MCAT BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCES 2025-2026 EQUATIONS WITH CORRECT VERIFIED
ANSWERS
Franz Gall - (ANSWER)Proposed phrenology linking traits to skull shape
Phrenology - (ANSWER)Study of skull shape to assess psychological traits
Pierre Flourens - (ANSWER)First to study brain functions via extirpation/ablation
Asserted that specific parts of the brain had specific functions
Extirpation/ablation - (ANSWER)Surgical removal of brain parts to observe behavior.
Functionalism - (ANSWER)Studies how mental processes help individuals adapt to their
environments *&^%$#
William James - (ANSWER)Founder of American psychology; studied functionalism.
His views founded the foundation of functionalism
John Dewey - (ANSWER)Criticized reflex arc; emphasized studying organism as a whole and
looking at how it adapts to the environment
Influential in functionalism
Paul Broca - (ANSWER)Examined the behavioral deficits of people with brain damage;
was the first person to demonstrate that specific functional impairments could be linked with
specific brain lesions
Broca's Area - (ANSWER)part of frontal lobe which is important for speech production
Found in "dominant" hemisphere which is the left hemisphere for most people
Hermann von Helmholtz - (ANSWER)First person to measure the speed of a nerve impulse
Measured the speed of the nerve impulses to reaction time
Sir Charles Sherrington - (ANSWER)Inferred existence of synapses
Thought synaptic transmission was an electrical process but it is primarily chemical
,MCAT BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCES 2025-2026 EQUATIONS WITH CORRECT VERIFIED
ANSWERS
3 kinds of nerve cells in nervous system - (ANSWER)sensory neurons, motor neurons,
interneurons
Sensory Neurons - (ANSWER)Aka afferent neurons
Transmit sensory info from receptors to spinal cord and brain
Motor Neurons - (ANSWER)Aka efferent neurons
Transmit motor info from the brain and spinal cord to muscles and glands
Interneurons - (ANSWER)Found between other neurons
*&^%$#
Most numerous of the 3 types of neurons
Located mostly in brain and spinal cord; often linked to reflexive behavior
Reflex arcs - (ANSWER)Neural circuits that control reflexive behavior
Ex: If you step on a nail, receptors in the foot detect pain and the pain signal is transmitted by
sensory neurons up to the spinal cord.
The sensory neurons connect with interneurons which relay pain impulses up to the brain
Interneurons in the spinal cord send signals to the muscles of both legs directly which cause the
person to reflexively withdraw the foot in pain and shift weight to the other foot
Nervous System - (ANSWER)Complex network regulating body signals and actions.
Central nervous system - (ANSWER)Brain and spinal cord
Peripheral nervous system - (ANSWER)Nerve tissue and fibers outside the brain and spinal cord
Includes all 31 pairs of nerves emanating from the spinal cord (spinal nerves), and all 12 pairs of
nerves emanating directly from the brain (cranial nerves)
Spinal nerves - (ANSWER)31 pairs of nerves from the spinal cord.
Cranial nerves - (ANSWER)12 pairs of nerves from the brain.
, MCAT BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCES 2025-2026 EQUATIONS WITH CORRECT VERIFIED
ANSWERS
Olfactory nerve - (ANSWER)Cranial nerve I, related to smell.
Optic nerve - (ANSWER)Cranial nerve II, related to vision.
Somatic nervous system - (ANSWER)Controls voluntary movements and sensory information.
Consists of sensory and motor neurons distributed throughout skin, joints, and muscles
Transmits info towards the CNS through afferent fibers
Autonomic nervous system (ANS) - (ANSWER)Regulates involuntary functions like heartbeat,
respiration, digestion, glandular secretions *&^%$#
Aka manages the involuntary muscles associated with internal organs and glands
Consists of sympathetic and parasympathetic
Parasympathetic nervous system - (ANSWER)Goal: conserve energy; resting and sleeping
-constricts pupils
-stimulates flow of saliva
-constricts bronchi
-slows heartbeat
-inhibits release of glucose
-stimulates bile release
-inhibits adrenaline production
-stimulates peristalsis and secretion
-contracts bladder (peeing)
-erection
Sympathetic nervous system - (ANSWER)Activated by stress; fight or flight
ANSWERS
Franz Gall - (ANSWER)Proposed phrenology linking traits to skull shape
Phrenology - (ANSWER)Study of skull shape to assess psychological traits
Pierre Flourens - (ANSWER)First to study brain functions via extirpation/ablation
Asserted that specific parts of the brain had specific functions
Extirpation/ablation - (ANSWER)Surgical removal of brain parts to observe behavior.
Functionalism - (ANSWER)Studies how mental processes help individuals adapt to their
environments *&^%$#
William James - (ANSWER)Founder of American psychology; studied functionalism.
His views founded the foundation of functionalism
John Dewey - (ANSWER)Criticized reflex arc; emphasized studying organism as a whole and
looking at how it adapts to the environment
Influential in functionalism
Paul Broca - (ANSWER)Examined the behavioral deficits of people with brain damage;
was the first person to demonstrate that specific functional impairments could be linked with
specific brain lesions
Broca's Area - (ANSWER)part of frontal lobe which is important for speech production
Found in "dominant" hemisphere which is the left hemisphere for most people
Hermann von Helmholtz - (ANSWER)First person to measure the speed of a nerve impulse
Measured the speed of the nerve impulses to reaction time
Sir Charles Sherrington - (ANSWER)Inferred existence of synapses
Thought synaptic transmission was an electrical process but it is primarily chemical
,MCAT BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCES 2025-2026 EQUATIONS WITH CORRECT VERIFIED
ANSWERS
3 kinds of nerve cells in nervous system - (ANSWER)sensory neurons, motor neurons,
interneurons
Sensory Neurons - (ANSWER)Aka afferent neurons
Transmit sensory info from receptors to spinal cord and brain
Motor Neurons - (ANSWER)Aka efferent neurons
Transmit motor info from the brain and spinal cord to muscles and glands
Interneurons - (ANSWER)Found between other neurons
*&^%$#
Most numerous of the 3 types of neurons
Located mostly in brain and spinal cord; often linked to reflexive behavior
Reflex arcs - (ANSWER)Neural circuits that control reflexive behavior
Ex: If you step on a nail, receptors in the foot detect pain and the pain signal is transmitted by
sensory neurons up to the spinal cord.
The sensory neurons connect with interneurons which relay pain impulses up to the brain
Interneurons in the spinal cord send signals to the muscles of both legs directly which cause the
person to reflexively withdraw the foot in pain and shift weight to the other foot
Nervous System - (ANSWER)Complex network regulating body signals and actions.
Central nervous system - (ANSWER)Brain and spinal cord
Peripheral nervous system - (ANSWER)Nerve tissue and fibers outside the brain and spinal cord
Includes all 31 pairs of nerves emanating from the spinal cord (spinal nerves), and all 12 pairs of
nerves emanating directly from the brain (cranial nerves)
Spinal nerves - (ANSWER)31 pairs of nerves from the spinal cord.
Cranial nerves - (ANSWER)12 pairs of nerves from the brain.
, MCAT BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCES 2025-2026 EQUATIONS WITH CORRECT VERIFIED
ANSWERS
Olfactory nerve - (ANSWER)Cranial nerve I, related to smell.
Optic nerve - (ANSWER)Cranial nerve II, related to vision.
Somatic nervous system - (ANSWER)Controls voluntary movements and sensory information.
Consists of sensory and motor neurons distributed throughout skin, joints, and muscles
Transmits info towards the CNS through afferent fibers
Autonomic nervous system (ANS) - (ANSWER)Regulates involuntary functions like heartbeat,
respiration, digestion, glandular secretions *&^%$#
Aka manages the involuntary muscles associated with internal organs and glands
Consists of sympathetic and parasympathetic
Parasympathetic nervous system - (ANSWER)Goal: conserve energy; resting and sleeping
-constricts pupils
-stimulates flow of saliva
-constricts bronchi
-slows heartbeat
-inhibits release of glucose
-stimulates bile release
-inhibits adrenaline production
-stimulates peristalsis and secretion
-contracts bladder (peeing)
-erection
Sympathetic nervous system - (ANSWER)Activated by stress; fight or flight
