biases and errors in thinking, creative thinking, and problem-solving strategies Original Notes
- Unit 2 Topic 3: The cognitive and physiological processes that make up memory Original Notes
- Unit 2 Topic 4: Forgetting and typical memory errors Original Notes
- Unit 2 Topic 5: Defining and measuring intelligence and achievement Original Notes
Unit 3: Development and Learning
On the AP exam: 15%-25% of exam score.
Unit 4: Social Psychology and Personality
On the AP exam: 15%-25% of exam score.
- Unit 4 Topic 1: Attribution theory and person perception Original Notes
- Unit 4 Topic 2: Attitude formation and change Original Notes
- Unit 4 Topic 3: The psychology of social situations Original Notes
- Unit 4 Topic 4: Psychodynamic, humanistic, social cognitive, and trait theories of personality Original Notes
- Unit 4 Topic 5: Motivation Original Notes
- Unit 4 Topic 6: Emotion Original Notes
Unit 5: Mental and Physical Health
On the AP exam: 15%-25% of exam score.
- Unit 5 Topic 1: An introduction to health and positive psychology Original Notes
- Unit 5 Topic 2: Standards for diagnosing and approaches to explaining psychological disorders Original Notes
- Unit 5 Topic 3: Neurodevelopmental and schizophrenic spectrum disorders Original Notes
- Unit 5 Topic 4: Bipolar, depressive, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorders Original Notes
- Unit 5 Topic 5: Dissociative and trauma- and stress-related disorders Original Notes
- Unit 5 Topic 6: Eating disorders and personality disorders Original Notes
- Unit 5 Topic 7: Historical developments in psychological treatment Original Notes
- Unit 5 Topic 8: Modern treatment options and methods Original Notes
Notes
Original EduCompanion Notes
These local notes follow the current College Board AP Psychology unit/topic list.
Unit 1: Biological Bases of Behavior
Unit 1 Topic 1: The interaction of inherited traits, environment, and evolution in shaping behavior
Open College Board-aligned original notes
Unit 1 Topic 2: Structures and functions of nervous systems
Open College Board-aligned original notes
Unit 1 Topic 3: Neural firing and the influence of psychoactive substances
Open College Board-aligned original notes
Unit 1 Topic 4: The study of the brain, including its structures and functions
Open College Board-aligned original notes
Unit 1 Topic 5: Sleep
Open College Board-aligned original notes
Unit 1 Topic 6: Sensation
Open College Board-aligned original notes
Unit 2: Cognition
Unit 2 Topic 1: Perception
Open College Board-aligned original notes
Unit 2 Topic 2: Biases and errors in thinking, creative thinking, and problem-solving strategies
Open College Board-aligned original notes
Unit 2 Topic 3: The cognitive and physiological processes that make up memory
Open College Board-aligned original notes
Unit 2 Topic 4: Forgetting and typical memory errors
Open College Board-aligned original notes
Unit 2 Topic 5: Defining and measuring intelligence and achievement
Open College Board-aligned original notes
Unit 3: Development and Learning
Unit 3 Topic 1: Research methods used in developmental psychology
Open College Board-aligned original notes
Unit 3 Topic 2: Physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development across the lifespan
Open College Board-aligned original notes
Unit 3 Topic 3: Gender and sexual orientation
Open College Board-aligned original notes
Unit 4: Social Psychology and Personality
Unit 4 Topic 1: Attribution theory and person perception
Open College Board-aligned original notes
Unit 4 Topic 2: Attitude formation and change
Open College Board-aligned original notes
Unit 4 Topic 3: The psychology of social situations
Open College Board-aligned original notes
Unit 4 Topic 4: Psychodynamic, humanistic, social cognitive, and trait theories of personality
Open College Board-aligned original notes
Unit 4 Topic 5: Motivation
Open College Board-aligned original notes
Unit 4 Topic 6: Emotion
Open College Board-aligned original notes
Unit 5: Mental and Physical Health
Unit 5 Topic 1: An introduction to health and positive psychology
Open College Board-aligned original notes
Unit 5 Topic 2: Standards for diagnosing and approaches to explaining psychological disorders
Open College Board-aligned original notes
Unit 5 Topic 3: Neurodevelopmental and schizophrenic spectrum disorders
Open College Board-aligned original notes
Unit 5 Topic 4: Bipolar, depressive, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorders
Open College Board-aligned original notes
Unit 5 Topic 5: Dissociative and trauma- and stress-related disorders
Open College Board-aligned original notes
Unit 5 Topic 6: Eating disorders and personality disorders
Open College Board-aligned original notes
Unit 5 Topic 7: Historical developments in psychological treatment
Open College Board-aligned original notes
Unit 5 Topic 8: Modern treatment options and methods
Open College Board-aligned original notes
Shared Google Drive Notes
No shared Google Drive notes are currently mapped for this course. Local original notes are still available above.
Practice Questions
Each note page includes a quick practice prompt. Use these unit practice cards to review the same way AP questions ask you to apply ideas, evidence, and reasoning.
Unit 1 Practice
Use the linked notes for Biological Bases of Behavior to answer AP-style prompts, then check your explanation against the official topic list.
- Define the most important concept from this unit.
- Apply it to a scenario, graph, source, passage, or data table.
- Explain the reasoning that connects evidence to the answer.
Unit 2 Practice
Use the linked notes for Cognition to answer AP-style prompts, then check your explanation against the official topic list.
- Define the most important concept from this unit.
- Apply it to a scenario, graph, source, passage, or data table.
- Explain the reasoning that connects evidence to the answer.
Unit 3 Practice
Use the linked notes for Development and Learning to answer AP-style prompts, then check your explanation against the official topic list.
- Define the most important concept from this unit.
- Apply it to a scenario, graph, source, passage, or data table.
- Explain the reasoning that connects evidence to the answer.
Unit 4 Practice
Use the linked notes for Social Psychology and Personality to answer AP-style prompts, then check your explanation against the official topic list.
- Define the most important concept from this unit.
- Apply it to a scenario, graph, source, passage, or data table.
- Explain the reasoning that connects evidence to the answer.
Study Guides
Use this as a unit review index. Open each unit, work through the topic notes, then return here to move to the next unit.
Unit 1: Biological Bases of Behavior
6 topics to review, 15%-25% of exam score
Unit 2: Cognition
5 topics to review, 15%-25% of exam score
Unit 3: Development and Learning
3 topics to review, 15%-25% of exam score
Unit 4: Social Psychology and Personality
6 topics to review, 15%-25% of exam score
Unit 5: Mental and Physical Health
8 topics to review, 15%-25% of exam score