MCAT TPR Practice Test #2 Questions
and Answers
Sociologists refer to women's role as family caregivers in addition to their role as
professionals as the "second shift". How might the "second shift" be interpreted as a
psychosocial stressor?
A. It increases women's sense of self-efficacy in the workplace.
B. It results from prejudice against working women.
C. It may lead to identity interference.
D. It is a function of the "glass ceiling", which leads to a lower standard of living. - ANS-
C. It may lead to identity interference.
By definition, women's "second shift" refers to an ongoing duality of roles (the role of a
working professional and the role of the family caregiver). When the demands of these
roles conflict in terms of time and energy, tension results. Identity interference is the
principle that states that people experience stress when two aspects of their identity are
in conflict. Thus, the "second shift" could be understood as a cause of identity
interference, which then constitutes a psychosocial stressor (choice C is correct). There
is nothing to indicate that the "second shift" is the result of prejudice against working
women (choice B is wrong). Self-efficacy is Albert Bandura's term for an individual's
feelings of capability regarding the accomplishment of a given task; compounding one's
roles would not increase self-efficacy in the workplace (choice A is wrong). The "glass
ceiling" refers to unofficial limits on women's advancement in the workplace and does
not directly relate to their additional roles outside the workplace (choice D is wrong).
Suzanne was in the middle of deep sleep and was suddenly jolted awake and alert by
her alarm clock. Suzanne's brain wave state has most likely quickly shifted from:
A. alpha wave to delta wave.
B. delta wave to beta wave.
C. theta wave to alpha wave.
D. beta wave to theta wave. - ANS-B. delta to beta waves
This question calls for knowledge of four brain wave states. Beta waves are associated
with alert wakefulness, while alpha waves are associated with relaxed wakefulness or
drowsiness. Theta waves are active during drowsiness or sleep, and delta waves are
associated with deep sleep. The question described Suzanne as being jolted from deep
sleep to alert wakefulness, which corresponds to a shift from delta wave to beta wave
activity (choice B is correct; choices A, C, and D are wrong)
,The social facilitation effect states - ANS-that people perform better on simple tasks
when others are watching
The Yerkes-Dodson law refers to - ANS-how stress and arousal affect performance; a
moderate level of stress helps people perform at their best
All of the following are true about photoreceptors in the retina EXCEPT:
A. rods function best in reduced light.
B. rods are highly sensitive to visual detail.
C. cones process color information in bright light.
D. cones are the only photoreceptor found in the fovea. - ANS-B. rods are highly
sensitive to visual detail.
Although rods are more sensitive to lower levels of light than are cones, rods are not
sensitive to detail and instead are generally involved in peripheral vision in normal or
bright light (choice B is false and therefore correct). Due to their sensitivity to photons,
rods do most, if not all, of their photoreception in dark situations (choice A is true and
therefore wrong). Cones process color information in all settings, including bright light
(choice C is true and therefore wrong). The fovea, the middle section of the retina on
which images are generally focused, contains only cones (choice D is true and therefore
wrong).
Rogerian psychological theory, as developed by Carl Rogers, differs from Freudian
theory in that:
A. The Rogerian psychotherapeutic process focuses more upon early childhood events
and conflicts than does the psychoanalytic process.
B. Freudian theory emphasizes social influences, while Rogerian theory focuses on
biological impulses.
C. Freudian theory suggests that people are motivated by the need to become self-
actualized, whereas Rogers posited that people are motivated to avoid anxiety.
D. Freudian theory emphasizes innate biological drives and focuses on the conflict
between the individual and societal demands, while Rogerian theory focuses on the
individual's experience within the social environment and posits that individuals are
motivated to become self-actualized. - ANS-D. Freud posited the existence of the id,
which contains the biological impulses and unconscious desires, and emphasized that
the superego and the ego formed in order to manage the individual's interactions with
society. Carl Rogers also recognized the importance of the interaction of the individual
with society, but, unlike Freud, posited that people are motivated by the desire to
become actualized as the best possible versions of themselves (choice D is correct).
Unlike Rogerian psychotherapy, the Freudian psychoanalytic process focuses largely
upon the events and conflicts of early childhood (choice A is wrong). Freudian theory
emphasizes biological, or innate, impulses, while Carl Rogers did not primarily
emphasize biology (choice B is wrong). Rogerian theory (not Freudian theory) suggests
, that people are motivated by the need to become self-actualized, and Freud (not
Rogers) posited that people are motivated to avoid anxiety (choice C is wrong).
independent variables - ANS-The independent variable is the variable that the
experimenter controls or manipulates, or which is already fixed in advance; the
independent variable is thought to have some effect on the dependent variable
broca's area - ANS-area responsible for speech production
wernicke's area - ANS-area responsible for speech comprehension
stroke to broca's area - ANS-lacking ability to produce speech
stroke to wernicke's area - ANS-lacking ability to comprehend speech OR leads to fluent
aphasia (non-sensical speech)
describe function of Ach on cardiac muscle - ANS-Acetylcholine has an inhibiting effect
on cardiac muscle and therefore would cause a decrease in heart rate. Thus, group A
members would have a greater concentration of acetylcholine present around their
cardiac tissue since they had a lower heart rate
what effects does the vagus nerve have on cardiac muscle? - ANS-When activated, the
vagus nerve causes a decrease in heart rate and is part of the parasympathetic nervous
system.
Which of the following scenarios best exemplifies modeling of deviant behavior?
A. Because drug use is more common among cigarette smokers, smoking is
considered a "gateway drug"
B. Smoking is stigmatized both formally and informally in US society
C. A teenager begins smoking cigarettes after repeatedly observing his older brother
smoking
D. Insurance companies charge a higher premium for smokers than for non-smokers -
ANS-C.
Modeling, according to social learning theory, occurs when an individual observes
someone else's behavior and then behaves in a similar way. This is also known as
observational learning or vicarious learning. If an individual observes his brother
engaging in a deviant behavior (smoking), and then begins to engage in that behavior
himself, this best demonstrates modeling of a deviant behavior (choice C is correct).
While both drug use and smoking are generally considered deviant behaviors in society,
this choice does not demonstrate modeling of deviant behavior (choice A is wrong).
Deviant behavior, such as smoking, often is stigmatized both formally (through laws
preventing smoking in certain places) and informally (through judgmental looks and
comments from others) in US society, but this choice does not demonstrate modeling of
deviant behavior (choice B is wrong). Similarly, insurance companies charging a higher
and Answers
Sociologists refer to women's role as family caregivers in addition to their role as
professionals as the "second shift". How might the "second shift" be interpreted as a
psychosocial stressor?
A. It increases women's sense of self-efficacy in the workplace.
B. It results from prejudice against working women.
C. It may lead to identity interference.
D. It is a function of the "glass ceiling", which leads to a lower standard of living. - ANS-
C. It may lead to identity interference.
By definition, women's "second shift" refers to an ongoing duality of roles (the role of a
working professional and the role of the family caregiver). When the demands of these
roles conflict in terms of time and energy, tension results. Identity interference is the
principle that states that people experience stress when two aspects of their identity are
in conflict. Thus, the "second shift" could be understood as a cause of identity
interference, which then constitutes a psychosocial stressor (choice C is correct). There
is nothing to indicate that the "second shift" is the result of prejudice against working
women (choice B is wrong). Self-efficacy is Albert Bandura's term for an individual's
feelings of capability regarding the accomplishment of a given task; compounding one's
roles would not increase self-efficacy in the workplace (choice A is wrong). The "glass
ceiling" refers to unofficial limits on women's advancement in the workplace and does
not directly relate to their additional roles outside the workplace (choice D is wrong).
Suzanne was in the middle of deep sleep and was suddenly jolted awake and alert by
her alarm clock. Suzanne's brain wave state has most likely quickly shifted from:
A. alpha wave to delta wave.
B. delta wave to beta wave.
C. theta wave to alpha wave.
D. beta wave to theta wave. - ANS-B. delta to beta waves
This question calls for knowledge of four brain wave states. Beta waves are associated
with alert wakefulness, while alpha waves are associated with relaxed wakefulness or
drowsiness. Theta waves are active during drowsiness or sleep, and delta waves are
associated with deep sleep. The question described Suzanne as being jolted from deep
sleep to alert wakefulness, which corresponds to a shift from delta wave to beta wave
activity (choice B is correct; choices A, C, and D are wrong)
,The social facilitation effect states - ANS-that people perform better on simple tasks
when others are watching
The Yerkes-Dodson law refers to - ANS-how stress and arousal affect performance; a
moderate level of stress helps people perform at their best
All of the following are true about photoreceptors in the retina EXCEPT:
A. rods function best in reduced light.
B. rods are highly sensitive to visual detail.
C. cones process color information in bright light.
D. cones are the only photoreceptor found in the fovea. - ANS-B. rods are highly
sensitive to visual detail.
Although rods are more sensitive to lower levels of light than are cones, rods are not
sensitive to detail and instead are generally involved in peripheral vision in normal or
bright light (choice B is false and therefore correct). Due to their sensitivity to photons,
rods do most, if not all, of their photoreception in dark situations (choice A is true and
therefore wrong). Cones process color information in all settings, including bright light
(choice C is true and therefore wrong). The fovea, the middle section of the retina on
which images are generally focused, contains only cones (choice D is true and therefore
wrong).
Rogerian psychological theory, as developed by Carl Rogers, differs from Freudian
theory in that:
A. The Rogerian psychotherapeutic process focuses more upon early childhood events
and conflicts than does the psychoanalytic process.
B. Freudian theory emphasizes social influences, while Rogerian theory focuses on
biological impulses.
C. Freudian theory suggests that people are motivated by the need to become self-
actualized, whereas Rogers posited that people are motivated to avoid anxiety.
D. Freudian theory emphasizes innate biological drives and focuses on the conflict
between the individual and societal demands, while Rogerian theory focuses on the
individual's experience within the social environment and posits that individuals are
motivated to become self-actualized. - ANS-D. Freud posited the existence of the id,
which contains the biological impulses and unconscious desires, and emphasized that
the superego and the ego formed in order to manage the individual's interactions with
society. Carl Rogers also recognized the importance of the interaction of the individual
with society, but, unlike Freud, posited that people are motivated by the desire to
become actualized as the best possible versions of themselves (choice D is correct).
Unlike Rogerian psychotherapy, the Freudian psychoanalytic process focuses largely
upon the events and conflicts of early childhood (choice A is wrong). Freudian theory
emphasizes biological, or innate, impulses, while Carl Rogers did not primarily
emphasize biology (choice B is wrong). Rogerian theory (not Freudian theory) suggests
, that people are motivated by the need to become self-actualized, and Freud (not
Rogers) posited that people are motivated to avoid anxiety (choice C is wrong).
independent variables - ANS-The independent variable is the variable that the
experimenter controls or manipulates, or which is already fixed in advance; the
independent variable is thought to have some effect on the dependent variable
broca's area - ANS-area responsible for speech production
wernicke's area - ANS-area responsible for speech comprehension
stroke to broca's area - ANS-lacking ability to produce speech
stroke to wernicke's area - ANS-lacking ability to comprehend speech OR leads to fluent
aphasia (non-sensical speech)
describe function of Ach on cardiac muscle - ANS-Acetylcholine has an inhibiting effect
on cardiac muscle and therefore would cause a decrease in heart rate. Thus, group A
members would have a greater concentration of acetylcholine present around their
cardiac tissue since they had a lower heart rate
what effects does the vagus nerve have on cardiac muscle? - ANS-When activated, the
vagus nerve causes a decrease in heart rate and is part of the parasympathetic nervous
system.
Which of the following scenarios best exemplifies modeling of deviant behavior?
A. Because drug use is more common among cigarette smokers, smoking is
considered a "gateway drug"
B. Smoking is stigmatized both formally and informally in US society
C. A teenager begins smoking cigarettes after repeatedly observing his older brother
smoking
D. Insurance companies charge a higher premium for smokers than for non-smokers -
ANS-C.
Modeling, according to social learning theory, occurs when an individual observes
someone else's behavior and then behaves in a similar way. This is also known as
observational learning or vicarious learning. If an individual observes his brother
engaging in a deviant behavior (smoking), and then begins to engage in that behavior
himself, this best demonstrates modeling of a deviant behavior (choice C is correct).
While both drug use and smoking are generally considered deviant behaviors in society,
this choice does not demonstrate modeling of deviant behavior (choice A is wrong).
Deviant behavior, such as smoking, often is stigmatized both formally (through laws
preventing smoking in certain places) and informally (through judgmental looks and
comments from others) in US society, but this choice does not demonstrate modeling of
deviant behavior (choice B is wrong). Similarly, insurance companies charging a higher
