AP Psychology Practice Test: 40 Multiple-Choice Questions With Answers
Practice for the revised AP Psychology exam with the 40 original multiple-choice questions from our practice-test video, eight from each of the five units, each with an explanation. Then review the exam format, the two free-response question types, and the unit weights from College Board's AP Central.
The AP Psychology exam takes 2 hours 40 minutes in the Bluebook app. Section I is 75 multiple-choice questions (four answer choices each) in 90 minutes, worth 66.7% of the score. Section II is two free-response questions in 70 minutes, worth 33.3%: the Article Analysis Question and the Evidence-Based Question, up to 7 points each. The 2027 exam is on Friday, May 14, 2027.
AP Psychology facts at a glance
| Practice questions | 40: 8 per unit, from our video |
|---|---|
| Multiple choice | 75 in 90 min: 66.7% of the score; four answer choices each |
| Free response | 2 in 70 min: 33.3%: Article Analysis Question and Evidence-Based Question |
| Total time | 2 hr 40 min: fully digital in Bluebook |
| 2027 exam date | May 14, 2027: Friday, session 2 (typically afternoon) |
| Score scale | 1-5: 3 qualified, 4 very well qualified, 5 extremely well qualified |
| Exam fee | $99: at U.S. schools; $129 outside the U.S. |
Checked against the official College Board page and the sources listed at the end of this page on 2026-10-26.
Watch: AP Psychology video
AP Psychology Practice Test 2026: 40 Questions With Answers (New Course)
AP Psychology practice test: 40 questions
These are the 40 questions from our AP Psychology practice-test video, eight from each unit. Eight of them are research methods or data questions spread across the units. Press Check Answer for the explanation; missed questions go to a retry queue. Every question is original, not a real AP exam question.
Our target is 32 or more correct, about 80%. That is our own planning goal, not an official cutoff, and it cannot predict an AP score because free response is a third of the real exam.
AP Psychology units and exam weights
The revised course has five units instead of nine. College Board weights each at 15% to 25% of the exam, so no single unit dominates. Our practice set has eight questions from each.
| Unit | Exam weight |
|---|---|
| Unit 1: Biological Bases of Behavior | 15-25% |
| Unit 2: Cognition | 15-25% |
| Unit 3: Development and Learning | 15-25% |
| Unit 4: Social Psychology and Personality | 15-25% |
| Unit 5: Mental and Physical Health | 15-25% |
Source: AP Central: AP Psychology course
What the multiple-choice section tests
College Board says multiple-choice questions ask you to explain and apply concepts, interpret data, and reason about research design. Its skill mix for the section is about 65% concept application, 25% research methods and design, and 10% data interpretation. With 75 questions in 90 minutes you have about 72 seconds per question.
The two free-response questions
The Article Analysis Question (AAQ) gives you one summarized peer-reviewed source. In six parts you identify the research method and a variable, interpret a statistic, name an ethical guideline, judge how well the findings generalize, and make an argument, for up to 7 points.
The Evidence-Based Question (EBQ) gives you three summarized peer-reviewed sources on one topic. You state a claim, support it with two pieces of evidence from the sources, and explain your reasoning with psychology concepts, also for up to 7 points. This practice test covers multiple choice only, so practice both free-response types with College Board's released materials.
AP Psychology scores and college credit
AP scores run from 1 to 5: a 3 means qualified, a 4 very well qualified, and a 5 extremely well qualified. Many colleges give credit or placement for a 3 or higher, but each college sets its own policy, so check the colleges on your list.
How to use this practice test
After one pass, sort your misses by unit. Biology misses: review neurons, brain regions, and sleep stages. Cognition misses: drill memory effects and heuristics. Learning misses: write your own example for each conditioning term. Social misses: learn the classic biases. Health misses: match symptoms to disorders and therapies to their approach. Research misses: practice naming variables and reading correlations, since those skills also carry the AAQ and EBQ.
Sample AP Psychology questions with answers
One question from each content area of the practice set above, with the answer and explanation. Try it before you open the answer.
Biological Bases of Behavior
A neuron's charge reaches its threshold. According to the all-or-nothing principle, what happens next?
- It fires at partial strength
- It fires a full action potential
- It releases hormones into the blood
- It fires harder for a stronger stimulus
Show answer
B. It fires a full action potential
Once a neuron reaches its threshold, it fires a full action potential every time. A neuron does not fire harder for a stronger stimulus. Instead, a stronger stimulus makes it fire more often, and can activate more neurons.
Cognition
You correctly read a messy handwritten word because you know the sentence it is in. This is an example of:
- Bottom-up processing
- Feature detection
- Top-down processing
- Sensory adaptation
Show answer
C. Top-down processing
Top-down processing uses what you already know and expect, like the meaning of the sentence, to interpret what you see. Bottom-up processing starts from the raw sensory details, the actual strokes on the page, and builds up from there.
Development and Learning
A researcher tests the same children at ages 5, 10, and 15 to see how memory changes. This is a:
- Cross-sectional study
- Case study
- Longitudinal study
- Naturalistic observation
Show answer
C. Longitudinal study
A longitudinal study follows the same people over time. A cross-sectional study would compare different groups of five, 10, and 15 year olds at one point in time. That's faster, but differences between generations can creep in.
Social Psychology and Personality
A driver cuts you off, and you decide he's a rude person without considering that he might be rushing to a hospital. This is:
- The fundamental attribution error
- Self-serving bias
- The mere-exposure effect
- Groupthink
Show answer
A. The fundamental attribution error
The fundamental attribution error is overestimating personality and underestimating the situation when we explain other people's behavior. Self-serving bias is about ourselves: we take credit for our successes and blame our failures on the situation.
Mental and Physical Health
In Selye's general adaptation syndrome, which order of stages is correct?
- Alarm → resistance → exhaustion
- Resistance → alarm → exhaustion
- Exhaustion → alarm → resistance
- Alarm → exhaustion → resistance
Show answer
A. Alarm → resistance → exhaustion
Hans Selye's general adaptation syndrome has three stages. Alarm is the first burst of the stress response. Resistance is when the body stays mobilized to cope. If the stress lasts too long, exhaustion follows, and the risk of illness goes up.
AP Psychology FAQ
How many questions are on the AP Psychology exam?
75 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes and two free-response questions in 70 minutes, for 2 hours 40 minutes in all.
What changed in the new AP Psychology course?
Starting in 2024-25 the course has five units instead of nine, multiple-choice questions have four answer choices instead of five, there are two new free-response types (the AAQ and EBQ), and the exam is fully digital in Bluebook.
When is the 2027 AP Psychology exam?
Friday, May 14, 2027, in session 2, which is typically the afternoon.
How are the AP Psychology units weighted?
Each of the five units is weighted at 15% to 25% of the exam.
How much does the AP Psychology exam cost?
$99 at schools in the U.S. and $129 at schools outside the U.S., per College Board's 2027 fee list.
Related practice and guides
Sources
Exam facts on this page were checked against these official pages on 2026-10-26.
- AP Central: AP Psychology exam
- AP Central: AP Psychology course
- AP Central: AP Psychology exam revisions 2024-25
- AP Students: AP Psychology exam
- AP Students: 2027 exam dates
- AP Students: AP score scale table
- AP Students: 2027 AP exam fees
- AP Students: About AP scores
OpenExamHub is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with College Board or the AP Program. AP is a trademark of College Board. All practice questions are original, not real AP exam questions. Exam formats, dates, and fees are set by College Board and can change; confirm them on AP Central.