Psychology Test

Overview

• The test consists of approximately 205 multiple-choice questions. Each question in the test has five options from which the test taker is to select the one option that is the correct or best answer to the question.
• Some of the stimulus materials, such as a description of an experiment or a graph, may serve as the basis for several questions.
• The questions in the Psychology Test are drawn from the core of knowledge most commonly encountered in courses offered at the undergraduate level within the broadly defined field of psychology.
• A question may require recalling factual information, analyzing relationships, applying principles, drawing conclusions from data and/or evaluating a research design.
• All GRE® Psychology Test editions given at Subject Test administrations adhere to the terminology, criteria and classifications referred to in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).

Scoring

For Psychology Test editions taken during or after September 2017, your test will yield six subscores in addition to the total score:
• Biological
• Cognitive
• Social
• Developmental
• Clinical
• Measurement/Methodology/Other

For Psychology Test editions taken prior to September 2017, the two prior subscores (Experimental and Social) will continue to be reported on score reports to test takers and institutions.

How to Prepare?

In addition to reviewing notes and old tests from your undergraduate psychology courses, there are a number of different ways you can prepare for the GRE Psychology test. There are a number of different test prep books available to help students prepare for the psychology subject test. Visit your campus bookstore or an online book retailer to see what is available.
Here are some recommendations before you begin studying:
• Start by taking a practice test before you start your test prep. This will give you a better idea of the content of the test and how much you need to do in order to prepare.
• Get a prep study booklet from a publisher such as Kaplan or Princeton Review, but do not restrict yourself to studying simply what is on the study guide. Only reviewing one or two study guides will not provide sufficient preparation for most students.
• Find one or two good introductory psychology books and spend a considerable amount of time familiarizing yourself with the content in each book.
• After spending a considerable amount of time studying, take another practice test. By doing this, you will be able to get a better idea of which areas you are still weak in and what you need to focus on for the remainder of your prep.
Also be sure to talk to your psychology professors. In addition to offering helpful study tips, they may be able to help you organize a test prep study group.