BAPSY Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield BAPSY facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. In Baddeley's model of working memory, which component is responsible for processing visual and spatial information? → Visuospatial sketchpad
2. Which of the following is NOT a possible psychosocial reaction following spinal cord injury? → Increased self-esteem
3. Which dissociative disorder involves the presence of two or more distinct identity states that recurrently take control of behavior? → Dissociative identity disorder
4. Which neurotransmitter is most commonly associated with the biological explanation of major depressive disorder? → Serotonin
5. What does the term "male sexual proprietariness" refer to or mean in the context of reproductive behavior or mating strategies? → The idea that men view women as having the right to take ownership over them
6. In Adlerian therapy, what does the concept of 'social interest' (Gemeinschaftsgefühl) primarily refer to? → An innate potential to connect with others and contribute to the common good
7. What is the primary characteristic of Piaget's formal operational stage of cognitive development? → The ability to think abstractly and reason about hypothetical situations
8. What is cognitive dissonance? → Psychological discomfort from holding contradictory beliefs or behaviors
9. Which theorist proposed the bioecological model of human development, emphasizing nested environmental systems? → Urie Bronfenbrenner
10. What is the primary purpose of a double-blind procedure in psychological research? → To reduce both participant and researcher bias
11. Which anxiety disorder involves marked fear or anxiety about two or more situations such as public transportation, open spaces, or being in crowds? → Agoraphobia
12. Which ethical principle requires researchers to inform participants about the nature of a study before they agree to participate? → Informed consent
13. Walter Mischel's contribution to the person-situation debate challenged trait theories by arguing that: → Situational factors often have stronger influence on behavior than stable traits
14. How can healthcare providers help patients with mental health issues during rehabilitation? → Show empathy, actively listen, and understand the patient's emotions
15. The Big Five personality traits (OCEAN) include all of the following EXCEPT: → Assertiveness
16. What does the concept of pluralistic ignorance describe in social psychology? → A situation where most group members privately reject a norm but assume others accept it
17. What does group polarization refer to in social psychology? → The tendency for group discussion to strengthen members' preexisting attitudes
18. What distinguishes bipolar II disorder from bipolar I disorder? → Presence of hypomanic rather than manic episodes
19. Which brain imaging technique measures changes in blood oxygenation to map neural activity? → fMRI
20. A researcher finds a correlation coefficient of -0.85 between stress levels and immune function. What does this indicate? → A strong negative relationship
21. Which defense mechanism involves unconsciously attributing one's own unacceptable feelings or impulses to others? → Projection
22. A person who has undergone a split-brain procedure has had which structure severed? → Corpus callosum
23. What is the purpose of post-hoc tests following a significant one-way ANOVA? → To determine which specific group means differ
24. What is the main advantage of using stratified random sampling over simple random sampling? → It ensures proportional representation of key subgroups
25. A psychologist notices that students who exercise more frequently also report lower stress levels. What conclusion can be drawn? → Exercise and stress are negatively correlated
26. What is the misinformation effect as described by Elizabeth Loftus? → The distortion of memory when misleading post-event information is introduced
27. What are the distinguishing factors or reasons that differentiate Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) from psychopathy? → ASPD focuses on criminal aspects and Psychopathy is more about personality
28. In Stanley Milgram's obedience experiments, what was the primary factor that increased participants' willingness to obey the authority figure? → Physical proximity of the authority figure
29. Which concept refers to the biological unfolding of development according to a genetic blueprint, largely independent of environmental influence? → Maturation
30. Which theorist proposed the bioecological model of human development, emphasizing nested environmental systems? → Urie Bronfenbrenner