MCAT Bros Psych/Soc | Latest Update |
2024/2025 | 100% Verified
What is “the just-world hypothesis” and how does it affect perceptions of justice?
✔✔The just-world hypothesis is the belief that people get what they deserve and deserve what
they get, which can lead to blaming victims for their misfortunes and justifying inequalities.
How does “attachment theory” explain the development of relationships in early childhood?
✔✔Attachment theory suggests that early relationships with primary caregivers form the basis
for future interpersonal relationships, influencing emotional bonds and behaviors in later life.
Describe the concept of “cognitive dissonance” and its impact on attitude change.
✔✔Cognitive dissonance occurs when individuals experience discomfort from holding
conflicting beliefs or engaging in conflicting behaviors, leading them to adjust their attitudes or
beliefs to reduce the dissonance.
1
,What is “emotional intelligence” and how does it influence interpersonal interactions?
✔✔Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize, understand, and manage one’s own
emotions and those of others, which enhances effective communication, empathy, and
relationship-building.
How does “social facilitation” affect performance in the presence of others?
✔✔Social facilitation is the phenomenon where individuals perform better on simple or well-
practiced tasks when in the presence of others, but may perform worse on complex or new tasks.
What is “learned helplessness” and how does it manifest in behavior?
✔✔Learned helplessness occurs when individuals repeatedly face uncontrollable and adverse
situations, leading them to believe that they have no control over their circumstances, often
resulting in passivity and lack of effort.
Describe the concept of “group polarization” and its effect on group decision-making.
2
,✔✔Group polarization refers to the tendency for group discussions to lead to more extreme
positions or decisions than those initially held by individuals, often due to reinforcement of
shared opinions.
What is the role of “mirror neurons” in understanding and mimicking behavior?
✔✔Mirror neurons are brain cells that activate both when an individual performs an action and
when they observe others performing the same action, aiding in understanding and mimicking
others' behaviors.
Explain the concept of “deindividuation” and how it influences behavior in groups.
✔✔Deindividuation occurs when individuals in a group lose self-awareness and adopt group
norms, leading to behavior that is more extreme or less restrained compared to their typical
behavior.
How does “self-serving bias” affect self-perception and interpersonal relationships?
3
, ✔✔Self-serving bias is the tendency to attribute positive outcomes to internal factors and
negative outcomes to external factors, which can enhance self-esteem but may lead to
misunderstandings and conflicts in relationships.
What is the concept of “confirmation bias” and how does it affect decision-making?
✔✔Confirmation bias is the tendency to search for, interpret, and remember information that
confirms one’s preexisting beliefs or hypotheses, potentially leading to flawed decision-making.
How does the concept of “social identity theory” explain group behavior?
✔✔Social identity theory suggests that individuals derive part of their self-concept from their
membership in social groups, which influences their behaviors and attitudes towards in-group
and out-group members.
Describe the concept of “self-efficacy” and its impact on individual performance.
✔✔Self-efficacy refers to an individual’s belief in their ability to succeed in specific tasks or
situations, which can affect their motivation, effort, and persistence in achieving goals.
4
2024/2025 | 100% Verified
What is “the just-world hypothesis” and how does it affect perceptions of justice?
✔✔The just-world hypothesis is the belief that people get what they deserve and deserve what
they get, which can lead to blaming victims for their misfortunes and justifying inequalities.
How does “attachment theory” explain the development of relationships in early childhood?
✔✔Attachment theory suggests that early relationships with primary caregivers form the basis
for future interpersonal relationships, influencing emotional bonds and behaviors in later life.
Describe the concept of “cognitive dissonance” and its impact on attitude change.
✔✔Cognitive dissonance occurs when individuals experience discomfort from holding
conflicting beliefs or engaging in conflicting behaviors, leading them to adjust their attitudes or
beliefs to reduce the dissonance.
1
,What is “emotional intelligence” and how does it influence interpersonal interactions?
✔✔Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize, understand, and manage one’s own
emotions and those of others, which enhances effective communication, empathy, and
relationship-building.
How does “social facilitation” affect performance in the presence of others?
✔✔Social facilitation is the phenomenon where individuals perform better on simple or well-
practiced tasks when in the presence of others, but may perform worse on complex or new tasks.
What is “learned helplessness” and how does it manifest in behavior?
✔✔Learned helplessness occurs when individuals repeatedly face uncontrollable and adverse
situations, leading them to believe that they have no control over their circumstances, often
resulting in passivity and lack of effort.
Describe the concept of “group polarization” and its effect on group decision-making.
2
,✔✔Group polarization refers to the tendency for group discussions to lead to more extreme
positions or decisions than those initially held by individuals, often due to reinforcement of
shared opinions.
What is the role of “mirror neurons” in understanding and mimicking behavior?
✔✔Mirror neurons are brain cells that activate both when an individual performs an action and
when they observe others performing the same action, aiding in understanding and mimicking
others' behaviors.
Explain the concept of “deindividuation” and how it influences behavior in groups.
✔✔Deindividuation occurs when individuals in a group lose self-awareness and adopt group
norms, leading to behavior that is more extreme or less restrained compared to their typical
behavior.
How does “self-serving bias” affect self-perception and interpersonal relationships?
3
, ✔✔Self-serving bias is the tendency to attribute positive outcomes to internal factors and
negative outcomes to external factors, which can enhance self-esteem but may lead to
misunderstandings and conflicts in relationships.
What is the concept of “confirmation bias” and how does it affect decision-making?
✔✔Confirmation bias is the tendency to search for, interpret, and remember information that
confirms one’s preexisting beliefs or hypotheses, potentially leading to flawed decision-making.
How does the concept of “social identity theory” explain group behavior?
✔✔Social identity theory suggests that individuals derive part of their self-concept from their
membership in social groups, which influences their behaviors and attitudes towards in-group
and out-group members.
Describe the concept of “self-efficacy” and its impact on individual performance.
✔✔Self-efficacy refers to an individual’s belief in their ability to succeed in specific tasks or
situations, which can affect their motivation, effort, and persistence in achieving goals.
4
