Download Unit 6 FRQ

Name_______________________________
AP Psychology Unit 6- Learning PRHS
Period _________
Directions: Write your name and period on top of the paper. It may be typed. Select one of the following three
questions. It is not enough to answer a question by merely listing facts. You should present a cogent argument based on
your critical analysis of the questions posed, using appropriate psychological terminology. It will be due approximately 23 days prior to the test on the unit. Check the class schedule for the exact date.
1. The police chief of New City publicly states that she sees a direct relationship between teenage arrests in New City for
violent crimes and the popularity among New City teens of especially violent television shows and video games.
Definitions without application do not score.
a) Design a basic correlational study to research this claimed relationship. Then, address how learning is
involved in each of the following design elements as they apply to this study.
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Operational definition of variables
Selection of participants
Two ethical considerations
Law of effect
Conditioned reinforcers
Reinforcement schedules
Extrinsic motivation
Albert Bandura’s research
b) The police chief concludes that watching violent television shows and playing violent video games leads to
teens’ committing violent crimes in New City. Do you support her conclusion? Explain your response using the
psychological research we have investigated.
2. The Smith-Garcia’s are planning for their first baby. Both parents-to-be have had a psychology course and are looking
forward to applying the principles they learned from theories and research that address child development. Definitions
without application do not score.
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a) Summarize one main point or finding of the following researchers:
Pavlov’s classical conditioning
Skinner’s operant conditioning
John Garcia’s Taste Aversion studies
Rizzolatti’s mirror neuron’s and the theory of mind
b) Provide a specific example of actions the Smith-Garcias might take to raise their child to produce positive
outcomes using each of the theories or examples below to address the corresponding psychological concept.
 Skinner’s operant conditioning: tantrum management
 John Watson: Protecting ‘Baby Smith-Garcia’ from dangerous garden rodents
 Bandura: Observational Learning
 ‘Toddler Smith-Garcia’ doesn’t whine when it is time to go to bed
 “Child Smith-Garcia” enjoys reading books
~over~
3. Many people are concerned about the effects of the use of physical punishment to modify undesirable behavior of
children.
a) Basing your argument on psychological knowledge, apply each of the following in an argument against the
physical use of punishment. Definitions without application do not score.
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Modeling
Latent learning
Classical conditioning of fear
Learned helplessness
b) How would psychologists use the following processes to modify children’s undesirable behavior?
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Positive reinforcement
Negative reinforcement
Extinction
Biological predispositions
Token economies