Developing Understanding

Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. All psychological phenomena studied throughout AP Psychology have a biological basis. 

Unit 1 focuses on how the functions of our biological systems influence our physical and mental actions and responses. Knowledge of biological functions and mechanisms, especially how neurons communicate, how the brain functions, and how sleep and sensation impact behavior and mental processes, will help students gain a more comprehensive understanding of psychology throughout the course as well as awareness of how all behaviors and mental processes are based in biological operations. For instance, in Unit 2, students will learn that biological mechanisms are vital to memory, and in Unit 5, they will discover that damage to certain biological structures can be the cause of psychological disorders.

ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE 1.1.A.1  Heredity and environmental factors interact to shape behavior and mental processes. 1.1.A.1.i Heredity, or “nature,” refers to genetic or predisposed characteristics that influence physical, behavioral, and mental traits and processes. 1.1.A.1.ii Environmental factors, or “nurture,” refers to the external factors that one experiences, such as family interactions or education. Exclusion Statement: Specific information about genetics (genotype, phenotype, 1.1.A.2 1.1.A.3 DNA, chromosomes, and recessive and dominant gene expression) is beyond the scope of the AP Psychology Exam. The evolutionary perspective explores how natural selection affects the expression of behavior and mental processes to increase survival and reproductive success. Some theorists have sought to apply principles of the evolutionary perspective in ways that discriminate against others (eugenics). Research on the effects of genes on individual behavior and mental processes is often conducted using twin studies

Last modified: Thursday, 15 January 2026, 12:33 AM