AP Psychology Practice Quiz: Selection of Categories of Psychological Disorders

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

Test your understanding with short quizzes. This quiz has 16 questions to check your progress.

Question 1 of 16

According to the provided text, a defining characteristic of neurodevelopmental disorders is that they:

A)are characterized by delusions and hallucinations.B)have an onset during the developmental period.C)are caused exclusively by environmental factors.D)always involve altered food consumption.

All Questions (16)

According to the provided text, a defining characteristic of neurodevelopmental disorders is that they:

A) are characterized by delusions and hallucinations.

B) have an onset during the developmental period.

C) are caused exclusively by environmental factors.

D) always involve altered food consumption.

Correct Answer: B

Content point 11 explicitly states that neurodevelopmental disorders 'have onset during the developmental period.' The other options describe characteristics of different disorder categories.

Which of the following is described as a positive symptom of schizophrenic spectrum disorders?

A) Flat affect

B) Dissociation from memory

C) Delusions

D) Pervasive and inflexible patterns of behavior

Correct Answer: C

Content point 14 identifies delusions (false beliefs) as a positive symptom of schizophrenic spectrum disorders. Flat affect is a negative symptom.

A patient with a schizophrenic spectrum disorder who exhibits a lack of typical behavior, such as a flat affect, is demonstrating what kind of symptom?

A) A positive symptom

B) A negative symptom

C) Disorganized thinking

D) A hallucination

Correct Answer: B

Content point 18 defines negative symptoms as 'the lack of a typical behavior, such as flat affect.' Positive symptoms are the presence of atypical behaviors, like delusions or hallucinations.

The key feature that distinguishes bipolar disorders from other mood disorders in the provided text is:

A) the presence of excessive fear and anxiety.

B) the experience of trauma or stress.

C) dissociations from consciousness or identity.

D) alternating periods of mania and depression.

Correct Answer: D

Content point 22 clearly states that bipolar disorders 'are characterized by alternating periods of mania and depression.'

An individual who experiences intense and excessive fear specifically when in open spaces or crowds would most likely be diagnosed with which disorder?

A) Generalized anxiety disorder

B) Specific phobia

C) Agoraphobia

D) Social anxiety disorder

Correct Answer: C

Content point 26 defines agoraphobia as an 'intense fear of specific social situations like open spaces or crowds.'

Which anxiety disorder is characterized by prolonged, nonspecific anxiety or fear, rather than being tied to a particular object or social situation?

A) Social anxiety disorder

B) Specific phobia

C) Panic disorder

D) Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)

Correct Answer: D

Content point 29 describes Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) as involving 'prolonged, nonspecific anxiety or fear,' which distinguishes it from more specific anxiety disorders.

According to the text, both dissociative disorders and trauma- and stressor-related disorders share which of the following as a possible cause?

A) Learned associations and maladaptive thinking

B) The dopamine hypothesis

C) The experience of trauma or stress

D) Enduring and inflexible patterns of behavior

Correct Answer: C

Content point 34 states that possible causes of dissociative disorders involve trauma or stress, and point 36 states the same for trauma and stressor-related disorders.

Obsessive-compulsive and related disorders are primarily characterized by:

A) delusions and hallucinations.

B) obsessions and compulsions.

C) alternating periods of mania and depression.

D) dissociations from memory and identity.

Correct Answer: B

Content point 31 states that obsessive-compulsive and related disorders 'are characterized by obsessions and compulsions.'

A disorder characterized by altered food consumption that impairs health, such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa, falls into which category?

A) Feeding and eating disorders

B) Neurodevelopmental disorders

C) Trauma and stressor-related disorders

D) Personality disorders

Correct Answer: A

Content point 37 defines feeding and eating disorders as being 'characterized by altered food consumption that impairs health.'

Which of the following best describes the core nature of personality disorders as outlined in the text?

A) A temporary dissociation from consciousness

B) Enduring, pervasive, and inflexible patterns of behavior

C) Unanticipated panic attacks

D) Sad, empty, or irritable mood

Correct Answer: B

Content point 39 defines personality disorders as 'enduring, pervasive, and inflexible patterns of experience and behavior deviant from one's culture.'

Which of the following personality disorders is classified under Cluster B, which is known for dramatic, emotional, or erratic behaviors?

A) Schizoid

B) Avoidant

C) Narcissistic

D) Paranoid

Correct Answer: C

Content point 41 lists narcissistic personality disorder as a Cluster B disorder, along with antisocial, histrionic, and borderline.

The personality disorders found in Cluster A, such as paranoid and schizotypal, are described as being:

A) anxious or fearful.

B) dramatic or emotional.

C) odd or eccentric.

D) sad or irritable.

Correct Answer: C

Content point 40 explicitly states that 'Cluster A personality disorders (paranoid, schizoid, schizotypal) are odd or eccentric.'

The dopamine hypothesis is mentioned as a possible biological explanation for which of the following disorders?

A) Major depressive disorder

B) Generalized anxiety disorder

C) Schizophrenia

D) Dissociative identity disorder

Correct Answer: C

Content point 19 states, 'Possible causes of schizophrenia suggest a genetic or biological link, such as the dopamine hypothesis.'

Sad, empty, or irritable mood is the core characteristic of which category of disorders?

A) Bipolar disorders

B) Anxiety disorders

C) Depressive disorders

D) Dissociative disorders

Correct Answer: C

Content point 20 states that depressive disorders 'are characterized by sad, empty, or irritable mood.'

Disorganized motor behavior, which can manifest as catatonia, is a potential symptom of which disorder category?

A) Anxiety disorders

B) Schizophrenic spectrum disorders

C) Personality disorders

D) Dissociative disorders

Correct Answer: B

Content point 13 lists 'disorganized motor behavior' as a characteristic of schizophrenic spectrum disorders, and point 17 specifies that it 'may manifest as catatonia.'

An intense fear of being judged or watched by others is the defining symptom of which disorder?

A) Agoraphobia

B) Panic disorder

C) Social anxiety disorder

D) Generalized anxiety disorder

Correct Answer: C

Content point 28 describes social anxiety disorder as involving 'the intense fear of being judged or watched by others.'