AP Psychology Practice Test: Motivation & Emotion

The correct answer is (D). Self-esteem is determined by a number of factors, the largest of which is social acceptance. It is a person’s evaluation of self-worth.

The correct answer is (A). The Schachter-Singer theory, or two-factor theory of emotion, describes emotion as a combination of 2 factors. According to the theory, emotion begins with a physical arousal before the arousal is cognitively labeled.

The correct answer is (B). While body posture, hand gestures, music and dance, and tone of voice vary across different cultures and countries, facial expressions are universally understood in their expression of emotion.

The correct answer is (B). Anorexia nervosa is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by self-starvation, excessive weight loss, fear of weight gain, an extreme desire to be thin, and poor body image. Regardless of physical appearance, sufferers of anorexia believe themselves to be overweight.

The correct answer is (E). When the sympathetic nervous system activates, commonly called the ‘fight-or-flight response,’ it is accompanied by a number of physiological manifestations, including the slowing of digestive processes, designed to help the organism survive the emergency.

The correct answer is (A). An external eater is one who becomes motivated to eat after being exposed to the sight or smell of food.

The correct answer is (C). If an animal has deficient levels of leptin, or if the brain fails to recognize leptin, the negative feedback system that normally causes the animal to stop eating will fail. As a result, the animal will eat excessively and is likely to develop obesity.

The correct answer is (E). Incentive theory is based on the idea that behavior is primarily extrinsically motivated. It argues that people are more motivated to perform activities if they receive a reward afterward, rather than simply because they enjoy the activities themselves. In this case, Sabrina’s good behavior is motivated, or incentivized, by the $20 reward for each good grade.

The correct answer is (B). Homeostasis refers to the tendency to restore internal conditions to an original baseline. Homeostasis is the process of returning to the original balance. In this case, when a person experiences cold, there is an internal drive to seek warmth and return to homeostasis.

The correct answer is (A). Catharsis relates to the draining of one’s negative emotions, in this case anger, by venting or “blowing off steam.”