MCAT Practice Exam 4 (Psych/ Soc) Questions
and Verified Answers
The numbers presented to the participants in the avoidance study function as:
A. reinforcers.
B. punishers.
C. discriminating stimuli.
D. unconditioned stimuli.
Passage: "Five of the numbers were associated with reward, such that pressing the button after
the presentation of these five numbers resulted in the participant receiving a monetary
incentive. The remaining five numbers were associated with electric shock, such that pressing
the button after the presentation of these five numbers resulted in the participant receiving an
electric shock." - CORRECT ANSWERS -C. The numbers are discriminating stimuli, which signal
the availability of reinforcement or punishment.
D. An unconditioned stimulus is a stimulus that naturally elicits a reflexive behavior (i.e., an
unconditioned response).
Are the assumptions of SCT regarding the role of participants' beliefs (paragraph 3) consistent
with a traditional behaviorist approach?
A. Yes, because the traditional behaviorist approach also emphasizes changes in behavior due
to desirable and undesirable outcomes
B. Yes, because the traditional behaviorist approach holds that repeated exposure to certain
outcomes shapes beliefs regarding these outcomes
C. No, because the traditional behaviorist approach holds that mental states are involved only
in classical conditioning, not operant conditioning
, D. No, because the traditional behaviorist approach holds that actual outcomes determine
behavior, not cognitions regarding potential outcomes
Passage: "In addition to self-efficacy, according to SCT, individuals' beliefs regarding whether
their behaviors will lead to positive and negative outcomes also motivate behavior. This theory
posits that, in addition to self-ef - CORRECT ANSWERS -D. SCT hypothesized in the passage
saying that increasing our self-efficacy will allow us to perform better on tasks. Self-efficacy is
something that is in our mind and our thought. Behaviorists believe that our environment and
our outcomes shape our behavior not our thoughts.
Which statement best explains how the concept of external motivation (used by SDT) is
different from extrinsic motivation?
Compared to external motivation, extrinsic motivation:
A. is a broader term that includes external motivation.
B. is a narrower term that refers to external reinforcers.
C. excludes social punishers and reinforcers.
D. excludes internal states that direct behavior. - CORRECT ANSWERS -A. Extrinsic motivation
refers to any motivation that results from incentives to perform a behavior that are not
inherent to the behavior itself. External motivation is described as social pressure, which is an
example of extrinsic motivation.
Which statement best applies Rogers's concept of incongruence to SDT's suggestion for how
healthcare professionals can promote autonomous motivation?
A. By encouraging their patients' initiative, healthcare professionals motivate their patients to
reduce the gap in their need for self-actualization.
B. By giving their patients options, healthcare professionals make it possible for their patients
to reduce the gap between their actual behavior and their expected behavior.
C. By encouraging the patients' initiative, healthcare professionals motivate their patients to
reduce the gap between their behaviors and their attitudes.
D. By giving their patients options, healthcare professionals offer their patients ways to reduce
the gap between their ideal selves and their actual selves.
and Verified Answers
The numbers presented to the participants in the avoidance study function as:
A. reinforcers.
B. punishers.
C. discriminating stimuli.
D. unconditioned stimuli.
Passage: "Five of the numbers were associated with reward, such that pressing the button after
the presentation of these five numbers resulted in the participant receiving a monetary
incentive. The remaining five numbers were associated with electric shock, such that pressing
the button after the presentation of these five numbers resulted in the participant receiving an
electric shock." - CORRECT ANSWERS -C. The numbers are discriminating stimuli, which signal
the availability of reinforcement or punishment.
D. An unconditioned stimulus is a stimulus that naturally elicits a reflexive behavior (i.e., an
unconditioned response).
Are the assumptions of SCT regarding the role of participants' beliefs (paragraph 3) consistent
with a traditional behaviorist approach?
A. Yes, because the traditional behaviorist approach also emphasizes changes in behavior due
to desirable and undesirable outcomes
B. Yes, because the traditional behaviorist approach holds that repeated exposure to certain
outcomes shapes beliefs regarding these outcomes
C. No, because the traditional behaviorist approach holds that mental states are involved only
in classical conditioning, not operant conditioning
, D. No, because the traditional behaviorist approach holds that actual outcomes determine
behavior, not cognitions regarding potential outcomes
Passage: "In addition to self-efficacy, according to SCT, individuals' beliefs regarding whether
their behaviors will lead to positive and negative outcomes also motivate behavior. This theory
posits that, in addition to self-ef - CORRECT ANSWERS -D. SCT hypothesized in the passage
saying that increasing our self-efficacy will allow us to perform better on tasks. Self-efficacy is
something that is in our mind and our thought. Behaviorists believe that our environment and
our outcomes shape our behavior not our thoughts.
Which statement best explains how the concept of external motivation (used by SDT) is
different from extrinsic motivation?
Compared to external motivation, extrinsic motivation:
A. is a broader term that includes external motivation.
B. is a narrower term that refers to external reinforcers.
C. excludes social punishers and reinforcers.
D. excludes internal states that direct behavior. - CORRECT ANSWERS -A. Extrinsic motivation
refers to any motivation that results from incentives to perform a behavior that are not
inherent to the behavior itself. External motivation is described as social pressure, which is an
example of extrinsic motivation.
Which statement best applies Rogers's concept of incongruence to SDT's suggestion for how
healthcare professionals can promote autonomous motivation?
A. By encouraging their patients' initiative, healthcare professionals motivate their patients to
reduce the gap in their need for self-actualization.
B. By giving their patients options, healthcare professionals make it possible for their patients
to reduce the gap between their actual behavior and their expected behavior.
C. By encouraging the patients' initiative, healthcare professionals motivate their patients to
reduce the gap between their behaviors and their attitudes.
D. By giving their patients options, healthcare professionals offer their patients ways to reduce
the gap between their ideal selves and their actual selves.
