MCAT Psychology 2

Question 1

A researcher studying attachment finds that infants who explore freely when their caregiver is present but become distressed when left alone and are easily soothed upon reunion are classified as which attachment type?

Accepted Answer

Secure attachment

Answer

Secure attachment is characterized by using the caregiver as a safe base for exploration, distress upon separation, and quick comfort upon reunion.

Question 2

Which neurotransmitter is primarily implicated in the reward pathway and is significantly elevated during pleasurable activities, playing a central role in addiction?

Accepted Answer

Dopamine

Answer

Dopamine is the primary neurotransmitter in the mesolimbic reward pathway, and its release during pleasurable activities underlies the reinforcing nature of addictive substances.

Question 3

A patient who cannot form new long-term memories but retains memories from before their brain injury most likely has damage to which structure?

Accepted Answer

Hippocampus

Answer

The hippocampus is critical for encoding new declarative (explicit) memories; damage causes anterograde amnesia while leaving older memories intact.

Question 4

According to Erikson's psychosocial stages, the central conflict for adolescents (ages 12–18) is best described as:

Accepted Answer

Identity vs. Role Confusion

Answer

Erikson's fifth stage, Identity vs. Role Confusion, occurs during adolescence and involves developing a coherent sense of self.

Question 5

A person who attributes their failure on an exam to being 'bad at tests' (a stable, internal, global cause) is demonstrating which explanatory style?

Accepted Answer

Pessimistic explanatory style

Answer

Pessimistic explanatory style involves attributing negative events to stable, internal, and global causes, which is associated with learned helplessness and depression.

MCAT - Medical College Admission Test Practice Test

MCAT - Medical College Admission Test Practice Test

MCAT Psychology 2