MCAT Psychology: Content Guide & High-Yield Study Strategies

What is Tested on the MCAT Psychology and Sociology Section?

The Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior section of the MCAT, called the psychology and sociology section or Psych/Soc for short, is one of the four key components of the MCAT test.

This section contains approximately 65% introductory psychology questions, 30% introductory sociology questions, and 5% introductory biology questions, combined with scientific inquiry and reasoning skills. These questions incorporate concepts taught at many universities in introductory psychology and sociology courses. But for many premeds who may be from a hard sciences background, this section can present a challenge.

"The most challenging aspect of this MCAT section for me was dealing with the dense and lengthy passages, reminiscent of the CARS section. Additionally, encountering unfamiliar topics that were not covered in my studies posed a significant hurdle." – Dr. Cathleen Kuo, MD

The MCAT psychology and sociology section covers the following foundational concepts:

For a detailed list of the subtopics included within each foundational concept of the Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior section of the MCAT, check out the AAMC’s guide, what is on the MCAT exam? Here is an overview of the main subtopics included in this section of the MCAT:

Sample MCAT Psychology and Sociology Questions and Answers

Let’s start with some MCAT psychology practice passages and questions to test your skills for this section of the MCAT:

Sample MCAT Psychology Passage

The illness experience shapes the way that people use health information. For patients with a rare health disorder, which is defined as a medical condition that affects fewer than 200,000 individuals living in the United States, online sources of information tend to be particularly important.

An example of a rare disorder is Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as “Lou Gehrig’s disease.” ALS results from the progressive loss of motor nerves and affects about 1 out of 100,000 people. About 10% of people with ALS have a familial form of the condition, which is caused by an inherited genetic mutation. Aside from the familial form, the cause of ALS is largely unknown, though it is believed that the disorder results from both genetic and environmental factors.

Having a rare medical condition, such as ALS, can make it difficult to meet and interact with others who have the same rare disorder. Despite great distances, online communication provides a form of social interaction for those facing an uncommon health problem. Virtual peer networks provide vital social support for those who are affected by a rare disorder.

Research has found that women with rare disorders are more likely to access online support networks than men with rare disorders. Relationships formed through online support networks often become a meaningful part of a person’s identity. Individuals with rare disorders report that relating to others who have the same condition is often easier than trying to relate to friends or family members who do not share their condition.

Sample MCAT Psychology Questions and Answers

1. Which statement best represents a threat to social identity? A young woman with a rare disorder:

A) believes that others treat her as less capable, and then she starts to see herself as deficient.

B) becomes discouraged when she hears that others with rare disorders are treated as less capable.

C) hides her disorder from others in order to project more confidence in social situations.

D) reveals her disorder to friends, who mistakenly assume that it is a social limitation.

2. Over the course of ten years, a rare disorder increases in prevalence such that it eventually affects more than 200,000 people in the United States. Based on the passage and this scenario, which prediction is most consistent with the sociological paradigm of symbolic interactionism?

A) As the number of affected individuals increases, government research funding increases.

B) Affected individuals are less likely to conceal their condition as it becomes less stigmatized.

C) As more people with the condition are treated, it receives less attention as a health concern.

D) Insurance coverage for the condition becomes more likely as more people require treatment.

3. Which research project best represents a macrosociological approach to studying the social support networks mentioned in the passage?

A) A researcher follows the conversation of participants who post messages in an online support forum.

B) A researcher interviews patients who participate in a local hospital’s support group for rare disorders.

C) A researcher surveys patients for reasons that they joined an online support group for their disorder.

D) A researcher tracks how the number of websites dedicated to rare disorders has changed over time.

4. The concept of cultural capital predicts that

A) cultural distinctions associated with the young will be more valued within a society.

B) with improved communication, there will eventually be a convergence of cultural practices of all classes.

C) cultural distinctions by class will become less important during a recession because people will have less money to spend.

D) cultural distinctions associated with elite classes will be more valued within a society.

5. Researchers conducted an experiment to test social loafing. They asked participants to prepare an annual report or a tax return. Some participants performed the task individually and others performed it as a group. What are the independent and dependent variables?

A) The independent variable is the overall productivity of the group, and the dependent variable is each participant’s contribution to the task.

B) The independent variable is the type of task, and the dependent variable is whether the participants worked alone or in a group.

C) The independent variable is whether the participant worked alone or in a group, and the dependent variable is each participant’s contribution to the task.

D) The independent variable is whether the participant worked alone or in a group, and the dependent variable is the type of the task.

6. Which correlation supports the bystander effect?

A) The number of bystanders is positively correlated with the time it takes for someone to offer help in the case of an emergency.

B) The number of bystanders is negatively correlated with the time it takes for someone to offer help in the case of an emergency.

C) The number of bystanders is positively correlated with whether people judge a situation to be an emergency.

D) The number of bystanders is negatively correlated with whether people judge a situation to be an emergency.

Take a look at our tips for mastering the psychology and sociology section of the MCAT:

Tips for Acing the MCAT Psychology and Sociology Section

Tip #1: Understand the Skills Being Tested

This MCAT section is about much more than just memorization. Knowing how to use psychology and sociology information to solve complex problems is the key to a great MCAT score in this section.

The AAMC has defined four skills that are tested in each of the four MCAT sections:

1. Knowledge of scientific concepts and principles, or “Do you remember specific science content?”
2. Scientific reasoning and problem-solving, or “Can you apply multiple content areas to new situations?”
3. Reasoning about the design and execution of research, or “Can you explain experimental methods, results, and conclusions?”
4. Data-based and statistical reasoning, or “Can you read, interpret, extrapolate, and draw conclusions from graphs, tables and figures?”

Different questions may test one or more of the above skills. Knowing which one can help you strategize how to answer the question. For example, if you can identify that a question is testing your knowledge of scientific concepts, you can focus on recalling information about that particular topic to help you answer the question. On the other hand, if you understand that a question is testing your problem-solving, you’ll know not to waste time on knowledge recall. Instead, you can focus on analysis by applying the information you already have to find the answer.

To familiarize yourself with the different question types, completing regular practice tests is the best strategy. Dr. Cathleen Kuo, one of our MD experts, says she actually found her CARS practice passages helped her with this section, too.

"I focused on practicing CARS passages to enhance my reading comprehension skills and ability to extract key information from dense texts. This approach helped me navigate through lengthy passages and extract relevant information efficiently, improving my overall performance in the section." – Dr. Cathleen Kuo, MD.

“I mainly used [practice tests] to prepare but I took kind of the average of the score that I was getting and used use that as my gauge … [you’ll have] a pretty good idea of where your performance was across a couple of those practice tests.” – Allison, BeMo student and current student at Dell Medical School.

Tip #2: Know Your Definitions

Many questions within the psychology and sociology section of the MCAT will require an understanding of terminology commonly used in these fields. For example, you may come across a question about cognitive dissonance or hindsight bias. If you do not know the definitions of these words, you will not be able to answer the question correctly. Our admissions experts say using flashcards or other active learning techniques can help you remember these important definitions.

"I delved deeper into the topics by researching the stories behind each name and concept. This helped me connect with the material on a deeper level, and I found it easier to retain information after understanding the context and history behind [it]." – Dr. Cathleen Kuo, MD.

“Flashcards actually helped me jump almost 3 points in my [psych/soc] section, even in the week before the exam. This was my weakest subject, but it was my highest score on my exam.” – Noah Heichel, DO

While you are aiming to get as much exposure to psychology and sociology topics as possible, it is impossible to study every term that you may need on test day. What should you do if you see a term on the MCAT for which you do not know the definition? If you find yourself in this situation, use context clues within the passage or question to try to determine the term’s meaning. This is another test-taking skill that is important to practice during your MCAT prep.

Tip #3: Prepare for Psychology and Sociology Data and Experiments

The AAMC typically tests students on psychology and sociology experiments. This means that you cannot just practice vocabulary, you must be able to apply your knowledge to experiment-style questions. You’ll need to learn how to read MCAT graphs effectively and quickly. As you complete practice passages, get into the habit of determining the independent and dependent variable for the experiment, as well as necessary controls. Regular practice with passage-based practice questions is key!

“Thinking practically and applying learned concepts to real-life examples [or] Reading up on how different psychological/sociological concepts came to be [helped me]. This was interesting and made it easier to remember the information in a laid-back manner.” – Dr. Neel Mistry, MD

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Source: AAMC MCAT Sample Question Guide