AP Psychology Practice Quiz: Communication and Language Development

Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026

Test your understanding with short quizzes. This quiz has 13 questions to check your progress.

Question 1 of 13

Which of the following represents the smallest distinctive sound unit in a language?

A)MorphemeB)PhonemeC)SymbolD)Telegraph

All Questions (13)

Which of the following represents the smallest distinctive sound unit in a language?

A) Morpheme

B) Phoneme

C) Symbol

D) Telegraph

Correct Answer: B

A phoneme is defined as the smallest unit of sound in a language that can distinguish one word from another, such as the 'c' in 'cat' versus the 'b' in 'bat'. A morpheme is the smallest unit with meaning.

According to the typical stages of language development, which is the earliest stage an infant exhibits?

A) Babbling

B) One-word speech

C) Cooing

D) Telegraphic speech

Correct Answer: C

The provided content lists the stages of language development in order: cooing, babbling, one-word, and telegraphic speech. Cooing, which consists of vowel-like sounds, is the first stage.

A two-year-old child says, "Want juice," to express their desire for a drink. This is a clear example of which stage of language development?

A) Babbling

B) One-word

C) Telegraphic speech

D) Cooing

Correct Answer: C

Telegraphic speech is characterized by the use of two-word sentences, typically a noun and a verb, that convey a larger meaning while omitting less critical words. "Want juice" fits this description perfectly.

The ability of humans to combine words in novel ways to express an infinite number of ideas best illustrates that language is:

A) arbitrary

B) generative

C) phonemic

D) morphemic

Correct Answer: B

The generative property of language refers to the capacity to produce an endless number of unique sentences from a finite set of words and rules. This allows for creativity and the expression of new thoughts.

The word "unhappily" contains three of which of the following?

A) Phonemes

B) Morphemes

C) Symbols

D) Stages

Correct Answer: B

A morpheme is the smallest unit of language that carries meaning. In "unhappily," there are three morphemes: "un-" (a prefix meaning 'not'), "happy" (the root word), and "-ly" (a suffix indicating an adverb).

An infant who is around 8 months old and is producing repetitive consonant-vowel strings like "mamama" and "bababa" is most likely in which stage of language development?

A) Cooing

B) Babbling

C) One-word

D) Telegraphic speech

Correct Answer: B

Babbling is the stage characterized by the production of repeated consonant-vowel sounds. It follows the cooing stage and precedes the one-word stage.

The fact that there is no inherent connection between the letters 'c-a-t' and the furry animal they represent demonstrates that language is a shared system of what kind of symbols?

A) Generative

B) Rule-governed

C) Phonemic

D) Arbitrary

Correct Answer: D

The relationship between a word (a symbol) and its meaning is arbitrary. The connection is based on social convention within a language community, not on any natural or intrinsic link.

In the sequence of language development, which stage immediately follows babbling?

A) Cooing

B) Telegraphic speech

C) One-word

D) Generative speech

Correct Answer: C

The developmental progression outlined is cooing, then babbling, followed by the one-word stage where infants begin to use single words to convey meaning.

A child's transition from babbling to the one-word stage is a critical milestone because it marks the first time the child's vocalizations are used to:

A) imitate the sounds of their native language.

B) combine consonant and vowel sounds.

C) symbolically represent a specific object or concept.

D) follow complex grammatical rules.

Correct Answer: C

While babbling involves making language-like sounds, the one-word stage is the first time a child uses a specific, arbitrary symbol (a word) to intentionally refer to something in their environment. This demonstrates a key mental process: understanding that sounds can represent meaning.

A person's ability to understand that "The dog chased the cat" means something different from "The cat chased the dog" relies on the fact that language is:

A) rule-governed

B) arbitrary

C) phonemic

D) developmental

Correct Answer: A

This distinction in meaning is based on syntax, which is a set of rules governing word order. The rule-governed nature of language dictates how we combine symbols to create coherent and specific meanings, which is a fundamental aspect of our mental processing of sentences.

The smallest unit of language that carries meaning, such as a prefix or suffix, is called a:

A) Phoneme

B) Symbol

C) Morpheme

D) Coo

Correct Answer: C

By definition, a morpheme is the smallest meaningful component of a language. This can be a complete word (e.g., 'run') or a part of a word that adds meaning (e.g., the '-ing' in 'running').

How do the key components of language, such as morphemes and rules, apply to mental processes?

A) They are present only during the cooing and babbling stages of development.

B) They provide the structure for forming, interpreting, and communicating complex thoughts.

C) They are arbitrary and therefore have no consistent effect on behavior.

D) They limit the number of ideas a person can generate and express.

Correct Answer: B

The components of language (phonemes, morphemes) and the rules that govern them (syntax) are the building blocks of thought and communication. They allow our minds to structure abstract ideas, understand the expressions of others, and convey our own thoughts in a coherent way.

A one-year-old who points at the family pet and says "Doggie" is in which stage of language development?

A) Cooing

B) Babbling

C) One-word

D) Telegraphic speech

Correct Answer: C

The one-word stage, also known as the holophrastic stage, is characterized by the use of single words to convey a complete thought or request. "Doggie" is used here as a single, meaningful symbol.