AP Psychology : Motivation, Emotion, and Personality

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Psychology

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Example Questions

Example Question #81 : Personality

Travis worries about his sexual fantasies about other men and then acts hyper-masculine around his peers. Which of the following Freudian defense mechanism is Travis’s ego exhibiting?

Possible Answers:

Projection

Sublimation

Identification

Reaction formation

Denial 

Correct answer:

Reaction formation

Explanation:

According to Freud, defense mechanisms are ways for the ego to protect the conscious mind from the anxiety that arises from unacceptable impulses. 

Reaction formation is when someone expresses an exaggerated, opposite version of how they actually feel (e.g. Travis’s hyper-masculinity in response to his worries about not being masculine enough). 

While intriguing, the other choices are incorrect. Denial is when someone acts as if the negative feelings or event causing the negative feelings does not exist. Identification is when someone takes on the characteristics of someone else in order to give himself or herself more power. Projection is when someone attributes his or her own feelings to another person or group. Sublimation is when someone channels his or her unacceptable feelings toward a more productive, socially acceptable activity/goal. 

Example Question #82 : Personality

Tom lost his beloved job as a teacher and convinced himself that he actually always hated that job anyway. Which of the following Freudian defense mechanism is Tom’s ego exhibiting?

Possible Answers:

Denial

Displacement

Reaction formation

Rationalization

Identification

Correct answer:

Rationalization

Explanation:

According to Freud, defense mechanisms are ways for the ego to protect the conscious mind from the anxiety that arises from unacceptable impulses. 

Rationalization is when someone decides or comes up with a seemingly logical explanation to justify an event and avoid the true explanation (e.g. Tom stating that he never liked his job after getting fired).

While intriguing, the other choices are incorrect. Displacement is when someone takes their negative emotions and focuses them on a different, safer target. Reaction formation is when someone expresses an exaggerated, opposite version of how they actually feel. Denial is when someone acts as if the negative feelings or events that cause negative emotions do not exist. Identification is when someone takes on the characteristics of someone else in order to give himself or herself more power. 

Example Question #83 : Personality

Sue is intimidated by her boss but tells other people that she thinks her boss is scared of her. Which of the following Freudian defense mechanism is Sue’s ego exhibiting?

Possible Answers:

Displacement

Projection

Sublimation

Identification

Denial

Correct answer:

Projection

Explanation:

According to Freud, defense mechanisms are ways for the ego to protect the conscious mind from the anxiety that arises from unacceptable impulses. 

Projection is when someone attributes his or her own feelings to another person or group (e.g. Sue projecting her feelings of fear onto her boss).

While intriguing, the other choices are incorrect. Displacement is when someone takes their negative emotions and focuses them on a different, safer target. Denial is when someone acts as if the negative feelings or events that cause negative emotions do not exist. Sublimation is when someone channels his or her unacceptable feelings toward a more productive, socially acceptable activity/goal. Identification is when someone takes on the characteristics of someone else in order to give himself or herself more power.

Example Question #84 : Personality

Leah has a frustrating day at work and then comes home and kicks her TV. Which of the following Freudian defense mechanism is Leah’s ego exhibiting?

Possible Answers:

Rationalization

Denial

Reaction formation

Displacement 

Identification

Correct answer:

Displacement 

Explanation:

According to Freud, defense mechanisms are ways for the ego to protect the conscious mind from the anxiety that arises from unacceptable impulses. 

Displacement is when someone takes their negative emotions and focuses them on a different, safer target (e.g. Leah taking out her frustration on her TV).

While intriguing, the other choices are incorrect. Rationalization is when someone decides or comes up with a seemingly logical explanation to justify an event and avoid the true explanation. Reaction formation is when someone expresses an exaggerated, opposite version of how they actually feel. Denial is when someone acts as if the negative feelings or events that cause negative emotions do not exist. Identification is when someone takes on the characteristics of someone else in order to give himself or herself more power. 

 

Example Question #82 : Personality

Rob breaks his ankle and refuses to cancel the marathon he was scheduled to run in the next month. Which of the following Freudian defense mechanism is Rob’s ego exhibiting?

Possible Answers:

Identification

Denial

Sublimation

Rationalization

Projection

Correct answer:

Denial

Explanation:

According to Freud, defense mechanisms are ways for the ego to protect the conscious mind from the anxiety that arises from unacceptable impulses. 

Denial is when someone acts as if the negative feelings or events that cause negative emotions do not exist (e.g. Robs denial of his injury and inability to run in the marathon). 

While intriguing, the other choices are incorrect. Rationalization is when someone decides or comes up with a seemingly logical explanation to justify an event and avoid the true explanation. Identification is when someone takes on the characteristics of someone else in order to give himself or herself more power. Projection is when someone attributes his or her own feelings to another person or group. Sublimation is when someone channels his or her unacceptable feelings toward a more productive, socially acceptable activity/goal. 

Example Question #86 : Personality

Sarah begins to dress the same way as her powerful mother without realizing it. Which of the following Freudian defense mechanism is Sarah’s ego exhibiting?

Possible Answers:

Identification

Rationalization

Displacement

Sublimation

Projection 

Correct answer:

Identification

Explanation:

According to Freud, defense mechanisms are ways for the ego to protect the conscious mind from the anxiety that arises from unacceptable impulses. 

Identification is when someone takes on the characteristics of someone else in order to give himself or herself more power (e.g. dressing as a powerful figure). 

While intriguing, the other choices are incorrect. Rationalization is when someone decides or comes up with a seemingly logical explanation to justify an event and avoid the true explanation. Displacement is when someone takes their negative emotions and focuses them on a different, safer target. Projection is when someone attributes his or her own feelings to another person or group. Sublimation is when someone channels his or her unacceptable feelings toward a more productive, socially acceptable activity/goal. 

Example Question #81 : Individual Psychology And Behavior

Patrick gets fired from his job and channels all his energy into caring for his family instead. Which of the following Freudian defense mechanism is Patrick’s ego exhibiting?

Possible Answers:

Rationalization

Reaction formation

Sublimation

Displacement

Denial

Correct answer:

Sublimation

Explanation:

According to Freud, defense mechanisms are ways for the ego to protect the conscious mind from the anxiety that arises from unacceptable impulses. 

Sublimation is when someone channels his or her unacceptable feelings toward a different, socially acceptable activity/goal (e.g. using after being fired a person puts more effort into caring for his or her family). 

Rationalization is when someone decides or comes up with a seemingly logical explanation to justify an event and avoid the true explanation. Displacement is when someone takes their negative emotions and focuses them on a different, safer target. Reaction formation is when someone expresses an exaggerated, opposite version of how they actually feel. Denial is when someone acts as if the negative feelings or events that cause negative emotions do not exist.

Example Question #1 : Motivation And Emotion

Which of the following scenarios best illustrates an approach-approach motivational conflict?

Possible Answers:

Kevin wants to enroll in Woodshop and Drama next semester, but only has room in his schedule for one

Jamal and Corey are fighting over which movie to see tonight

Kelsey's family is moving, but she doesn't want to leave

Amy wants to give blood, but she's afraid of needles

Colin locked his keys in the car, and now he either has to break the window or wait for help to arrive

Correct answer:

Kevin wants to enroll in Woodshop and Drama next semester, but only has room in his schedule for one

Explanation:

An approach-approach motivational conflict occurs when an individual must choose between two possible outcomes, both of which are positive. In the correct answer option, Kevin must choose between Woodshop or Drama. Since both of these options represent positive outcomes and since the decision is left solely to Kevin, this scenario represents an approach-approach motivational conflict.

The incorrect choices either involve multiple people or involve at least one possible negative outcome

Example Question #2 : Motivation And Emotion

Who proposed the law of effect?

Possible Answers:

William James

Edward Thorndike

Albert Bandura

Sigmund Freud

Karen Horney

Correct answer:

Edward Thorndike

Explanation:

Edward Thorndike was a prominent American psychologist who proposed the law of effect, which posits that responses that are followed with a positive consequence are more likely to be repeated, as opposed to responses that are not reinforced. B.F. Skinner's theory of operant conditioning is primarily based on the law of effect.

Example Question #3 : Motivation And Emotion

In drive reduction theory, secondary drives can be things such as which of the following?

Possible Answers:

Money

Happiness

Water

Sex

Hunger

Correct answer:

Money

Explanation:

A secondary drive is something that can be learned by conditioning. Primary drives (thirst, hunger, sex, and intrinsic happiness) are innate drives that cannot be taught. Money is a secondary drive because humans do not feel the innate desire to collect pieces of paper; however, the value attached to money by our society gives that drive to people. The same can be said for things such as cars and other status symbols. 

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