AP Psychology Scoring Guidelines from the 2019 Exam

AP

®

Psychology

Scoring Guidelines

Set 1

2019

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AP

®

PSYCHOLOGY

2019 SCORING GUIDELINES

Visit the College Board on the web: collegeboard.org.

Question 1

A psychologist conducted a study at her home during an annual activity of children wearing masks and going

door-to-door receiving candy. Some of the children arrived alone, while others arrived in a group. Over the course

of the night, the psychologist asked half of the children to remove their masks when they arrived at her door. The

remaining half kept their masks on. The psychologist told every child to take only one piece of candy. She then

went inside the house, leaving the bowl of candy outside. This gave children the opportunity to take additional

candy. The psychologist measured the percentage of children who took additional candy. The psychologist’s

hypotheses were that children would take more candy when they were alone and that children would take more

candy when they were masked. The results are shown in the graph below; assume all differences are significant.

A. Identify the operational definition of the dependent variable in this study.

B. Explain how the data support or do not support each of the psychologist’s hypotheses.

C. Explain why the psychologist cannot generalize her findings to all children.

D. Explain why the study is not a naturalistic observation.

E. Explain how each of the following might have played a role in the children’s behavior.

• Modeling

• Deindividuation

• Lawrence Kohlberg’s preconventional stage

AP

®

PSYCHOLOGY

2019 SCORING GUIDELINES

Visit the College Board on the web: collegeboard.org.

Question 1 (continued)

General Considerations

1. Answers

should

be presented

in

sentences

and must be cogent enough for the meaning of the response

to come through.

S

p

el

l

i

ng

and grammatical mistakes do not reduce the score of a response, but

s

p

el

l

i

ng

must be

c

l

os

e

enough that the reader is

c

o

n

v

i

n

c

e

d

of the

w

o

r

d

.

2. Do not score any notes made on the

qu

es

t

i

o

n

se

c

t

i

o

n

of the booklet. Score only what has been

written

in

the blanks

p

r

o

v

i

d

ed

in

the

b

oo

k

l

e

t

.

3.

Definitions

a

l

o

n

e

will

not score, but they may be used to enhance the

a

p

pl

i

c

a

t

i

o

n

.

4.

Within

a point, a student

will

not be penalized for

misinformation

unless

it directly

contradicts

c

o

rr

e

c

t

information

that

would

o

t

h

e

r

w

i

s

e

have scored a

point.

A correct

a

p

pl

i

c

a

t

i

o

n

with

an

i

nc

o

rr

ec

t

definition

i

s

not considered a

d

i

r

ec

t

c

o

nt

r

a

d

ic

t

i

o

n

and

should

score the

p

o

i

n

t

.

5. Rubric examples

p

r

o

v

i

d

e

d

for each

point

are not to be considered

ex

h

au

s

t

i

v

e.

6.

Responses

that simply parrot or repeat the terms from the

qu

es

t

i

o

n

will

not score.

7. A response can score a point only

if it clearly

conveys what part of the

qu

e

s

t

i

o

n

is being answered. It

i

s

possible to

infer

what part of the

q

u

e

s

t

i

o

n

is being answered

if it is

consistent

with

the order of

t

h

e

q

u

es

t

i

o

n

.

Point 1 (A): Operational definition of dependent variable

Responses must indicate that the operational definition of the dependent

variable

is the percentage/number

of

children

who took additional/extra pieces of candy.

• Score: “Whether the child/children took additional candy.”

• Do NOT score operational definitions of the independent variable (mask/no mask, solo/group).

• Do NOT score references to “some candy,” which does not specify additional/extra pieces.

Point 2 (B): Data support

Responses must indicate t hat the data do not support the hypothesis that

children would

take more candy

when alone (hypothesis 1) AND that the data support the hypothesis that

children would

take more candy

when masked (hypothesis 2)

.

Point 3 (C):

Gen

e

r

ali

z

ab

i

l

it

y

Responses must indicate that the

psychologist

cannot generalize

because

of

sampling

bias, OR there was no

random sampling/selection procedure, OR the

psychologist only

used

children

in her neighborhood.

• Score examples to illustrate that the sample was not representative of the population of children.

• Do NOT score random assignment alone.

• Do NOT score

i

ns

u

ff

i

c

ient

sa

mp

l

e

size alone.

Point 4 (D): Naturalistic observation

Responses must indicate that the study is not

naturalistic

observation

because

the researcher is interacting

with subjects OR is

manipulating

a

v

ar

ia

bl

e.

• Score any relevant example of the researcher interacting with the children.

•

Score experiment or experimentation as an indication of manipulating a variable.

AP

®

PSYCHOLOGY

2019 SCORING GUIDELINES

Visit the College Board on the web: collegeboard.org.

Question 1 (continued)

Point 5 (E):

Modeling

Responses must indicate that in reference to taking candy,

children imitated what they saw others do.

• Score references to modeling that occurs outside of the situation and that influences taking candy (e.g.,

parents modeled stealing in the past, leading to children taking more candy).

• Do NOT score references to children’s obedience.

Point 6: Deindividuation

Responses must indicate that because deindividuated

children

felt anonymous, they were more

l

ik

e

l

y

to take

extra candy.

•

Score responses that indicate taking extra candy results from a feeling of anonymity, a loss in sense

of self/identity, or a loss in self-awareness or individuality.

• Do NOT score descriptions of diffusion of responsibility (“feel less responsible”).

Point 7: Law

r

e

n

ce

Kohlberg’s

p

r

e

co

n

ve

n

t

i

o

nal

stage

Responses must indicate that taking candy is linked to the children’s narrow self-interest in gaining a

tangible reward or avoiding punishment.

• Do NOT score references to conventional (compliance or obedience) or post-conventional (abstract)

stages.

AP

®

PSYCHOLOGY

2019 SCORING GUIDELINES

Visit the College Board on the web: collegeboard.org.

Question

2

As a senior in high school, Ludy worked as an assistant to the children’s librarian in his town library. He

enjoyed shelving the books in the library because he was able to work alone and focus on his task. Although

the library was normally a quiet place, sometimes the children’s section became quite noisy when groups of

children visited. After working in an unfulfilling desk job for 30 years, Ludy recalls how much he enjoyed

working at the library and decides to go back and work as a volunteer creating new programs for

disadvantaged children.

Describe how each of the following concepts relates to Ludy’s return to working at the library.

• Crystallized intelligence

• Altruism

• Big Five trait of extraversion

• Broca’s area

• Self-efficacy

• Episodic memory

• Self-actualization

General Considerations

1. Answers

should

be presented

in

sentences

and must be cogent enough for the meaning of the response

to come through.

S

p

el

l

i

ng

and grammatical mistakes do not reduce the score of a response, but

s

p

el

l

i

ng

must be

c

l

os

e

enough that the reader is

c

o

n

v

i

n

c

e

d

of the

w

o

r

d

.

2. Do not score any notes made on the

qu

es

t

i

o

n

se

c

t

i

o

n

of the booklet. Score only what has been

written

in

the blanks

p

r

o

v

i

d

ed

in

the

b

oo

k

l

e

t

.

3.

Definitions

a

l

o

n

e

will

not score, but they may be used to enhance the

a

p

pl

i

c

a

t

i

o

n

.

4.

Within

a point, a student

will

not be penalized for

misinformation

unless

it directly

contradicts

c

o

rr

e

c

t

information

that

would

o

t

h

e

r

w

i

s

e

have scored a

point.

A correct

a

p

pl

i

c

a

t

i

o

n

with

an

i

nc

o

rr

ec

t

definition

i

s

not considered a

d

i

r

ec

t

c

o

nt

r

a

d

ic

t

i

o

n

and

should

score the

p

o

i

n

t

.

5. Rubric examples

p

r

o

v

i

d

e

d

for each

point

are not to be considered

ex

h

au

s

t

i

v

e.

6.

Responses

that simply parrot or repeat the terms from the

qu

es

t

i

o

n

will

not score.

7.

A response can score a point only

if it clearly

conveys what part of the

qu

e

s

t

i

o

n

is being answered. It

i

s

possible to

infer

what part of the

q

u

e

s

t

i

o

n

is being answered

if it is

consistent w

ith

the order of

t

h

e

q

u

es

t

i

o

n

.

AP

®

PSYCHOLOGY

2019 SCORING GUIDELINES

Visit the College Board on the web: collegeboard.org.

Question

2 (continued)

Point 1: Crystallized

in

t

e

ll

ige

n

ce

Responses must indicate how acquired knowledge (facts, general information, or vocabulary), or lack thereof,

relates to Ludy’s return to working at the library.

• Score: “Ludy’s ability to recall the Dewey Decimal System will help in his return.”

• Score: “Ludy’s lack of knowledge of current library practices impedes his success.”

• Score: “As Ludy reads books to the children it adds to their understanding of the world.”

Point 2: Altr

ui

s

m

Responses must describe how

helping for unselfish reasons is related to Ludy’s return to working at the

library.

• Score: “Ludy is helping at the library without expectation of getting something in return.”

• Score: “If Ludy is low in altruism he might be returning for selfish reasons.”

• Score: “Ludy is demonstrating altruism by volunteering.”

• Score: “Ludy inspires the children to donate their time doing community service.”

• Do NOT score: “Ludy is volunteering because he wants to put it on his resume.”

Point 3: Big Five trait of extraversion

Responses must indicate how an aspect of extraversion (e.g., being outgoing, sociable, not shy, friendly,

assertive, or draws energy from others) is related to Ludy’s return to working at the library.

• Score: “Ludy is outgoing and enjoys working with the children.”

• Score: “Ludy would score low in extraversion because he is reserved and the library is a good fit.”

• Score: “The children Ludy works with are talkative and sociable.”

• Do NOT score clear references to the other Big Five personality traits (agreeableness, neuroticism,

openness, and conscientiousness).

Note: References to introversion alone will not score.

Point 4: B

r

o

ca’s

ar

e

a

Responses must indicate how language production or comprehension relates to Ludy’s return to working at

the library.

• Score: “Ludy uses his Broca’s area while reading to the children.”

• Score: “Damage to Broca’s area would inhibit Ludy’s ability to speak to the children.”

• Score: “Each child Ludy works with uses Broca’s area to ask questions.”

• Do NOT score references to noise/sounds unless they are in the context of language or speech.

AP

®

PSYCHOLOGY

2019 SCORING GUIDELINES

Visit the College Board on the web: collegeboard.org.

Question

2 (continued)

Point 5: Self-efficacy

Responses must indicate how a belief about one’s own ability is related to Ludy’s return to working at the

library.

• Score: “Ludy is confident that he can create new programs.”

• Score: “After meeting the noisy children Ludy lacks self-efficacy and doubts his ability to successfully

create new programs.”

• Score: “The library director believes that she can successfully obtain sufficient funding for Ludy’s

programs.”

• Do NOT score: “The staff is confident that Ludy will succeed.”

Point 6: Episodic memory

Responses must indicate how the recall of a personally experienced event is related to Ludy’s return to

working at the library.

• Score: “Ludy recalls an enjoyable encounter with children at the library and decides to go back.”

• Score: “A father is excited to bring his child to Ludy’s program because he remembers hearing a story

at the library.”

• Do NOT score: “Ludy remembers the Dewey Decimal System.”

• Do NOT score: “Ludy has fond memories of his time working at the library and that leads him to return

as a volunteer.”

Note: Procedural or semantic memories alone will not score.

Point 7: Self-actualization

Responses must describe how fulfilling one’s highest potential, being fully accepting of one’s self, or becoming

one’s ideal self is related to Ludy’s return to working at the library.

• Score: “Ludy returns to the library to maximize his personal growth.”

• Score: “Ludy is fully accepting of his strengths and weaknesses as he takes on this new job.”

• Score: “Ludy’s programs may help the children reach their fullest potential.”

Note: References to self-fulfillment, self-awareness, or sense of purpose alone will not score.