MCAT Psych/Soc Question Bank with
Answers
Difference between classical conditioning and operant conditioning - CORRECT ANSWERS -
Classical: an uncondition stimulus that produces and instinctive, unocnditioned response is
paired with a neutral stimulus
Operant: behavior is changed through reinforcement (increases likelihood of behavior) and
punishment (decreases likelihood)
Difference between explicit and implicit memory - CORRECT ANSWERS -Ex: stores facts and
stories
Im: stores skills and conditioning effect
What is long term potentiation? - CORRECT ANSWERS -The strength if of neuronal connections
resulting from increased neurotransmitter release: responsible for converting short to long
term memory
Schedules of reinforcement - CORRECT ANSWERS -fixed ratio: fixed amount (must do five
chores to get a cookie)
Fixed interval: fixed time (must do chores for 1 hr to get a cookie)
Variable ratio: variable amount (five chores to get a cookie, 8 chores to get two cookies)
Variable interval: variable time (If your mom happens to see you doing a lot of chores, you get a
cookie)
Difference between method of loci, pegword, and Chunking - CORRECT ANSWERS -Method of
loci: associating each item on the list with location
Pegword: associate words with rhymes or something
Chunking: grouping list items together
Difference between semantic, visual, acoustic, and iconic encoding - CORRECT ANSWERS -
Semantic- meaning
Visual- see
Acoustic- hear
Iconic- sensory memory
,What does the information processing model state? - CORRECT ANSWERS -That the brain
encodes, stores, and retrieves information much like a computer
List Piaget's stages of cognitive development - CORRECT ANSWERS -1. Sensorimotor (noticing
objects)
2.pre operational (symbolic thinking, egocentric)
3.concrete operational (understanding the concrete objects)
4.formal operational (problem solving)
What is the serial position effect and chucking - CORRECT ANSWERS -A retrieval cue that
appears while learning lists
Chunking: a memory try to group things in a list together
Difference between dyssomnias and parasomnias - CORRECT ANSWERS -Dys: sleep apnea,
insomnia
Parasomnia: night terrors, sleep walking
Difference between phonology, morphology, semantics, anthrax, and pragmatics - CORRECT
ANSWERS -Phonology: actual sound of speech
Morphology: Building blocks of words
Semantics: meaning of works
Pragmatic: changes in language delivery
Syntax: rules dictating words
Difference between nativist theory, learning theory, and social interactionist theory - CORRECT
ANSWERS -Nativists: language acquisition is innate
Learning: language acquisition is controllers by operant conditioning
Social: acquisition is being controlled by motivation to interact with others
Motor function of speech is controlled by - CORRECT ANSWERS -Brocka's area
Language comprehension is controlled by - CORRECT ANSWERS -Wernickes area
Heuristic - CORRECT ANSWERS -Simplified principles used to make decisions
Difference between instinct theory, arousal theory, drive reduction theory, and self
determination theory - CORRECT ANSWERS -instinct: people perform certain behaviors because
of evolution based instincts
Arousal: people perform actions to maintain the state of being awake and reactive
, Drive reduction: people perform actions to eliminate drives (uncomfortable emotional states)
Self det: role of three universal needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness)
Difference between incentive, expectancy value, and opponent process theory - CORRECT
ANSWERS -incentive- desire to pursue rewards
Expectancy value- motivation proportional to expected success
Opponent- tolerance/withdrawal
What are the three components of emotion? - CORRECT ANSWERS -cognitive (sujective),
behavioral (facial expressions and body language), physiological (changes in autonomic nervous
system
Seven universal emotions - CORRECT ANSWERS -happiness, sadness, contempt, surprise, fear,
disgust, anger
Limbic system - CORRECT ANSWERS -the primary nervous system component involved in
emotion
Amygdala - CORRECT ANSWERS -involved with attention and fear, helps interpret facial
expression, and part of intrinsic memory system for emotional memory
Thalamus - CORRECT ANSWERS -sensory processing station
Hypothalamus - CORRECT ANSWERS -releases neurotransmitters that affect mood and arousal
Hippocampus - CORRECT ANSWERS -creates long-term explicit memories
Difference between the ventral and ventromedial prefrontal cortex - CORRECT ANSWERS -
ventral: experiences emotion
Ventromedial: controls emotional responses from the amygdala and decision making
Difference between primary and secondary appraisal - CORRECT ANSWERS -primary: classifying
a potential stressor as irrelevant, benign-positive, or stressful
Secondary: evaluating if the organism can cope with the stress
Three stages of general adaptation syndrome - CORRECT ANSWERS -alarm, resistance, and
exhaustion
Yerkes dodson law - CORRECT ANSWERS -optimal performance is at medium level of arousal
Describe the initial response to stress - CORRECT ANSWERS -activation of the sympathetic
nervous system, and then the alarm stage is the response
Difference between self concept, self esteem, self schema, and self efficacy - CORRECT
ANSWERS -self concept: the sum of the ways in which we describe ourselves
Answers
Difference between classical conditioning and operant conditioning - CORRECT ANSWERS -
Classical: an uncondition stimulus that produces and instinctive, unocnditioned response is
paired with a neutral stimulus
Operant: behavior is changed through reinforcement (increases likelihood of behavior) and
punishment (decreases likelihood)
Difference between explicit and implicit memory - CORRECT ANSWERS -Ex: stores facts and
stories
Im: stores skills and conditioning effect
What is long term potentiation? - CORRECT ANSWERS -The strength if of neuronal connections
resulting from increased neurotransmitter release: responsible for converting short to long
term memory
Schedules of reinforcement - CORRECT ANSWERS -fixed ratio: fixed amount (must do five
chores to get a cookie)
Fixed interval: fixed time (must do chores for 1 hr to get a cookie)
Variable ratio: variable amount (five chores to get a cookie, 8 chores to get two cookies)
Variable interval: variable time (If your mom happens to see you doing a lot of chores, you get a
cookie)
Difference between method of loci, pegword, and Chunking - CORRECT ANSWERS -Method of
loci: associating each item on the list with location
Pegword: associate words with rhymes or something
Chunking: grouping list items together
Difference between semantic, visual, acoustic, and iconic encoding - CORRECT ANSWERS -
Semantic- meaning
Visual- see
Acoustic- hear
Iconic- sensory memory
,What does the information processing model state? - CORRECT ANSWERS -That the brain
encodes, stores, and retrieves information much like a computer
List Piaget's stages of cognitive development - CORRECT ANSWERS -1. Sensorimotor (noticing
objects)
2.pre operational (symbolic thinking, egocentric)
3.concrete operational (understanding the concrete objects)
4.formal operational (problem solving)
What is the serial position effect and chucking - CORRECT ANSWERS -A retrieval cue that
appears while learning lists
Chunking: a memory try to group things in a list together
Difference between dyssomnias and parasomnias - CORRECT ANSWERS -Dys: sleep apnea,
insomnia
Parasomnia: night terrors, sleep walking
Difference between phonology, morphology, semantics, anthrax, and pragmatics - CORRECT
ANSWERS -Phonology: actual sound of speech
Morphology: Building blocks of words
Semantics: meaning of works
Pragmatic: changes in language delivery
Syntax: rules dictating words
Difference between nativist theory, learning theory, and social interactionist theory - CORRECT
ANSWERS -Nativists: language acquisition is innate
Learning: language acquisition is controllers by operant conditioning
Social: acquisition is being controlled by motivation to interact with others
Motor function of speech is controlled by - CORRECT ANSWERS -Brocka's area
Language comprehension is controlled by - CORRECT ANSWERS -Wernickes area
Heuristic - CORRECT ANSWERS -Simplified principles used to make decisions
Difference between instinct theory, arousal theory, drive reduction theory, and self
determination theory - CORRECT ANSWERS -instinct: people perform certain behaviors because
of evolution based instincts
Arousal: people perform actions to maintain the state of being awake and reactive
, Drive reduction: people perform actions to eliminate drives (uncomfortable emotional states)
Self det: role of three universal needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness)
Difference between incentive, expectancy value, and opponent process theory - CORRECT
ANSWERS -incentive- desire to pursue rewards
Expectancy value- motivation proportional to expected success
Opponent- tolerance/withdrawal
What are the three components of emotion? - CORRECT ANSWERS -cognitive (sujective),
behavioral (facial expressions and body language), physiological (changes in autonomic nervous
system
Seven universal emotions - CORRECT ANSWERS -happiness, sadness, contempt, surprise, fear,
disgust, anger
Limbic system - CORRECT ANSWERS -the primary nervous system component involved in
emotion
Amygdala - CORRECT ANSWERS -involved with attention and fear, helps interpret facial
expression, and part of intrinsic memory system for emotional memory
Thalamus - CORRECT ANSWERS -sensory processing station
Hypothalamus - CORRECT ANSWERS -releases neurotransmitters that affect mood and arousal
Hippocampus - CORRECT ANSWERS -creates long-term explicit memories
Difference between the ventral and ventromedial prefrontal cortex - CORRECT ANSWERS -
ventral: experiences emotion
Ventromedial: controls emotional responses from the amygdala and decision making
Difference between primary and secondary appraisal - CORRECT ANSWERS -primary: classifying
a potential stressor as irrelevant, benign-positive, or stressful
Secondary: evaluating if the organism can cope with the stress
Three stages of general adaptation syndrome - CORRECT ANSWERS -alarm, resistance, and
exhaustion
Yerkes dodson law - CORRECT ANSWERS -optimal performance is at medium level of arousal
Describe the initial response to stress - CORRECT ANSWERS -activation of the sympathetic
nervous system, and then the alarm stage is the response
Difference between self concept, self esteem, self schema, and self efficacy - CORRECT
ANSWERS -self concept: the sum of the ways in which we describe ourselves
