Ace the AP Psychology Test 2025 – Unlock Your Mind’s Potential!

The correct answer highlights that a polygraph measures physiological responses accompanying emotion. Specifically, a polygraph, often referred to as a lie detector, records changes in physiological markers such as heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, and skin conductivity. These bodily responses are believed to reflect emotional states or stress levels, particularly in situations where a person might be deceptive.

Understanding the role of physiological responses in emotional contexts is essential, as these responses can indicate variations in emotional arousal. This is particularly relevant in settings like interrogation or psychological research, where the aim is to gauge potential deception based on physiological indicators linked to emotions like anxiety or fear.

In contrast, cognitive abilities pertain to mental processes such as reasoning, problem-solving, and memory, which the polygraph does not measure. Personality traits reflect consistent patterns in thoughts, feelings, and behaviors over time, rather than immediate physiological responses. Lastly, intellectual responses to stimuli relate to cognitive evaluations and assessments, rather than the physiological changes that a polygraph captures. Hence, the focus of a polygraph on measuring emotional responses makes the correct answer accurate.