Pearls from AAMC/ Khan Academy/ Blueprint/ Princeton Review

Question 1

There are five main ways to increase the power of an experiment or study:

1. increase the alpha level
2. decrease random error
3. conduct a one-tailed test
4. expand the sample size
5. increase the effect size

Answer 1

(half-length BluePrint MCAT diagnostic)

Question 2

In cases where a mediating variable is present, the original predictor (or independent) variable works indirectly through a more ________ _____ (the mediator variable) to yield a final effect (the outcome, or dependent, variable).

The mediator adds to the overall variance accounted for in the data and can explain the relationship between the dependent and independent variables. The primary independent variable in this study was Manoshi membership, while the three reported dependent variables were the MNH practices. In this question, it is said that the presence of a CHW in the social network of those who were already Manoshi members was linked with improved MNH behavior. This implies that the presence of the CHW worker could be what facilitates the effects of Manoshi membership, making CHW presence a mediating variable.

Answer 2

immediate cause

half-length BluePrint MCAT diagnostic

Question 3

A __________ ________ is a variable that specifies conditions under which a given predictor is related to an outcome. It explains “when” a dependent and independent variable are related.

Answer 3

moderating variable

half-length BluePrint MCAT diagnostic

Question 4

A ____________ variable is an additional variable that is often not taken into account during analysis. These can result from a failure to properly control and can adversely affect the studies in which they arise.

Answer 4

confounding

half-length BluePrint MCAT diagnostic

Question 5

What is homophily?

Answer 5

Homophily is the tendency of individuals to associate and bond with others similar to themselves.

(half-length BluePrint MCAT diagnostic)

Question 6

The monoamines are thought to play a role in mood regulation. Which neurotransmitters does this refer to?

Answer 6

serotonin
dopamine
norepinephrine

(half-length BluePrint MCAT diagnostic)

Question 7

Expressed helplessness about changing their external circumstances most closely describes a lack of….

Answer 7

….self-efficacy.

half-length BluePrint MCAT diagnostic

Question 8

Self-serving bias is a set of biases in which people take credit for their successes and deny responsibility for ________.

Answer 8

failures

half-length BluePrint MCAT diagnostic

Question 9

The _____________ theory states that emotion-arousing stimuli simultaneously trigger physiological responses and the subjective experience of emotion.

Example: Subject spots oncoming vehicle ⇒ Subject feels fear and subject heart rate rises

Answer 9

Cannon-Bard

half-length BluePrint MCAT diagnostic

Question 10

Short-term memory is more likely to retain pieces of information from the beginning and end of a list. This phenomenon is called the….

Answer 10

….serial position effect.

half-length BluePrint MCAT diagnostic

Question 11

The fusiform gyrus is a part of the visual system in the brain, and plays a role in high level visual processing and recognition. Damage to this part of the brain could result in ______________.

Answer 11

prosopagnosia (a neurological disorder characterized by the inability to recognize familiar people based on facial information alone)

Khan Academy passage

Question 12

The MCAT may use the terms reliability and validity, while I was taught the terms accuracy and precision. Which of the MCAT terms is synonymous with which of the previously learned terms?

Answer 12

Accuracy is also known as validity.

Precision is also known as reliability.

Question 13

What type of bias is caused by non-random participant selection methods such as participant self-selection, say for surveys?

Answer 13

sampling bias

Question 14

“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.”

Identity interference and role conflict are synonymous (?)

Answer 14

From Psych/Soc section of Princeton Review Practice Exam 2

Question 15

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

Answer 15

From Psych/Soc section of Princeton Review Practice Exam 2

Question 16

What type of neurons fire twice, once when the stimulus is first detected and once when it is no longer detected?

Answer 16

fast-adapting neurons

from MCAT Self-Prep cards

Question 17

Within the organ of Corti, there are many hair cells. What are the many “individual hairs” found on one hair cell?

Each hair cell contains one ________, which is simply the single longest stereocilium found on a single hair cell.

Answer 17

stereocilia

kinocilium

Question 18

Period effects are defined as changes occurring over time experienced by all groups in the population regardless of ___.

Answer 18

age

AAMC Practice Exam 3, Q 43

Question 19

Which reason best explains why the hippocampus is selectively vulnerable during global ischemia?

Answer 19

The expression of NMDA receptors is more abundant in hippocampal than cortical neurons. (NMDA receptors are a subtype of glutamate receptors.)

(AAMC Practice Exam 3, Q 44)

Question 20

Moving from one social class to another over the course of a lifetime is referred to as ____________ mobility.

Answer 20

intragenerational

[AAMC Practice Exam 3, Q 45]

This phrase may also describe the differences in social class between different members of the same generation.

p. 103

Question 21

What is formication?

Answer 21

Formication is the feeling of insects crawling across or underneath your skin. The name comes from the Latin word “formica,”which means ant. Formication is known as a type of paresthesia.

Question 22

Which of the Big Five includes responsibility and planning, and includes insecurity and anxiety?

Answer 22

conscientiousness
neuroticism

p. 176

(Also, q 50 from AAMC Practice Exam 3)