MCAT Behavioral Sciences Review Flashcards

This flashcard set provides questions and answers based on lecture notes covering sensory perception, psychological theories, social structures, and behavioral neurology for the Behavioral Sciences section of the MCAT.

What is retinal disparity and how does it contribute to visual cues?

A binocular cue due to eyes being approximately $2.5\,inches$ apart, providing different views of the world and helping humans perceive depth.

What is the monocular cue of 'relative size'?

The perception that the closer an object is, the larger it appears, which helps in inferring the form of an object with only one eye.

In Weber's Law, what is the formula for the Just Noticeable Difference (JND)?

$\frac{\Delta I}{I} = k$, where $I$ is initial intensity, $\Delta I$ is the JND, and $k$ is a constant.

How is the absolute threshold of sensation defined?

The minimum intensity of stimulus needed to detect a particular stimulus $50\%$ of the time.

What are the three components of the vestibular system in the inner ear used to detect head rotation?

The semicircular canals, which are the posterior, lateral, and anterior canals, each orthogonal to each other and filled with endolymph.

What are the four possible outcomes in Signal Detection Theory?

Hit (signal present and detected), False Alarm (signal absent but perceived), Correct Rejection (signal absent and correctly identified as such), and Miss (signal present but not detected).

How do bottom-up and top-down processing differ?

Bottom-up processing begins with the stimulus and is data-driven, while top-down processing uses background knowledge and expectations to influence perception.

What is the Gestalt principle of Pragnanz?

The tendency to reduce reality to its simplest form possible, such as seeing the Olympic rings as five circles rather than complex interconnected shapes.

Which part of the eye is responsible for bending light as it first hits the eye?

The cornea, a transparent thick sheet of fibrous tissue.

What is the function of the fovea within the macula of the retina?

The fovea is special because it is completely covered in cones and has no rods, allowing for high levels of detail and color detection.

Describe the Parvocellular and Magnocellular pathways in visual processing.

The Parvocellular pathway has high spatial resolution for boundaries and shape (form) but poor temporal resolution, while the Magnocellular pathway has high temporal resolution for motion but poor spatial resolution.

What are the three ossicles in the middle ear and what is their sequence of vibration?

The malleus (hammer), incus (anvil), and stapes (stirrup).

What are the four main types of brainwaves measured by EEG and their associated states?

Beta ($12-30\,Hz$) for awake/concentration, Alpha ($8-13\,Hz$) for daydreaming, Theta ($4-7\,Hz$) for light sleep/drowsiness, and Delta ($0.5-3\,Hz$) for deep sleep or coma.

What brain structures are part of the 'HAT Hippo' limbic system acronym for regulating emotion?

Hypothalamus, Amygdala, Thalamus, and Hippocampus.

What is the James-Lange theory of emotion?

An event causes a physiological response, and the interpretation of that physiological response leads to the experience of emotion (Event \rightarrow Physiological Response \rightarrow Interpretation \rightarrow Emotion).

What is the Cannon-Bard theory of emotion?

An event leads to a physiological response and the experience of emotion simultaneously (Event \rightarrow Physiological Response + Emotion).

What are the three stages of the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) by Hans Selye?

1. Alarm phase, 2. Resistance, and 3. Exhaustion.

What brain structure is compromised in Parkinson’s Disease?

The substantia nigra in the brainstem/basal ganglia, specifically the loss of dopaminergic neurons.

What is the difference between Broca's aphasia and Wernicke's aphasia?

Broca's aphasia (non-fluent aphasia) involves trouble producing speech, while Wernicke's aphasia (fluent/receptive aphasia) involves difficulty understanding language and producing meaningful sentences.

What are Piaget’s four stages of cognitive development?

Sensorimotor (0-2 years), Preoperational (2-7 years), Concrete Operational (7-11 years), and Formal Operational ($12+$ years).

Define the 'Availability Heuristic' in decision making.

Making decisions based on quick, easily accessible examples that come to mind rather than the actual statistical state of the world.

What are the 'Big 5' personality traits in the Five Factor Model?

Openness, Conscientiousness, Extroversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism (OCEAN).

What is the Difference between classical and operant conditioning?

Classical conditioning pairs a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus to elicit an involuntary response, while operant conditioning uses rewards and punishments to change voluntary behavior.

What are the five levels of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, from bottom to top?

Physiological, Safety, Love/Belonging, Self-esteem, and Self-actualization.

In social psychology, what was the focus of the Milgram Experiment?

To study the willingness of average Americans to obey authority figures who instructed them to perform behaviors that conflicted with their personal morals (inflicting electric shocks on learners).

What is the central premise of Conflict Theory?

Society is made of institutions that create inequalities, where large groups (like the bourgeoisie and proletariat) are at odds until conflict and change occur.

What are the stages of Demographic Transition?

Stage 1: High birth/death rates; Stage 2: Declining death rates (population rise); Stage 3: Declining birth rates (slower growth); Stage 4: Low birth/death rates (stabilization); Stage 5: Speculative (stable, increase, or decrease).

What is the difference between ascribed status and achieved status?

Ascribed status is given from birth and cannot be changed (e.g., race, family origin), while achieved status is earned through personal effort and work (e.g., job title).

What is the 'looking glass self' by Charles Cooley?

The idea that a person's sense of self develops based on how they imagine others perceive them during social interactions.

What are the common symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder summarized by the acronym SIG: E CAPS?

Suicidal thoughts, Interests decreased, Guilt, Energy decreased, Concentration decreased, Appetite disturbance, Psychomotor changes, and Sleep disturbances.