MCAT Psychology Question #3: Answer and Rationale

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.

The correct answer is D.

Rationale: This sociology question tests your reasoning of research design and execution in conjunction with your understanding of social structure. Macrosociology is a large-scale approach to sociology, which underscores the analysis of social systems at the structural level. Option D is the correct answer because tracking changes in websites provides data on the availability of information on rare disorders. This demonstrates a macrosociological approach because it allows the researcher to determine how a society’s organization of health information changes over time on a large-scale. The other options are incorrect because they are comparable to a microsociological approach and would result in data based on small-scale interactions or individual decisions.

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