🧠MCAT Behavioral Sciences Review - 4 Flashcards
(207 cards)
Which term describes how existing schemata are modified to incorporate new information?
Accommodation
What drug is likely taken by a student experiencing paranoia and lack of appetite after being awake for over 48 hours?
Dextroamphetamine
What cognitive error is demonstrated by a student overestimating the prevalence of stroke among those over 65?
Base rate fallacy
Which type of intelligence is NOT part of Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences?
Fluid intelligence
EEG waveforms during REM sleep most resemble which state of consciousness?
Alertness
What is the pattern of sleep stages during a complete sleep cycle early in the night?
1–2–3–4–3–2–REM
What best explains a student’s ability to watch TV while studying for an exam?
Divided attention
Which theory of dreaming states that dreams and thoughts during wakeful periods use the same system?
Cognitive process theory
What psychoactive substance is most likely associated with a student giggling and asking for water?
Tetrahydrocannabinol
Which component of language involves the order in which words are put together?
Syntax
How old is a child likely to be if they speak in sentences of at least 3 words but make grammatical errors?
30 months
Which language theory suggests that language development occurs due to reinforcement by caregivers?
Learning theory
Which brain area is likely affected in a stroke patient who can comprehend speech but cannot form words?
Broca’s area
What phenomenon explains a person’s rapid response to a boarding announcement at an airport?
Cocktail party phenomenon
During which stage does dreaming occur?
III. REM
What are the four key components of the information processing model?
- Thinking requires sensation, encoding, and storage of stimuli.
- Stimuli must be analyzed by the brain for decision making.
- Decisions can be extrapolated to help solve new problems.
- Problem solving depends on cognitive level and context.
What does cognitive development encompass?
The development of one’s ability to think and solve problems across the life span.
What is the significance of Piaget’s stages of cognitive development?
They propose qualitative differences between the thinking of children and adults.
What are Piaget’s four stages of cognitive development?
- Sensorimotor
- Preoperational
- Concrete operational
- Formal operational
What are the four stages of cognitive development according to Piaget?
- Sensorimotor
- Preoperational
- Concrete operational
- Formal operational
Each stage represents a qualitative difference in thinking between children and adults.
What is a schema according to Piaget?
Organized patterns of behavior and thought that include concepts, behaviors, or sequences of events.
Examples include concepts like ‘What is a dog?’ or behaviors like ‘What do you do when someone asks you your name?’.
What are the two processes involved in adaptation according to Piaget?
- Assimilation
- Accommodation
Assimilation involves classifying new information into existing schemata, while accommodation modifies existing schemata to incorporate new information.
What key milestone marks the end of the sensorimotor stage?
Development of object permanence.
Object permanence is understanding that objects continue to exist even when out of view.
What characterizes the preoperational stage?
- Symbolic thinking
- Egocentrism
- Inability to grasp conservation
Egocentrism means the inability to imagine another person’s perspective.