Behavioral Sciences MCAT
what is the difference between the terms life course theory and life course perspective
life course theory: aging is social/ biological/ psychological process from birth to death life course perspective: approach to understanding an individual's mental, physical, and social health (analyze people's lives)
Elizabeth has always dreamed about being a doctor, but she is not studying hard for the MCAT because she needs to work her hourly job at Walmart in order to pay the bills and afford groceries. Which theory of motivation is best able to explain Elizabeth's situation? (A) Maslow's Hierarchy (B) Evolutionary Approach (C) Cognitive Approach (D) Optimal Arousal Theory
(A) Maslow's Hierarchy According to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, we fulfill basic needs before higher-level needs just as Elizabeth is doing in this situation.
Without basilar tuning, humans would not be able to differentiate between sounds. What is the mapping of different frequency sounds in the brain referred to as? (A) Auditory mapping (B) Basilar mapping (C) Tonotopical mapping (D) Geographical mapping
(B) Basilar mapping basilar tuning: (basilar membrane in ear) cochlea can detect different frequencies based on hair cells in the cochlea - base ( beginning of shell) of cochlea we detect high frequency sound - back of head - apex ( middle of swirl of shell) of cochlea we detect low frequency sounds - front of head Tonotopical mapping: (top of head) Vibration of hair cells trigger nerves and signal gets sent to primary auditory cortex of brain, which interprets the vibration as high / low frequency depending on if it comes from front or back of the brain
a man sees a wolf getting ready to attack him in the distance. the man's heart races and he feels fear seep in as he begins to run from the wolf.which theory of emotion does this pertain to? A) James-Lang B) Cannon-Bard C) Schachter-Singer
B) Cannon-Bard CB: stimulus -> NS + Emotion
Which of the following would not contribute to increasing globalization? A) Increased international trade B) Decreased dependence on international resources C) Increased international investments D) Decreased restrictions on immigration E) Increased international communication
B) Decreased dependence on international resources Globalization: spread of culture and the integration of these elements around the world Decreasing the flow of materials would decrease globalization
John presents himself as confident and composed while answering questions in class, but at home, he is quiet and reserved. Which of the following theories best explains John's behavior? A) Out group B) Dramaturgical approach C) Hidden curriculum D) Fundamental attribution error
B) Dramaturgical approach Dramaturgical approach involves a front stage (how John presents himself to others) versus a backstage (who John truly is).
Which of the cluster B (dramatic, emotional, and erratic) personality disorders is characterized by having very unstable emotions, self-image and relationships, and being very impulsive? A) histrionic B) borderline C) antisocial D) narcissistic
Histrionic - outward emotions and attention seeking (hysterical) Borderline - unstable emotions, self-image and relationships, very impulsive
The hippocampus is a sub part of which of the following brain structure?
Limbic system
a child sees two glasses of equal quantity of water. the child picks the short glass, realizing the quantity of the water is the same in both glasses. what stage in Piaget's cognitive theory is the child in and what concept does this pertain to?
concrete operational: 7-11, child is logical, understands conservation, no abstract thinking, no egocentrism conservation
what is the difference between a cross section experiment vs a longitudinal experiment?
cross sectional experiments look at one point in time, where as longitudinal experiments follow a specific population at multiple points.
Compare and contrast folkway, mores, taboos, and laws
folkways - norms learnt throughout life and don't write down; intuition norms mores - religious norms/ moral norms taboos - negative norms/ norms found inappropriate in society laws - norms created by the government/ deem things legal or illegal
describe the differences in function of the hippocampus and amygdala
hippocampus - important to memory processing amygdala - associated with retention of memories & emotions -fear
a child sees two glasses of equal quantity of water. the child chooses the taller glass filled with water because he or she believe it contains more water than the shorter glass. what stage in Piaget's cognitive theory is the child in and what concept does this pertain to?
preoperational stage: 2-7yrs, child is egocentric, non-conservative, symbolic thought no logic errors in conservation
Elizabeth has always dreamed about being a doctor, but she is not studying hard for the MCAT because she needs to work her hourly job at Walmart in order to have money to eat food and not starve. She is just needing to pay the bills to get food. She is hungry a lot of the time. Which theory of motivation is best able to explain Elizabeth's situation? (A) Maslow's Hierarchy (B) Evolutionary Approach (C) Cognitive Approach (D) Optimal Arousal Theory
(B) Evolutionary Approach Evolutionary Approach: focuses on instincts role in motivation It is Elizabeth's instinct in this situation to do what she needs to in order to get food to survive
While driving, Adam missed his street because that sign was blocked by a closer stop sign. Which monocular cue is this most like? Explain. (A) Relative size(B) Interposition(C) Relative height(D) Shading and contour
(B) Interposition Interposition is used when a closer object blocks an object farther away.
For audition to occur, the stimulus, _________________, must be present and the receptors, __________________, must transduce the stimulus to neural signals. (A) Pressurized sound waves, Pressurized sound waves (B) Pressurized sound waves, Hair Cells (C) Hair Cells, Hair Cells (D) Pressurized sound waves, Hair Cells
(B) Pressurized sound waves, Hair Cells Stimulus - Pressurized sound waves Receptors - Hair Cells
What is Malow's Hierarchy of Needs?
(Bottom) Physiological needs -> safety needs -> love and belonging -> esteem -> self actualization (Top)
Elizabeth has always dreamed about being a doctor, but she is having trouble deciding whether she should devote her time to MCAT studies or work her hourly job at Walmart to save money for the test and medical school. Which theory of motivation is best able to explain Elizabeth's situation? (A) Maslow's Hierarchy (B) Evolutionary Approach (C) Cognitive Approach (D) Optimal Arousal Theory
(C) Cognitive Approach Cognitive Approach: focuses on rationality and decision making Elizabeth is going through a decision making process
How are the 5 different tastes (salty, sweet, sour, umami, and bitter) sensed by the tongue? (A) There are areas of the tongue whose taste buds are sensitive to one of the five flavors. (B) There are areas of the tongue whose taste bud types are sensitive to one of the five flavors. (C) Each taste bud is composed of multiple cells, that combine to sense the 5 flavors. (D) Each taste bud is composed of multiple cells, that combine to sense 1 of the 5 flavors.
(C) Each taste bud is composed of multiple cells, that combine to sense the 5 flavors. Each taste bud is composed of multiple cells, that combine to sense the 5 flavors. Because of this, any flavor can be tasted on any part of the tongue! There are not specific areas of the tongue for each sense that is an old notion
Martha visited her primary care physician because she was having issues with being dehydrated and not able to breastfeed her newborn. Which of the following endocrine glands does the doctor think is malfunctioning? (A) Pancreas (B) Parathyroid (C) Hypothalamus (D) Adrenal Gland
(C) Hypothalamus The hypothalamus is in charge of producing ADH, an antidiuretic hormone, and oxytocin, which is necessary for the letdown of milk in breastfeeding.
Which of the following are not a type of Cone? (A) Red(B) Blue(C) Yellow(D) Green
(C) Yellow Cones come in 3 types: red, green, and blue.
After a severe biking accident, Lamelo suffers from anterograde amnesia (unable to form new memories). Lamelo can still access old memories. What area has Lamelo likely damaged? (A) Amygdala (B) Thalamus (C) Hypothalamus (D) Hippocampus
(D) Hippocampus The Hippocampus is in charge of converting short-term memories into long-term memories. (Help long term memories set up camp) (amygdala - responsible for emotions such as aggression/anger/ fear ; toddle angry and shaking "doll" = amygdala) (Thalamus - control tower for sensory information = "tower") (Hypothalamus - maintain homeostasis = "homeostasis")
The _______ funnels sound into the ___________, where it will travel to the _______________, where the sound waves are converted into ossicle vibrations. To fill in the blanks, please choose from the following options: - Semicircular Canals- Pinna- Tympanic Membrane- Auditory Canal
1. Pinna 2. Auditory Canal 3. Tympanic Membrane The Pinna funnels sound into the Auditory Canal, where it will travel to the Tympanic Membrane, where the sound waves are converted into ossicle vibrations.
Which of the following is NOT an example of discrimination? A) All new patients are asked to answer questions about smoking, drug, and alcohol use, as well as safe sex practices. B) The doctor told the nurse not to schedule appointments with people if they could not speak English. The doctor instructed the nurse to tell such individuals that the practice was not accepting new patients. C) Because Chinese people were thought to be carrying the bubonic plague, entire blocks of Chinatown were quarantined. D) There is no wheelchair ramp to enter the outpatient clinic, so patients in wheelchairs should be referred to other sites for their care. E) The clinic decided to screen all Medicaid patients for chlamydia, but did not screen private-payer patients, because it seemed unecessarily expensive to screen everyone.
A) All new patients are asked to answer questions about smoking, drug, and alcohol use, as well as safe sex practices. I
George is speaking with his friends after the football game. His attention is focused on their conversation, but suddenly he turns to the group next to him because he hears his brother's name mentioned. Which of the following concepts best accounts for George hearing his brother's name? A) Cocktail party effect B) Schemas C) Divided attention D) Heuristics E) Primacy effect
A) Cocktail party effect - we are able to hear personally important info even if we are not involved with it C - individual focuses on multiple tasks at once
Joey hates cleaning his room. When his father asks him to clean up, he throws a tantrum. As a result, his father—wanting the tantrum to end—gives up and allows him to continue playing instead of cleaning. The next day Joey's mom walks towards his room, and he anticipates that she is going to ask him to clean his room. As she enters the room, he quickly pretends he isn't feeling well and asks if he can lie down to watch television and she reluctantly agrees. What are the two types of operant conditioning demonstrated in the given scenario? A) Escape followed by active avoidance B) Negative reinforcement followed by positive reinforcement C) Negative punishment following by positive punishment D) Both are examples of classical conditioning. E) Positive punishment followed by negative reinforcement
A) Escape followed by active avoidance First situation is escape conditioning -Once presented with the aversive stimulus (i.e. being asked to clean his room), Joey learns that a particular behavior (i.e. throwing a tantrum) will allow him to escape from the aversive stimulus. Second situation is active avoidance conditioning - Joey anticipates the aversive stimulus (i.e. he hears his mother walking towards his messy room). He learns that a particular behavior (i.e. faking illness) will allow him to avoid the presentation of the aversive stimulus. Both are subtype negative reinforcements - operant conditioning - continued behavior by unwanted stimulus
After an earthquake, a student believes that she knew it was coming several months before it happened. This is an example of: A) Hindsight bias B) Representativeness heuristic C) Availability heuristic D) Cognitive dissonance
A) Hindsight bias The student had no way of predicting the earthquake: this is a great example of hindsight bias
a man sees a wolf getting ready to attack him in the distance. the man's heart starts racing as he runs away feeling fear and anxiety rush through him. which theory of emotion does this pertain to? A) James-Lang B) Cannon-Bard C) Schachter-Singer
A) James-Lang JL: stimulus -> NS -> Emotion
Which of the following is a true statement regarding light and the human eye? A) Light will pass through the aqueous humor before passing through the vitreous humor B) The pigments of the iris contain small numbers of photoreceptors C) The retina is a small disc located at the focal point at the back of the eye D) Light will pass through the lens before passing through the cornea
A) Light will pass through the aqueous humor before passing through the vitreous humor B - no receptors in iris; it helps control shape of pupil C- fovea central is the small disc at back of the eye not retina D- light goes thru corona then lens
In early infancy, movement is almost entirely considered to be which of the following? A) Reflexive B) All of these C) Exploratory D) Autonomic E) Functional
A) Reflexive
What refers to the fact that after getting used to the effects of a drug, one needs more of a drug to achieve the same high? A) Tolerance B) Withdrawal C) Intoxication D) Relapse
A) Tolerance Tolerance refers to the fact that after getting used to the effects of a drug, one needs more of a drug to achieve the same high. When you take drug for first time you experience a high, but when you take that same dose again the high is not as big as last time; therefore, you'd have to take a higher dose to reach that high again. Over time it becomes harder and harder to get that high. Your feelings without that drug is going to be lower/ depression the more you use the drug. Withdrawal refers to the symptoms a person experiences when they haven't had the drug for awhile Intoxication refers to someone under the influence of any drug Relapse is when a person gives in to take a drug again after stopping for a while
Which type of reinforcement schedule refers to reinforcement occurring after an unpredictable number of behavioral occurrences? A) Variable-ratio B) Variable-interval C) Fixed-interval D) Fixed-ratio
A) Variable-ratio "variable-ratio" schedule is one in which reinforcement occurs after an unpredictable number of behavioral occurrences. "fixed" can be eliminated because the problem states that reinforcement occurs after an unpredictable number of occurrences. a "variable-interval" schedule refers to reinforcement occurring after an inconsistent amount of time, rather than occurrences
Which of the following is a characteristic of stage 1 of non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM) sleep? A) eye movements are slow and electroencephalogram (eeg) shows low brain wave activity B) EEG activity is increased as spikes (k complexes) are recorded C) eye movement increases and delta waves are recorded D) wave frequency is reduced and amplitude is increases E) Considered deep sleep
A) eye movements are slow and electroencephalogram (eeg) shows low brain wave activity B - stage 2 C/ D - stage 3 and 4 E - stage 3 and 4
Which of the following is an example of sensory adaptation? A) music at a concert seems less loud at the end of the night B) None of these C) Needing more of a drug to feel its effects after taking it for a while D) Being able to see a candle flame at thirty miles on a dark clear night
A) music at a concert seems less loud at the end of the night
Which of the following physiological responses does not occur during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep? A) pulse become slower and more regular B) breathing is more irregular C) dreams occur D) blood flow to brain increases E) metabolic rate increases F) muscle paralysis occurs
A) pulse become slower and more regular This does NOT occur during REM the rest do
An individual comes into a clinic after a minor stroke. His family states that since his stroke he has begun to speak in nonsense. His word choice seems random with bizarre syntax, and improper grammar. He does not seem to be able to understand when he is addressed directly. He has likely suffered from damage to which of the following areas of the brain? A) Werncke's area B) Broca's area C) cerebellum D) substantia nigra
A) werncke's area Damage to Werncke's area results in difficulty understanding speech and can produce disordered speech Broca's incorrect bc: Damage to Broca's area results in impaired production of speech with no effect on comprehension
A researcher finds that adults tend to view other cultures through the lens of their own culture. Which of the following theories best supports this observation? A) Cultural relativism B) Ethnocentrism C) Stereotype threat D) Cultural absolutism
B) Ethnocentrism Ethnocentrism describes viewing another culture through the lens of the culture an individual is part of. Cultural relativism is the opposite of ethnocentrism and states that cultures must be viewed through the lens of the culture itself and not through the lens of other cultures.
A researcher provides mice food every three times they press a lever. This is an example of which type of reinforcement schedule? A) Variable ratio B) Fixed ratio C) Variable interval D) Fixed interval
B) Fixed ratio fixed ratio occurs when reinforcement is provided after a certain number of responses A - variable ratio occurs when reinforcement is provided after an average number of responses, such as every two to four times that the mouse presses the lever C - variable interval describes when reinforcement is provided after an average amount of time D - fixed interval describes when reinforcement is provided after a fixed amount of time
Researchers find that elderly individuals are slower at solving logic puzzles when compared to young adults. Which type of intelligence do elderly individuals likely have less of? A) Crystal B) Fluid C) Unrealized D) Hidden
B) Fluid Elderly individuals have more crystallized intelligence, or intelligence about facts and things (i.e. wisdom). Younger individuals have more fluid intelligence, or problem-solving ability
A humanistic psychologist would most likely support which of the following statements? A) Individuals are all part of a collective consciousness through which knowledge is maintained. B) Individuals are unique in their own way. C) A child is most likely to misbehave due to a lack of proper neurotransmitters. D) Dreams contain information that individuals repress.
B) Individuals are unique in their own way. The humanistic perspective emphasizes individuality and uniqueness (Choice A reflects Jung's theory, Choice C reflects the biological perspective, and Choice D reflects Freud's psychoanalytic perspective)
In the information processing model, which of the following terms best describes the initial sight of blood or seeing a white coat that is easily forgotten? A) Echoic memory B) Ionic memory C) Sensory memory D) Working memory
B) Ionic memory (Sensory memory is correct bc is it short term and based on your sensory but for the MCAT the best answer is the most specific answer which would be ionic or sight memory which is a sub type of sensory memory)
Regarding mores, which of the following is false? A) Mores are a result of socialization B) None of these are false C) Taboos arise from violation of mores D) Anomie can result when an individual acts outside given mores E) Tipping your waiter is considered a more
B) None of these are false Mores: social norms and expectations that govern morality and ethics within a given culture (right and wrong) Vs: taboo - result from major disruptions in social norms;upset people Folkways -minor variances and violations within a more (right and rude) Socialization - development of social expectations based on individuals experience with their environment Anomie- individuals personal social standards and actions fall outside of the mores of their given society, generally resulting in stigma
A research subject is kept up for several nights in a row. During a full night of sleep, the subject is most likely to experience which of the following? A) REM disappearance B) REM rebound C) Sleep apnea D) No EEG activity
B) REM rebound REM rebound occurs after missing sleep in previous nights and is characterized by an increase in REM sleep ( Choice A is made-up. )
In mammals, which brain region is involved in regulating sleep-wake transitions? A) Cerebellum B) Reticular activating system C) Frontal lobe D) Hippocampus
B) Reticular activating system
During which stage of sleep are research subjects likely to display K-complexes and sleep spindles on an EEG? A) Stage 1 B) Stage 2 C) Stage 3 D) Stage 4
B) Stage 2 K-complexes and sleep spindles are found in stage 2 of sleep
Which of the following is recorded on electroencephalogram during deep sleep? A) alpha waves B) delta waves C) theta waves D) beta waves
B) delta waves Delta waves are found in deep sleep during stages 3 and 4 of sleep
Jimmy and Nate both volunteer at the dog pound. Jimmy loves animals of all kinds and loves the chance to be around dogs. Nate doesn't particularly like animals, but he needs service hours for a club he is in at school. Jimmy recently watched a television program about Korea. The show ran a segment on a restaurant that served dog meat as a main dish. When jimmy saw this part of the program, he was horrified. Which of the following best describes Jimmy's viewpoint and subsequent reaction? A) Discrimination B) Ethnocentric C) Stereotype D) none of these
B) ethnocentric Jimmy's horror and view is based on his own experiences and standards and his inability to accept or view the world through the eyes of the people in the program If it was stereotype the view would have been generalized to a whole group
Which of the following lobes of the brain is involved in executive functions such as self-control, planning, reasoning, and abstract thought? A) occipital lobe B) frontal lobe C) temporal lobe D) parietal lobe
B) frontal lobe
Imagine that this study used a forced choice design in which participants had to select "the same" or "different" after hearing a pair of sounds at different amplitudes. As the amplitude of the comparison sound increased, which type of signal detection response would be most likely, regardless of the initial sound? A) false alarm B) hit C) miss D) correct rejection
B) hit Signal detection theory has 4 categories: Misses - failing to identify change in stimulus False alarm - identifying an unchanged stimulus as changed Correct rejection - identifying an unchanged comparison as the same as the initial stimulus Hit - correctly identifying a comparison stimulus differs from the initial stimulus Amplitude increased is more likely that the subject will be able to correctly identify a comparison stimulus differs from the initial stimulus because the greater change in magnitude for two sounds to be different and the subject gets a hit
Two close friends are having a conversation on the phone. One of the friends asks the other if she can have the phone number of one of their classmates, so that she can speak to him about forming a study group for the MCAT exam. After hanging up the phone, the girl can only refer the last few digits of the phone number. This phenomenon is known as which of the following? A) encoding B) recency effect C) primacy effect D) classical conditioning
B) recency effect -someone memorizes information but can only recall the last pieces of information Primacy effect - someone memorizes information but can only recall the first pieces of information
A researcher finds that children can hear a just-noticeable difference between pitch at 4 Hz and 6 Hz. According to Weber's law, if researchers start a noise at 12 Hz, at what point will the children notice a difference in pitch? A) 14 Hz B) 16 Hz C) 18 Hz D) 24 Hz
C) 18 Hz Weber's Law states that the just noticeable difference of a stimulus is based on a constant proportion of the initial stimulus value. In other words, the proportion must be maintained.
A correlation coefficients is the amount of the variance in the dependable variable unexplained by the levels of the independent variable alleged to produce the effect under study. A correlation coefficient of 0.3 leaves that percent of the variance in the dependent variable unexplained by the independent variable? A) 95% B) 80% C) 91% D) 97%
C) 91% Coefficient (r) = 0.3 then the proportion of variance explained by the independent variable is 9 percent Explained variance formula: R^2 = r^2 R^2 = (0.3 x 0.3) = 0.09 = 9% 100-9 = 91%
A student believes that more robberies have occurred in the past year than have after watching a news story discussing a recent gas station robbery. This is most likely due to: A) Hindsight bias B) Representativeness heuristic C) Availability heuristic D) Cognitive dissonance
C) Availability heuristic The availability heuristic creates an example in a person's mind based on a recent example. In this case, the news story coming to the student's mind caused a belief that there are more robberies
A young girl does not want to eat her spinach at dinner. She knows that if she does not eat her spinach, her father will not let her leave the table. In response, the girl gives her spinach to the family's dog under the table while her father is not looking. This is an example of which of the following? A) Extinction B) Escape C) Avoidance D) Acquisition
C) Avoidance "Avoidance" refers to someone performing a behavior in order to avoid a negative stimulus. In this case, the young girl is avoiding the negative stimulus (i.e. not being allowed to leave the dinner table) by giving her spinach to the dog. "Escape" is similar to avoidance, except that it involves engaging in a behavior to get away, or stop a negative stimulus, as opposed to avoiding that stimulus altogether
Upon stimulation by the sympathetic nervous system, what do the eyes do and why? A) Constrict pupil, to allow for more light and improved vision B) Dilate Pupil, to allow for less light and normal vision C) Dilate Pupil, to allow for more light and improved vision D) Constrict Pupil, to allow for less light and normal vision
C) Dilate Pupil, to allow for more light and improved vision the sympathetic NS causes the pupils to dilate when facing stress/ danger to allow more light in the eye and improve vision.
Suppose that Joe grew up in a society in which slavery was very common. Lance was raised in a society outlawing slavery. Lance has a poor opinion of Joe because of Joe's pro-slavery positions. Lance's judgment best demonstrates which sociological phenomenon? A) Advocacy for human rights B) Cultural relativism C) Ethnocentrism D) Jingoism
C) Ethnocentrism L views Js belief through his own cultural viewpoint => ethnocentrism HOWEVER: If he had put Js belief in context of Js culture, that would be cultural relativism
Jimmy and Nate both volunteer at the dog pound. Jimmy loves animals of all kinds and loves the chance to be around dogs. Nate doesn't particularly like animals, but he needs service hours for a club he is in at school. At feeding time, Jimmy rings a bell and the dogs immediately go to the feeding station. While Jimmy is away on vacation for two months, Nate rings the bell at many different times other than mealtime. When Jimmy returns and rings the bell, the dogs look up, but do not go to the feeding station. Which of the following best describes this situation? A) Reductionism B) Weber's law of perception C) Extinction D) Symbolic interactionism
C) Extinction When a stimulus is applied without the corresponding response, the actions learned through operational conditioning can be lost (i.e. "extinction"). In this case, the dogs were originally rewarded with food every time the bell rang. When Nate rang the bell and did not feed them, they subconsciously disconnected the two events. "Reductionism" describes how oversimplification (especially those related to human processes) can lead to a loss of meaning by looking past complexities. "Weber's law of perception" is a method of describing the maximum amount of stimulus that can be applied without a subject noticing. "symbolic interactionism" is a sociological theory which states that peoples interactions are based on symbolic meanings of gestures, objects, and titles
Which of the following examples best represents cognitive dissonance? A) Jessica spends lots of time alone with her boyfriend instead of socializing and would rather spend time with him than other friends B) raven telling others that her gastroparesis means she cannot eat meat, but she eats hamburgers C) Jason knows Paul is manipulating all their mutual friends, but convinces himself that Paul wouldn't manipulate him D) Matt believes everything raven says bc he is blinded by love
C) Jason knows Paul is manipulating all their mutual friends, but convinces himself that Paul wouldn't manipulate him Cognitive dissonance: is when there is a discrepancy between your beliefs, thoughts, or actions There is dissonance between your cognitions ( You must know ones belief to determine whether there is dissonance or not )
Alice is watching videos on her cellular phone during math class and her teacher notices. Her teacher scolds her to stop and tells her she must write an essay about why math is important. Which type of operant conditioning is the teacher using? A) Negative reinforcement B) None of these C) Positive punishment D) Positive reinforcement E) Negative punishment
C) Positive punishment Adding the essay assignment making it positive, aiming to decrease that behavior making it a punishment Add something and decrease behavior = positive punishment
Jimmy and Nate both volunteer at the dog pound. Jimmy loves animals of all kinds and loves the chance to be around dogs. Nate doesn't particularly like animals, but he needs service hours for a club he is in at school. The boys take the dogs out to exercise twice every week. When it is time to go, they open the door and call the dogs to come back inside. If the dogs return without additional coaxing, then they get a treat. If the boys have to go get the dogs, then the animals do not get a treat. How would a researcher in operant behavior describe this practice? A) Positive punishment and negative reinforcement B) Positive reinforcement and negative punishment C) Positive reinforcement only D) Negative punishment and negative reinforcement
C) Positive reinforcement only The boys are applying a stimulus to encourage good behavior (i.e. positive reinforcement). It may appear that they are also taking away a stimulus to discourage bad behavior (i.e. negative reinforcement); however, in this situation, it must be one or the other, not both.
After several years of wearing only sandals, a student still remembers how to tie her shoes. This is an example of retrieving information from: A) Short-term memory B) Working memory C) Procedural memory D) Echoic memory
C) Procedural memory Procedural memory is a type of long-term memory that involves remembering how to do things, such as tying a shoe or riding a bike
a man sees a wolf getting ready to attack him in the distance. the man's heart starts to race and he think "i am about to die" before running from fear of the wolf's attack. which theory of emotion does this pertain to? A) James-Lang B) Cannon-Bard C) Schachter-Singer
C) Schachter-Singer SS: stimulus -> NS + Cognitive thought -> Emotion
A man wants to teach his puppy to sit. In order to teach the dog, the man tells the puppy "sit" and rewards her with a treat each time she does so successfully. Eventually, he also uses a hand signal while saying the word "sit." After some time, the dog begins to respond to both the word "sit" and to the hand signal. In this example, which of the following can be considered a secondary reinforcer? A) the word sit B) the hand signal C) both the word sit and hand signal D) the treat
C) both the word sit and hand signal Primary reinforcers are innately pleases such as the treat in this case Secondary reinforcers are learned; no innate attributed touch as both the word sit and hand signal in this case
Which of the following is not a cause of conductive hearing loss? A) impacted cerumen B) performance ear drum C) loud noises D) foreign body in the ear canal
C) loud noises CHL: sound not conducted through external auditory canal to tympanic membrane caused by all but loud noises Sensorineural hearing loss: damage to fine hairs in cochlea caused by loud noises
Which of the following choices best describes amplitude? A) quality/ purity B) pitch C) loudness D) instrumentation
C) loudness Amplitude refers to loudness Frequency refers to pitch Timbre refers to quality/purity of sound
Researchers are trying to determine if musical tastes are genetic or environmental. Which of the following design setups would suggest that variance is almost completely caused by environments? A) monozygotic twins raised together B) dizygotic twins raised separately C) monozygotic twins raised separately D) dizygotic twins raised together
C) monozygotic twins raised separately Question is just wanting to test one variable: the environment Mono- same egg/ same genetic information Di - different eggs/ genetics differ Raised together = same environment Separate = different environment
The researchers timed how long it took for the participants to correctly say a sentence fluently. They found that participants in condition three took significantly more time to read the sentence fluently, whereas they found no significant difference in the average amount of time it took participants to read the passage in condition one compared to condition two. The observation that participants did not differ in reading time between conditions one and two illustrates that humans rely on which of the following principles when reading? A) Phi phenomenon B) Inattentional blindness C) Top-down processing D) Bottom-up processing
C) top-down processing Top-down: feat analysis method based on experiences and prior knowledge and progression from whole to details Bottom up: feat analysis method based on environmental stimuli influence our thinking (data based) and uses sensory analysis (detail to whole) Phi phenomenon: illusion of movement created by presenting visual stimuli in rapid succession Inattentional blindness: someone is hyper-focused on one stimulus and unable to take in other information
Which of the following occurs during non-rapid eye movement (NREM)? A) breathing is more irregular B) muscle paralysis C) transition from wakefulness to sleep D) dreams occur
C) transition from wakefulness to sleep This and pulse becomes slower and more regular during NREM
A weightlifter can tell the difference between 10 and 12 lb. weights. A researcher gives the weightlifter a 30 lb. weight. According to Weber's law, which of the following weights would the weightlifter be able to tell is different from 30 lbs.? A) 31 lb. B) 33 lb. C) 35 lb. D) 36 lb.
D) 36 lb. The same proportion must be maintained in Weber's law problems. 10/12 is 5/6ths, and 30/36 is also 5/6ths. You can also convince yourself by realizing 10 * 3 is 30, and 12 * 3 is 36. Either method works!
With regards to Piaget's theory of cognitive development, at what age would a normal child most likely be in the concrete operational stage? A) 3 years B) 15 years C) 12 years D) 9 years E) 4 months
D) 9 years Concrete operational (7-11) Pre-operational (2-7)
What part of the brain is most closely correlated with production of speech? A) wernicke's area B) pons C) amygdala D) Broca's area
D) Broca's area - responsible for speech production - damage to area is associated with good comprehension of language but failure to form words for personal expression
Upon stimulation by the parasympathetic nervous system, what do the eyes do and why? A) Constrict pupil, to allow for more light and improved vision B) Dilate Pupil, to allow for less light and normal vision C) Dilate Pupil, to allow for more light and improved vision D) Constrict Pupil, to allow for less light and normal vision
D) Constrict Pupil, to allow for less light and normal vision the parasympathetic NS causes the pupils to construct to interrupt the light pathway stimulated by the sympathetic NS
Which of the following most accurately represents prejudice? A) An opinion drawn from personal experience with a subject B) Negative emotion centered on a person different from oneself C) An innate bias, either for or against a subject, present from birth D) Development of an opinion without knowledge or consideration of pertinent facts E) Emotion-based bias in favor of one's own cultural identity
D) Development of an opinion without knowledge or consideration of pertinent facts Prejudice: opinion is made without consideration of relevant facts
A student remembers a bird's chirp sound for a few seconds before forgetting. This is an example of retrieving information from: A) Short-term memory B) Working memory C) Procedural memory D) Echoic memory
D) Echoic memory Echoic memory allows one to remember something that was just recently heard
Muscle paralysis normally occurs during ____. A) NREM B) stage 1 C) stage 3 D) REM
D) REM
A researcher studying short term memory tells participants ten items on a shopping list. The participants are then split into two groups. Group one waits for two minutes while group two is asked to learn a new math equation. The researcher then tests recall of the initial shopping list and finds that members of group one are able to correctly list more items. This finding is an example of: A) The recency effect B) Proactive interference C) The primacy effect D) Retroactive interference
D) Retroactive interference A/C don't relate to this problem bc they do not specific if they remembered the beginning or end of the list better Proactive interference: past memories interfere with recall of new memories Retroactive interference: new memories interfere with recall of past memories
What is the definition of a "just-noticeable difference"? A) The amount by which a stimulus needs to change for a human to perceive a difference at least seventy-five percent of the time B) The amount by which a stimulus needs to change for a human to perceive a difference at least twenty-five percent of the time C) The amount by which a stimulus needs to change for a human to perceive a difference all of the time D) The amount by which a stimulus needs to change for a human to perceive a difference at least fifty percent of the time
D) The amount by which a stimulus needs to change for a human to perceive a difference at least fifty percent of the time
Which subcategory of Schizophrenia symptoms involves issues with hallucinations and delusions? A) None of the following B) cognitive C) negative D) positive
D) positive Cognitive - issues with thoughts/ thinking - focus/attention/organizing/ planning ability Positive - add something that was not there before - hallucinations/ delusions Negative - things that were taken away from you that you had previously - emotions/ interest activities
Dementia is a symptom associated with which of the following conditions? A) Parkinson's disease B) cerebral vascular accident C) Multiple sclerosis D) amyotrophic later sclerosis E) Alzheimer's disease
E) Alzheimer's disease
A protest that started peacefully eventually turned violent, leading to the arrest of several demonstrators. During an interview at the police station, a 24-year-old male gave the following statement: "Everyone sort of erupted and I got caught up in the moment. I stopped thinking and never really considered what I was doing. I guess I got carried away with the group." The young man's statement best describes which phenomenon? A) Bystander Effect B) Social Facilitation C) Group Polarization D) Groupthink E) Deindividuation
E) Deindividuation -individual loses certain aspects of self awareness within a group within a group
The facilitator said, "Any other ideas before we move on and make a decision?" As Laila raised her hand, she could see people sigh and roll their eyes. She was always suggesting something that went against the grain; moreover, the longer it takes to make a decision, the hungrier people will get. Laila puts her hand down, thinking that moving the group forward is more important than getting her idea on the table. Given that it was a significant departure from what everyone else was saying, they might miss both lunch and dinner! The example above is best described as an illustration of what concept? A) Group Polarization B) Hallow Effect C) Bystander Effect D) Stockholm Syndrome E) Groupthink
E) Groupthink Groupthink : individuals stifle their ideas in group to achieve consensus Group polarization : group might select options that are more extreme than individual members of that group might select
Which of these answers is an example of cultural assimilation? A) A young child's ability to learn new vocabulary B) Learning a foreign language C) Dancing the Brazilian Samba in Japan D) Eating snack foods E) Native Americans cut their long hair to look more like white individuals
E) Native Americans cut their long hair to look more like white individuals Cultural Assimilation: process of adopting elements from another culture
Which of the following represents a key source of social conflict as a result of culture lag? A) Different cultures develop at different paces, with faster development resulting in greater prestige B) As culture changes from one generation to the next, the cultural relevance of older individuals begins to lag behind modern cultural norms C) All of these are examples of culture lag that readily result in social conflict D) The development of items in material culture frequently lags behind the needs demonstrated by the norms of non-material culture E) Rapid advancement in material culture contradicts the inherent resistance to change in non-material culture
E) Rapid advancement in material culture contradicts the inherent resistance to change in non-material culture Cultural lag: delay in technological advancement and its integration into cultural norms Material culture is presented and the non-material culture must take time to adapt
Which area of the brain is most directly associated with an individual's overall level of alertness and arousal? A) Lateral geniculate nucleus B) Substantia nigra C) Frontal lobe D) Pons E) Reticular formation
E) Reticular formation -control individual's level of alertness through set of nuclei in the brain stem B- group of dopaminergic neurons in basal ganglia that synthesize majority of dopamine in brain A- thalamus's relay station for visual system
With regards to the stages of sleep and consciousness, delta waves are most commonly associated with which of the following? A) stage 1 B) stage 2 C) REM D) wakefulness E) stage 3
E) stage 3 Awake - alpha/ beta 1/2 - theta 3/ 4- delta REM - beta
What does the optimal arousal theory state?
Optimal Arousal Theory: suggests that we are motivated by a balanced level of arousal; we perform our best when we are not too or under aroused
Soundwaves are discriminated and sorted by frequency inside the fluid-filled cochlea. Which travels further in a fluid? Soundwaves of higher or lower frequency?
Soundwaves of lower frequency travel further. Because of this, the area of the cochlea sensitive to low Hz soundwaves is closer to the apex of the Cochlea.
A child is taking a hearing test. How might the concept of Absolute Threshold of Sensation apply to this situation?
The Absolute Threshold of Sensation is a generally detectable stimulus. It is defined as the minimum intensity of a stimulus needed to detect said stimulus at least 50% of the time. Thus, for a child taking a hearing test, it would be the point at which the child begins to detect the sound in their ear at least 50 percent of the time.
What is the distinction between the macula and the fovea?
The macula is an avascular zone in the superior posterior region of the eye. Its center is the fovea, which is densely populated by cone cells and responsible for color vision.
A common issue with flash photography is the "red eye effect". What part of the eye anatomy causes the red eye effect, and how?
The retina, which is a reddish color, reflects the light back towards the camera lens.
How would your perception change if you only had one eye?
You wouldn't be able to use binocular cues such as convergence or retinal disparity. This would make you less able to accurately perceive depth.
how does age and dementia relate to memory?
aging affects working memory, while dementia affects long term memory
as weight increases, height increases. this is an example of what concept? explain. a) negative correlation b) positive correlation c) t test d) statistical significance
b) positive correlation 1>x>0 bc as one variable changes the other variable also changes in the same direction; proportional to each other
