MCAT PSYCHOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
STUDY GUIDE FROM 132 SCORER WITH
HIGH-YIELD REVIEW NOTES
| GRADED A+ | GUARANTEED SUCCESS
Updated 2026 Questions and Answers
100% Verified Exam Prep and Comprehensive
Rationales Included
,Human actors actively construct their "reality", rather than Social constructionism
discovering a reality that has inherent validity, through
their social interactions. The beliefs and shared
understandings of individuals create social realities.
In the context of illness, there is a gap b/t the biological
reality of a medical condition and the societally created
meaning of the condition. (ex. changing
conceptualizations of mental illness results in changes to
the DSM). It is a dynamic, ongoing process.
argues that people actively shape their reality through
social interactions/agreement – it’s something
constructed, not inherent. Things are social products
made of the values of the society that created it.
A social construct is concept/practice everyone in
society agrees to treat a certain way regardless of its
inherent value, ex. money.
Weak social constructionism proposes that social
constructs are dependent on:
§ Brute facts, which are the most basic and fundamental
facts. Ex. brute facts are what explain quarks (or what
makes the quarks) in atoms, not the atoms themselves
(something that is not defined by something else).
§ Institutional facts are created by social conventions
and do rely on other facts. Ex. money depends on the
paper we have given value.
o Strong social constructionism states that whole of
reality is dependent on language and social habits; all
knowledge is social construct and there are no brute
facts. We created idea of quarks and everything we know
to explain it. No facts that just exist.
-Part of WEAK social constructionism Brute facts vs Institutional Facts
-Brute facts are physical realities that exist outside of
human input
-Institutional facts only exist as a function of society's
structures and beliefs
,Micro social perspective. Focuses on the smaller scale Symbolic interactionism
interactions between individuals in small groups. Through
social interactions, individuals develop shared meanings what type of sociology ?
and labels for various symbols. Allows for human agency
in creating and changing meaning in society, rather than
society acting upon the individual. Meaning can change
with a single interaction, so addresses subjective
meanings. Humans ascribe meaning to things, act based
on those meanings, use language to generate meaning
through social interaction, and modify meanings through
thought processes. However, ignores larger societal
forces that shape people's lives.
society is a product of everyday interactions of
individuals. Looking at how people behave in normal
everyday situations and helps us to better understand
and define deviance.
o Symbolic interactionism - social theory that’s a micro-
perspective, focuses on the individual and significance
they give to objects, events, symbols, etc. in their lives.
Microsociology – face to face interactions, families,
schools, other social interactions.
Interpretive analysis of the society, look at sample of
society and how individual interactions would affect
larger groups in society. Ex. doctor-patient interactions,
or family dynamics.
Terms, concepts, or items that represent specific Symbols
meanings by accepted convention. Meanings ascribed to
symbols are determined by social norms and cultural
values.
Founder: Emile Durkheim Functionalism
Macrosocial perspective
-how each part of society helps keep society stable. founder?
-Factions of society work together to maintain stability.
Society is a system that consists of different components type of sociology ?
working together, with distinct institutions that contribute
to functioning. Seeks to understand what different
structures in society contribute to society at large. When
disruptions occur, the interacting systems respond to get
back to a stable state. Explains societal stability but NOT
societal change (assumes stability is the ideal)
, Founder: Karl Marx Conflict Theory
Macrosocial perspective
Focuses on inequalities of different groups in society, founder?
based on ideas of Karl Marx that believed society
evolved through several stages: feudalism -> capitalism - type of sociology ?
> socialism.
o 19th century Europe was capitalist –§ rich upper class
called bourgeoisie (minority) and poor lower class called
the proletariat (majority).
§ Upper class had more power (owned the factories, and
sold what they produced from factories). Lower class
depended on upper class (the factory owners) to get
paid, but upper class also depended on lower class for
their labour.
§ Significant economic inequality, which Marx believed
led to change in society. Lower class united to create
class consciousness as they realized they were being
exploited. Exploitation would allow lower class to
overthrow the status quo. A society where one group
exploited another group economically would eventually
lead to its own destruction.
o The thesis (existing generally accepted state) was that
bourgeoisie ran factories and working class provided
labour. Thesis causes the formation of the reaction –
antithesis (opposed the accepted state).
o Antithesis - Desire of working class to change was the
thesis.
quo.
§ Thesis + antithesis can’t coexist peacefully. Thesis is
happy while antithesis is looking for change always.
o Struggle would lead to a compromise - a synthesis of
the two by creating a new state. Would eventually
become new thesis.
Views society in terms of competing groups that act
according to their own self-interests, rather than
according to the need for societal equilibrium. Society is
a competition for limited resources. Explains societal
changes but NOT societal societal stability (assumes
stability is undesirable to societal groups that are
oppressed) Views human actions in terms of larger forces
of inequality, but leaves motivations choices of individuals
unexamined. Ignores the non-forceful ways in which
people reach agreement, and approaches society more
from those who lack power. Tends to be too
economically focused.
All of the beliefs, assumptions, objects, behaviors, and Culture
processes that make up a shared way of life. Has a
pervasive effect on worldview.
The discomfort and ensuring reevaluation of personal Culture shock
cultural assumptions when an individual experiences a
culture different from her own
STUDY GUIDE FROM 132 SCORER WITH
HIGH-YIELD REVIEW NOTES
| GRADED A+ | GUARANTEED SUCCESS
Updated 2026 Questions and Answers
100% Verified Exam Prep and Comprehensive
Rationales Included
,Human actors actively construct their "reality", rather than Social constructionism
discovering a reality that has inherent validity, through
their social interactions. The beliefs and shared
understandings of individuals create social realities.
In the context of illness, there is a gap b/t the biological
reality of a medical condition and the societally created
meaning of the condition. (ex. changing
conceptualizations of mental illness results in changes to
the DSM). It is a dynamic, ongoing process.
argues that people actively shape their reality through
social interactions/agreement – it’s something
constructed, not inherent. Things are social products
made of the values of the society that created it.
A social construct is concept/practice everyone in
society agrees to treat a certain way regardless of its
inherent value, ex. money.
Weak social constructionism proposes that social
constructs are dependent on:
§ Brute facts, which are the most basic and fundamental
facts. Ex. brute facts are what explain quarks (or what
makes the quarks) in atoms, not the atoms themselves
(something that is not defined by something else).
§ Institutional facts are created by social conventions
and do rely on other facts. Ex. money depends on the
paper we have given value.
o Strong social constructionism states that whole of
reality is dependent on language and social habits; all
knowledge is social construct and there are no brute
facts. We created idea of quarks and everything we know
to explain it. No facts that just exist.
-Part of WEAK social constructionism Brute facts vs Institutional Facts
-Brute facts are physical realities that exist outside of
human input
-Institutional facts only exist as a function of society's
structures and beliefs
,Micro social perspective. Focuses on the smaller scale Symbolic interactionism
interactions between individuals in small groups. Through
social interactions, individuals develop shared meanings what type of sociology ?
and labels for various symbols. Allows for human agency
in creating and changing meaning in society, rather than
society acting upon the individual. Meaning can change
with a single interaction, so addresses subjective
meanings. Humans ascribe meaning to things, act based
on those meanings, use language to generate meaning
through social interaction, and modify meanings through
thought processes. However, ignores larger societal
forces that shape people's lives.
society is a product of everyday interactions of
individuals. Looking at how people behave in normal
everyday situations and helps us to better understand
and define deviance.
o Symbolic interactionism - social theory that’s a micro-
perspective, focuses on the individual and significance
they give to objects, events, symbols, etc. in their lives.
Microsociology – face to face interactions, families,
schools, other social interactions.
Interpretive analysis of the society, look at sample of
society and how individual interactions would affect
larger groups in society. Ex. doctor-patient interactions,
or family dynamics.
Terms, concepts, or items that represent specific Symbols
meanings by accepted convention. Meanings ascribed to
symbols are determined by social norms and cultural
values.
Founder: Emile Durkheim Functionalism
Macrosocial perspective
-how each part of society helps keep society stable. founder?
-Factions of society work together to maintain stability.
Society is a system that consists of different components type of sociology ?
working together, with distinct institutions that contribute
to functioning. Seeks to understand what different
structures in society contribute to society at large. When
disruptions occur, the interacting systems respond to get
back to a stable state. Explains societal stability but NOT
societal change (assumes stability is the ideal)
, Founder: Karl Marx Conflict Theory
Macrosocial perspective
Focuses on inequalities of different groups in society, founder?
based on ideas of Karl Marx that believed society
evolved through several stages: feudalism -> capitalism - type of sociology ?
> socialism.
o 19th century Europe was capitalist –§ rich upper class
called bourgeoisie (minority) and poor lower class called
the proletariat (majority).
§ Upper class had more power (owned the factories, and
sold what they produced from factories). Lower class
depended on upper class (the factory owners) to get
paid, but upper class also depended on lower class for
their labour.
§ Significant economic inequality, which Marx believed
led to change in society. Lower class united to create
class consciousness as they realized they were being
exploited. Exploitation would allow lower class to
overthrow the status quo. A society where one group
exploited another group economically would eventually
lead to its own destruction.
o The thesis (existing generally accepted state) was that
bourgeoisie ran factories and working class provided
labour. Thesis causes the formation of the reaction –
antithesis (opposed the accepted state).
o Antithesis - Desire of working class to change was the
thesis.
quo.
§ Thesis + antithesis can’t coexist peacefully. Thesis is
happy while antithesis is looking for change always.
o Struggle would lead to a compromise - a synthesis of
the two by creating a new state. Would eventually
become new thesis.
Views society in terms of competing groups that act
according to their own self-interests, rather than
according to the need for societal equilibrium. Society is
a competition for limited resources. Explains societal
changes but NOT societal societal stability (assumes
stability is undesirable to societal groups that are
oppressed) Views human actions in terms of larger forces
of inequality, but leaves motivations choices of individuals
unexamined. Ignores the non-forceful ways in which
people reach agreement, and approaches society more
from those who lack power. Tends to be too
economically focused.
All of the beliefs, assumptions, objects, behaviors, and Culture
processes that make up a shared way of life. Has a
pervasive effect on worldview.
The discomfort and ensuring reevaluation of personal Culture shock
cultural assumptions when an individual experiences a
culture different from her own
