MCAT COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW
COMPLETE STUDY GUIDE WITH
PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED
ANSWERS | GRADED A+ |
GUARANTEED SUCCESS
Updated 2026 Questions and Answers | 100% Verified
Exam Prep and Comprehensive Rationales Included
,neuroplasticity synaptic changes over a long time = structural changes
escape learning escaping unpleasant stimulus once its done
avoidance learning avoiding unpleasant behavior before it starts
division of labor advantage increased efficiency, decreased costs, increased productivity
division of labor disadvantage increased exploitation and boredom, decreased quality
frontal lobe executive functions, voluntary motor functions
parietal lobe proprioception, somatosensation
temporal lobe learning, memory, auditory processing
cerebellum motor learning, posture, coordination
occipital lobe visual processing
fixed ratio # of responses; building new skills
variable ratio variable number of responses; increases long term retention
fixed interval reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed
variable interval random amount of time
Durkehim structural functionalism
malthusian theory positive check increased death rate
malthusian theory preventative checks decreased birth rate
Malthusian Theory of Population Growth The world's population is increasing faster than the food supply needed to sustain
it.
expectancy theory motivation based on how much they believe they will get it
Affective feelings
Beleifs cognition
behavioral actions
drive-reduction motivation from restoring homeostasis
ascribed socially assigned (race, gender)
,acheived status attained (doctor)
master dominant from actions (ex-convict, president)
cultural relativism not judging a culture but trying to understand it on its own terms
prejudice beleif/thought
discrimination behavior/action
what groups are most stable? groups of 3
Gestalt principle ways that the brain can infer missing parts of an image when it is incomplete
agonist mimic or enhance
parkinsons decreased dopamine
Cultural Diffusion happens between groups
Confirmation bias believes evidence supporting own beliefs ignoring everything else
cognitive dissonance alternating/contradicting beliefs vs actions causing mental discomfort
retina binocular depth, depth perception
Mead theory people develop self-images through interactions with other people
Cooley looking glass self
Circadian biomarkers cortisol, melatonin, and core body temperature
Cortisol Increased as you awake, Decreased as you sleep
Melatonin Increases as you sleep, Decreases as you awake
Core Body Temp Decreases as you sleep, Increases as you awake
Hypothalamus Circadian pacemaker
Instinct reflexive, unconscious, innante
drive behavior to restore homeostasis
chronic sleep deprivation increases stress-> increases sympathetic activation
sleep stage #1 Light sleep, includes alpha waves.
, sleep stage #2 Full sleep, increased brain waves and sleep spindles
Sleep stage #3 Delta waves, deep sleep
Sleep stage #4 Deepest sleep, almost entirely delta waves.
crystallized intelligence application of well-known skills. does not typically naturally decline w/ age
alpha and beta waves short and fast
delta waves slow and long
PET glucose
MRI blood/oxygen
EEG electrodes
CT x-rays
aggregate all the people at the same location
retroactive interference the disruptive effect of new learning on the recall of old information
proactive interference the disruptive effect of prior learning on the recall of new information
sick role theory patterns of behavior that a sick person adopts in order to minimize the disruptive
impact of his illness on others
sick role theory rights 1. Exemption from normal social roles & responsibilities
2. Lack of accountability for illness
sick role theory obligations 1. must attempt to get well
2. must seek and comply with treatment
Encoding process of placing new information into memory
Bottom-up Processing Data-driven, feature detection, slower, fewer errors
Top-down Processing Expectation-driven, faster, more prone to bias
Classical Conditioning UCS + NS → CS → CR
Operant Conditioning Reinforcement ↑ behavior; Punishment ↓ behavior
Habituation Reduced response to repeated stimulus
Observational Learning Behavior acquisition by watching others
COMPLETE STUDY GUIDE WITH
PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED
ANSWERS | GRADED A+ |
GUARANTEED SUCCESS
Updated 2026 Questions and Answers | 100% Verified
Exam Prep and Comprehensive Rationales Included
,neuroplasticity synaptic changes over a long time = structural changes
escape learning escaping unpleasant stimulus once its done
avoidance learning avoiding unpleasant behavior before it starts
division of labor advantage increased efficiency, decreased costs, increased productivity
division of labor disadvantage increased exploitation and boredom, decreased quality
frontal lobe executive functions, voluntary motor functions
parietal lobe proprioception, somatosensation
temporal lobe learning, memory, auditory processing
cerebellum motor learning, posture, coordination
occipital lobe visual processing
fixed ratio # of responses; building new skills
variable ratio variable number of responses; increases long term retention
fixed interval reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed
variable interval random amount of time
Durkehim structural functionalism
malthusian theory positive check increased death rate
malthusian theory preventative checks decreased birth rate
Malthusian Theory of Population Growth The world's population is increasing faster than the food supply needed to sustain
it.
expectancy theory motivation based on how much they believe they will get it
Affective feelings
Beleifs cognition
behavioral actions
drive-reduction motivation from restoring homeostasis
ascribed socially assigned (race, gender)
,acheived status attained (doctor)
master dominant from actions (ex-convict, president)
cultural relativism not judging a culture but trying to understand it on its own terms
prejudice beleif/thought
discrimination behavior/action
what groups are most stable? groups of 3
Gestalt principle ways that the brain can infer missing parts of an image when it is incomplete
agonist mimic or enhance
parkinsons decreased dopamine
Cultural Diffusion happens between groups
Confirmation bias believes evidence supporting own beliefs ignoring everything else
cognitive dissonance alternating/contradicting beliefs vs actions causing mental discomfort
retina binocular depth, depth perception
Mead theory people develop self-images through interactions with other people
Cooley looking glass self
Circadian biomarkers cortisol, melatonin, and core body temperature
Cortisol Increased as you awake, Decreased as you sleep
Melatonin Increases as you sleep, Decreases as you awake
Core Body Temp Decreases as you sleep, Increases as you awake
Hypothalamus Circadian pacemaker
Instinct reflexive, unconscious, innante
drive behavior to restore homeostasis
chronic sleep deprivation increases stress-> increases sympathetic activation
sleep stage #1 Light sleep, includes alpha waves.
, sleep stage #2 Full sleep, increased brain waves and sleep spindles
Sleep stage #3 Delta waves, deep sleep
Sleep stage #4 Deepest sleep, almost entirely delta waves.
crystallized intelligence application of well-known skills. does not typically naturally decline w/ age
alpha and beta waves short and fast
delta waves slow and long
PET glucose
MRI blood/oxygen
EEG electrodes
CT x-rays
aggregate all the people at the same location
retroactive interference the disruptive effect of new learning on the recall of old information
proactive interference the disruptive effect of prior learning on the recall of new information
sick role theory patterns of behavior that a sick person adopts in order to minimize the disruptive
impact of his illness on others
sick role theory rights 1. Exemption from normal social roles & responsibilities
2. Lack of accountability for illness
sick role theory obligations 1. must attempt to get well
2. must seek and comply with treatment
Encoding process of placing new information into memory
Bottom-up Processing Data-driven, feature detection, slower, fewer errors
Top-down Processing Expectation-driven, faster, more prone to bias
Classical Conditioning UCS + NS → CS → CR
Operant Conditioning Reinforcement ↑ behavior; Punishment ↓ behavior
Habituation Reduced response to repeated stimulus
Observational Learning Behavior acquisition by watching others
