MCAT; Psychological, Social, and
Biological Foundations of Behavior
Questions with Correct Answers 2026
The Primary Effect - CORRECT ANSWERS -The psychological tendency to remember the first
items in a series or list better than items in the middle or at the end. This occurs because
people give more attention to, and spend more time processing, initial information, leading to a
stronger memory of those first items.
state dependency effect - CORRECT ANSWERS -A memory phenomenon where recall is better
when the internal state during retrieval matches the internal state during the initial learning or
encoding of the information. This internal state can be a physiological one, such as the effects
of a drug or a physical feeling like being cold, or it can be a psychological state, like a particular
mood or level of stress. For instance, you might remember information better if you learned it
while intoxicated and are tested in the same intoxicated state.
Misinformation effect - CORRECT ANSWERS -A psychological phenomenon where exposure to
inaccurate information after an event can distort one's memory of that event, leading to the
formation of false memories
Dual-Coding Effect (Dual Coding Theory) - CORRECT ANSWERS -____________ suggests that our
brains process information more effectively when presented through both verbal and visual
channels
Spreading of Activation Theory - CORRECT ANSWERS -A theory of memory that explains how
activating one concept in a semantic network causes related concepts to become more active.
The most likely memory error is a false memory or false recollection, where you recall an object
or event that wasn't presented but is from the same category or associated with the presented
concepts.
Categorical Bias - CORRECT ANSWERS -The phenomenon where perception or memory for
stimuli is distorted by the categories they belong to, causing objects from the same category to
seem more similar and objects from different categories to seem more different than they
actually are
Spatial Memory - CORRECT ANSWERS -The brain's ability to learn, store, and recall the location
and arrangement of objects, places, and directions, allowing for navigation and understanding
of one's environment
Piaget's theory of cognitive development - CORRECT ANSWERS -What theory proposes that
children progress through four distinct stages of intellectual development: sensorimotor,
,properational, concrete operational, and formal operational. These stages describe how
children's thinking becomes more complex and abstract as they mature
Psychodynamic approach - CORRECT ANSWERS -What approach views psychological disorders
as arising from internal, often unconscious, conflicts, unresolved childhood issues, and past
experiences that influence current behavior.
Behaviorists approach - CORRECT ANSWERS -What approach views psychological disorders as
learned behaviors resulting from faulty conditioning and environmental influences, rather than
internal mental states
Trait theory - CORRECT ANSWERS -A personality theory that focuses on identifying, describing,
and measuring individual differences in personality traits
humanistic Approach - CORRECT ANSWERS -What approach views psychological disorders not
as illnesses to be cured but as a blockage of a person's innate potential for growth, self-
actualization, and inherent goodness.
Unconditioned - CORRECT ANSWERS -An ________________ stimulus is something that
naturally and automatically triggers a reflexive response in an organism without any prior
learning or conditioning
Conditioned - CORRECT ANSWERS -A _____________ stimulus is a previously neutral stimulus
that, after being paired with an unconditioned stimulus, becomes capable of eliciting a
conditioned response. In simpler terms, it's a stimulus that initially doesn't cause a specific
reaction, but through learning, it comes to trigger that reaction.
Discriminatory stimulus - CORRECT ANSWERS -A signal or cue that precedes a behavior and
indicates that a particular response is likely to be reinforced
Signaling Stimulus - CORRECT ANSWERS -A ____________ stimulus, also known as a
discriminative stimulus (SD), is a cue or event that signals to an individual that a specific
behavior will lead to a particular consequence, such as reinforcement
Interoceptive awareness - CORRECT ANSWERS -The ability to perceive and interpret internal
bodily sensations, such as:
Hunger and thirst
Pain and discomfort
Heart rate and breathing
Muscle tension and fatigue
Emotional states (e.g., anxiety, calm)
, It involves the integration of signals from various organs and systems in the body, sending
information to the brain where it is processed and interpreted.
Autonomic Nervous system - CORRECT ANSWERS -The part of the nervous system responsible
for control of the bodily functions not consciously directed, such as breathing, the heartbeat,
and digestive processes. Known as the rest and digest system
The Reticular Activating System - CORRECT ANSWERS -A network of neurons in the brainstem
that plays a crucial role in regulating arousal, sleep-wake cycles, attention, and consciousness. It
acts as a filter for sensory information, determining what reaches the conscious mind and what
is ignored.
Limbic system - CORRECT ANSWERS -A group of interconnected brain structures that play a
crucial role in regulating emotions, memory, and motivation. It is responsible for:
- Emotional processing
- Memory formation and retrieval
- Motivation and reward
- Hormonal regulation:
Somatic Nervous System - CORRECT ANSWERS -Part of the peripheral nervous system
responsible for voluntary body movements and relaying sensory information from the body to
the central nervous system.
Top-Down processing - CORRECT ANSWERS -The cognitive process where your brain uses
existing knowledge, expectations, and past experiences to interpret new sensory information,
essentially "filling in the blanks" to understand the world.
Affective - CORRECT ANSWERS -____________ processes refer to emotions, feelings, and
attitudes, encompassing both their experience and the regulation of these experiences in daily
life
physiological processes - CORRECT ANSWERS -_______________. processes are the biological
mechanisms within the body, such as brain activity, hormone function, and nervous system
responses, that influence thoughts, emotions, and behaviors
cognitive processes - CORRECT ANSWERS -_____________ processes refer to the mental
operations involved in acquiring, processing, storing, and retrieving information. They are
essential for everyday activities, such as understanding conversations, making decisions, and
adapting to new situations.
Correlation Study - CORRECT ANSWERS -____________ studies research the statistical
relationships between variables by observing and measuring them without manipulation. They
Biological Foundations of Behavior
Questions with Correct Answers 2026
The Primary Effect - CORRECT ANSWERS -The psychological tendency to remember the first
items in a series or list better than items in the middle or at the end. This occurs because
people give more attention to, and spend more time processing, initial information, leading to a
stronger memory of those first items.
state dependency effect - CORRECT ANSWERS -A memory phenomenon where recall is better
when the internal state during retrieval matches the internal state during the initial learning or
encoding of the information. This internal state can be a physiological one, such as the effects
of a drug or a physical feeling like being cold, or it can be a psychological state, like a particular
mood or level of stress. For instance, you might remember information better if you learned it
while intoxicated and are tested in the same intoxicated state.
Misinformation effect - CORRECT ANSWERS -A psychological phenomenon where exposure to
inaccurate information after an event can distort one's memory of that event, leading to the
formation of false memories
Dual-Coding Effect (Dual Coding Theory) - CORRECT ANSWERS -____________ suggests that our
brains process information more effectively when presented through both verbal and visual
channels
Spreading of Activation Theory - CORRECT ANSWERS -A theory of memory that explains how
activating one concept in a semantic network causes related concepts to become more active.
The most likely memory error is a false memory or false recollection, where you recall an object
or event that wasn't presented but is from the same category or associated with the presented
concepts.
Categorical Bias - CORRECT ANSWERS -The phenomenon where perception or memory for
stimuli is distorted by the categories they belong to, causing objects from the same category to
seem more similar and objects from different categories to seem more different than they
actually are
Spatial Memory - CORRECT ANSWERS -The brain's ability to learn, store, and recall the location
and arrangement of objects, places, and directions, allowing for navigation and understanding
of one's environment
Piaget's theory of cognitive development - CORRECT ANSWERS -What theory proposes that
children progress through four distinct stages of intellectual development: sensorimotor,
,properational, concrete operational, and formal operational. These stages describe how
children's thinking becomes more complex and abstract as they mature
Psychodynamic approach - CORRECT ANSWERS -What approach views psychological disorders
as arising from internal, often unconscious, conflicts, unresolved childhood issues, and past
experiences that influence current behavior.
Behaviorists approach - CORRECT ANSWERS -What approach views psychological disorders as
learned behaviors resulting from faulty conditioning and environmental influences, rather than
internal mental states
Trait theory - CORRECT ANSWERS -A personality theory that focuses on identifying, describing,
and measuring individual differences in personality traits
humanistic Approach - CORRECT ANSWERS -What approach views psychological disorders not
as illnesses to be cured but as a blockage of a person's innate potential for growth, self-
actualization, and inherent goodness.
Unconditioned - CORRECT ANSWERS -An ________________ stimulus is something that
naturally and automatically triggers a reflexive response in an organism without any prior
learning or conditioning
Conditioned - CORRECT ANSWERS -A _____________ stimulus is a previously neutral stimulus
that, after being paired with an unconditioned stimulus, becomes capable of eliciting a
conditioned response. In simpler terms, it's a stimulus that initially doesn't cause a specific
reaction, but through learning, it comes to trigger that reaction.
Discriminatory stimulus - CORRECT ANSWERS -A signal or cue that precedes a behavior and
indicates that a particular response is likely to be reinforced
Signaling Stimulus - CORRECT ANSWERS -A ____________ stimulus, also known as a
discriminative stimulus (SD), is a cue or event that signals to an individual that a specific
behavior will lead to a particular consequence, such as reinforcement
Interoceptive awareness - CORRECT ANSWERS -The ability to perceive and interpret internal
bodily sensations, such as:
Hunger and thirst
Pain and discomfort
Heart rate and breathing
Muscle tension and fatigue
Emotional states (e.g., anxiety, calm)
, It involves the integration of signals from various organs and systems in the body, sending
information to the brain where it is processed and interpreted.
Autonomic Nervous system - CORRECT ANSWERS -The part of the nervous system responsible
for control of the bodily functions not consciously directed, such as breathing, the heartbeat,
and digestive processes. Known as the rest and digest system
The Reticular Activating System - CORRECT ANSWERS -A network of neurons in the brainstem
that plays a crucial role in regulating arousal, sleep-wake cycles, attention, and consciousness. It
acts as a filter for sensory information, determining what reaches the conscious mind and what
is ignored.
Limbic system - CORRECT ANSWERS -A group of interconnected brain structures that play a
crucial role in regulating emotions, memory, and motivation. It is responsible for:
- Emotional processing
- Memory formation and retrieval
- Motivation and reward
- Hormonal regulation:
Somatic Nervous System - CORRECT ANSWERS -Part of the peripheral nervous system
responsible for voluntary body movements and relaying sensory information from the body to
the central nervous system.
Top-Down processing - CORRECT ANSWERS -The cognitive process where your brain uses
existing knowledge, expectations, and past experiences to interpret new sensory information,
essentially "filling in the blanks" to understand the world.
Affective - CORRECT ANSWERS -____________ processes refer to emotions, feelings, and
attitudes, encompassing both their experience and the regulation of these experiences in daily
life
physiological processes - CORRECT ANSWERS -_______________. processes are the biological
mechanisms within the body, such as brain activity, hormone function, and nervous system
responses, that influence thoughts, emotions, and behaviors
cognitive processes - CORRECT ANSWERS -_____________ processes refer to the mental
operations involved in acquiring, processing, storing, and retrieving information. They are
essential for everyday activities, such as understanding conversations, making decisions, and
adapting to new situations.
Correlation Study - CORRECT ANSWERS -____________ studies research the statistical
relationships between variables by observing and measuring them without manipulation. They
