AP Psychology Test: Abnormal Behavior

This AP Psychology practice test covers abnormal behavior and the treatment of abnormal behavior. For this section of the AP Psychology course, you will need to know definitions of abnormality and theories of psychopathology. There will also be questions on the primary types of disorders and the various approaches to treatment. Test your knowledge now with our free abnormal psychology quiz.

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Question 1

According to the biological perspective, psychological disorders result from:

A	Traumatic childhood experiences
B	Lack of positive self-regard
C	Distorted thinking
D	Dysfunctional societal views
E	Brain abnormalities

Question 1 Explanation:

The correct answer is (E). The biological perspective focuses on the chemical and physical, or biological explanations for human behavior. Those utilizing the biological perspective investigate the links between physiological factors and an organism’s psychology. Consequently, a biopsychologist is likely to attribute a psychological disorder’s cause to be rooted in a chemical or physical abnormality.

Question 2

What kind of psychologist would be most likely to explain depression as the result of an unconscious process in which anger is turned inward, likely due to repression?

A	Biomedical
B	Cognitive
C	Behavioral
D	Psychoanalytic
E	Sociocultural

Question 2 Explanation:

The correct answer is (D). Psychodynamic (or psychoanalytic) psychologists view depression and other mental diseases resulting from the unconscious activity of the mind.

Question 3

During the manic phase of a bipolar disorder, individuals are most likely to experience:

A	lethargy and immobility
B	high irrational self-esteem
C	compulsive behavior
D	delusions of persecution
E	grief and despair

Question 3 Explanation:

The correct answer is (B). The manic phase of bipolar disorder is marked by emotional highs, excessive energy, restlessness, and other erratic behavior. High self-esteem is in line with the extremely positive self-perception that a person experiencing mania exhibits. None of the other answer choices are exhibited during the manic phase.

Question 4

Which of the following is considered to be a psychotic disorder?

A	antisocial personality disorder
B	dissociative identity disorder
C	post-traumatic stress disorder
D	obsessive-compulsive disorder
E	schizophrenia

Question 4 Explanation:

The correct answer is (E). Psychotic disorders are those marked by abnormal thought patterns and perceptions. People suffering from psychotic disorders often experience auditory and visual hallucinations. Schizophrenia is a disease that falls under this description. Those suffering from schizophrenia often misinterpret reality.

Question 5

An antisocial personality disorder is most likely to be characterized by:

A	a lack of feelings of guilt and disregard for the law
B	a persistent, irrational fear of people
C	delusions of grandeur
D	disruptions in conscious awareness and sense of identity
E	episodes of intense autonomic nervous system arousal

Question 5 Explanation:

The correct answer is (A). Antisocial personality disorder is most commonly linked with a lack of empathy, compassion, or feeling for other people. Those suffering from antisocial personality disorder exhibit a long term pattern of disregard for other peoples’ feelings and well-being.

Question 6

What are obsessions?

A	False beliefs of persecution of grandeur.
B	Hyperactive, wildly optimistic states of emotion.
C	Offensive and unwanted thoughts that persistently preoccupy a person.
D	Periodic episodes of intense dread accompanied by frightening physical sensations.
E	Persistent, irrational fears of specific objects or situations.

Question 6 Explanation:

The correct answer is (C). An obsession is the inability of a person to stop thinking about a particular topic or to stop feeling a certain emotion without experiencing a high amount of anxiety as a result.

Question 7

For which of the following would the DSM 5 be most useful?

A	Kim is excessively introverted.
B	Denise is chronically depressed.
C	John has poor interpersonal skills.
D	Tyson has trouble solving algebra problems.
E	Tony is unsure of his sexual orientation.

Question 7 Explanation:

The correct answer is (B). The DSM 5 is used by health care professionals in the US as the authoritative guide to the diagnosis of mental disorders. The DSM 5 contains descriptions, symptoms, and other criteria for diagnosing mental disorders. The only mental disorder in this example is in reference to Denise and chronic depression.

Question 8

People with a narcissistic personality disorder are likely to be preoccupied with:

A	an irrational fear of people
B	delusions of persecution
C	physical symptoms of distress
D	doing uncontrollable repetitive behaviors
E	their own self-importance

Question 8 Explanation:

The correct answer is (E). Narcissistic personality disorder is a mental disorder in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance, a deep need for admiration and a lack of empathy for others.

Question 9

Leslie, a teacher, complains that she feels apprehensive and fearful most of the time but doesn’t know why. Without warning, her heart begins to pound, her hands get icy, and she breaks out in a cold sweat. What psychological disorder does Leslie likely suffer from?

A	dissociative disorder
B	dysthymic disorder
C	generalized anxiety disorder
D	obsessive-compulsive disorder
E	phobia

Question 9 Explanation:

The correct answer is (C). Generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD, is characterized as excessive, exaggerated anxiety and worry about routine life events with no apparent reasons for worry. People with symptoms of GAD tend to always expect disaster and cannot stop worrying about health, family, money, work, or school.

Question 10

Which category of psychological disorders is most commonly treated in the United States?

A	Personality disorders
B	Mood disorders
C	Schizophrenic disorders
D	Sexual disorders
E	Somatic symptom disorders

Question 10 Explanation:

The correct answer is (B). Mood disorders are so common in the United States that they are often referred to as the “common cold” of psychological disorders.

Question 11

Lula Cook’s husband, Peter, went on a work trip and never returned home. Lula and her children presumed him to be dead. Years later, while on a road trip in another state, a real estate billboard caught Lula’s eye — because it was her husband, now with a new life and a new family! Peter’s symptoms and behavior would suggest what psychological occurrence?

A	Dissociative fugue
B	Dissociative identity disorder
C	Attachment disorder
D	Learned helplessness
E	Schizophrenia

Question 11 Explanation:

The correct answer is (A). Dissociative fugue is an episode of amnesia in which a person is unable to recall some or all of one’s past. This amnesia results in either the loss of one’s identity or the formation of a new identity and typically occurs with a sudden, unexpected purposeful travel away from home without any other noticeable signs of illness.

Question 12

Edward is an institutionalized mental patient who believes that people are out to get him and that the President communicates directly with him via the ketchup bottle on the dinner table. Edward is demonstrating what psychological symptom?

A	Anxiety
B	Depression
C	Dissociative disorder
D	Manic episodes
E	Paranoia

Question 12 Explanation:

The correct answer is (E). This is an extreme, psychotic-level example of paranoia. In more common forms, an individual may think that people are talking about them whenever they walk into a room.

Question 13

The DSM 5 classification of psychological disorders does not consider which of the following to be a disorder?

A	Anorexia nervosa
B	Depression
C	Dissociative Identity Disorder
D	Homosexuality
E	Schizophrenia

Question 13 Explanation:

The correct answer is (D). Although early editions of the DSM included homosexuality as a disorder, in 1973 the APA voted to remove it. The latest editions of the DSM do not consider homosexuality to be a psychological disorder.

Question 14

Which of the following fears or phobias is considered the fear of open spaces?

A	Acrophobia
B	Agoraphobia
C	Aerophobia
D	Arachnophobia
E	Claustrophobia

Question 14 Explanation:

The correct answer is (B). A fear of open spaces is known as agoraphobia. Acrophobia is fear of heights, aerophobia is fear of flying, arachnophobia is fear of insects, and claustrophobia is fear of enclosed spaces.

Question 15

Hugh has returned from a 6-month deployment in Afghanistan. He now hits the ground at the sight of an airplane or helicopter, jumps at the sound of a firecracker, and has vivid nightmares that haunt him in his sleep. Which psychological disorder does he likely suffer from?

A	Delusions of Persecution
B	Dissociative Identity Disorder
C	Generalized Anxiety Disorder
D	Obsessive-compulsive disorder
E	Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Question 15 Explanation:

The correct answer is (E). When a person has experienced a highly traumatic event (like rape or combat), there is a strong likelihood that the person will relive the event trauma and avoid anything or anyone who reminds them of the trauma. This disorder can result in extreme responses to any stimulus that is reminiscent of the traumatic event.

Question 16

A significant difference between a fear and a phobia is that:

A	Phobias are fears that are irrational and out of proportion to the stimulus
B	Phobias are fears under the individual’s control
C	Phobias are not effectively treated by psychotherapy
D	Fears bring about less intense actions
E	Fears activate the parasympathetic nervous system, phobias do not

Question 16 Explanation:

The correct answer is (A). Phobias are often irrational and not sensible in terms of the actual threat.

Question 17

Which of the following is true of schizophrenia?

A	It affects men more frequently than women.
B	It is a component of dissociative identity disorder.
C	It is caused by an increase in serotonin to the brain.
D	It is more prevalent among the wealthy than the poor.
E	It typically becomes apparent in early adulthood.

Question 17 Explanation:

The correct answer is (E). Schizophrenia typically becomes apparent in early adulthood, with an average age of onset of 21 among men and 27 among women.

Question 18

Rod was a boxer, routinely taking punches to his head and body. One day, he was punched over his right eye, and he indicated immediately afterward that he was blind. Doctors in the hospital indicated no physiological cause for the blindness. This may be a case of what psychological disorder?

A	Anxiety disorder
B	Conversion disorder
C	Paranoid schizophrenia
D	Post-traumatic stress disorder
E	Traumatic brain injury

Question 18 Explanation:

The correct answer is (B). When the boxer’s head was hit and he couldn’t see, it was a conversion reaction with no physiological foundation.

Question 19

David counts the cracks in the sidewalk while he walks to work from his subway stop. As he sees the front door of his office, he fears he has miscounted and must return to the subway stop to get an accurate count before beginning his day. What psychological disorder is this behavior exemplifying?

A	Agoraphobia
B	Conversion disorder
C	Dissociative disorder
D	Obsessive-compulsive disorder
E	Schizophrenia

Question 19 Explanation:

The correct answer is (D). This behavior is highly representative of obsessive-compulsive disorder. OCD commonly results in unreasonable thoughts and behaviors that lead to repetitive actions called compulsions. Counting steps, in the example provided, is indicative of such a compulsion.

Question 20

DSM 5 refers to:

A	Developmental and Social Expectations for Mental Development, 5th edition
B	Developmental and Statistical Model of Mental Disorders, 5th edition
C	Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition
D	Dietary and Statistical Model for Avoidance of Mental Defects, 5th edition
E	Drug and Shock for Mental Disorders, 5th edition

Question 20 Explanation:

The correct answer is (C). DSM 5 refers to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition.

Question 21

DSM 5 contains:

A	Defined specific criteria for each psychological disorder
B	Biological causes of disorders
C	Environmental causes of disorders
D	Suggested treatments for disorders
E	Preventative measures to avoid developing a disorder

Question 21 Explanation:

The correct answer is (A). The DSM 5 is used to diagnose psychological disorders. It contains the defined criteria for all psychological disorders. The DSM does not include information on causes and treatments of disorders.

Question 22

Daniel lied, stole, fought, and conned people throughout his life. Further, he felt no guilt for his actions, even as he ruined the lives of those closest to him. He likely would be diagnosed with which personality disorder?

A	Antisocial
B	Borderline
C	Schizotypal
D	Avoidant
E	Histrionic

Question 22 Explanation:

The correct answer is (A). Lying, cheating, conning, or killing without any sense of guilt or remorse is indicative of antisocial personality disorder.

Question 23

Panic Disorder is classified as which type of disorder?

A	Anxiety
B	Conversion
C	Dissociative
D	Mood
E	Undifferentiated

Question 23 Explanation:

The correct answer is (A). Panic Disorder is classified as an anxiety disorder. It involves unexpected episodes of dread, terror, and physiological symptoms arising from SNS arousal (racing heart, etc.), as well as fear of the next episode.

Question 24

Generalized anxiety disorders:

A	Are synonymous with phobias
B	Are much less debilitating than phobias
C	Can be easily and quickly treated
D	Often have no specific external cause
E	Typically begin due to a tragic event

Question 24 Explanation:

The correct answer is (D). Generalized anxiety disorders — unlike phobias — often have no specific cause.

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