P/S Section Bank Questions

[OrangeMed]

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Hello,

As you may know, the explanations in the AAMC questions suck. So if people want to use this thread for answering P/S section bank related questions that would be great!

I would be thankful if people can explain these questions to me:

9) Am I supposed to know that IQ tests are normalized to a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15? Also, is the correct answer choice, "more than 2/3 of children will score between 85 and 115", assuming 68% (1 standard deviation) to be the "more than 2/3 children" in the answer choice?

15) Which phenomenon will an animal trainer most likely try to avoid when training a rabbit for a television commercial?
I chose stimulus generalization thinking that if someone's training an animal for a show then the animal better not generalize the stimulus to which it is supposed to respond. But the answer is instinctual drift. I don't get how a trainer can play a role in avoiding instinctual drift as that is something innate to the animal which may come up whenever. Even then I don't understand why this choice is better than stimulus generalization.

24) What is the difference between proximal stimulus and sensory stimulus? They both seem to use sensory receptors that are activated by light, touch, smell, sound, etc.

Thank you!

 

[Astra]

Hello,

As you may know, the explanations in the AAMC questions suck. So if people want to use this thread for answering P/S section bank related questions that would be great!

I would be thankful if people can explain these questions to me:

9) Am I supposed to know that IQ tests are normalized to a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15? Also, is the correct answer choice, "more than 2/3 of children will score between 85 and 115", assuming 68% (1 standard deviation) to be the "more than 2/3 children" in the answer choice?

15) Which phenomenon will an animal trainer most likely try to avoid when training a rabbit for a television commercial?
I chose stimulus generalization thinking that if someone's training an animal for a show then the animal better not generalize the stimulus to which it is supposed to respond. But the answer is instinctual drift. I don't get how a trainer can play a role in avoiding instinctual drift as that is something innate to the animal which may come up whenever. Even then I don't understand why this choice is better than stimulus generalization.

24) What is the difference between proximal stimulus and sensory stimulus? They both seem to use sensory receptors that are activated by light, touch, smell, sound, etc.

Thank you!

9. Yes. you are also supposed to know that 83% of data falls between one standard deviation of the mean. ( Kaplan physics book has a great section on stats)

15. So instinctual drift refers to when training interferes with instincts. So if you are training an animal, you would not want to train it in a manner that goe against the instincts. For example, if you are training a cat to swim, this is not going to end well because cats instinctually hate water.

24. Sensory stimulus is more referring to the type of information being received by your receptors which elicits a response... ie: light, heat, touch, sound, etc.
Proximal stimulus is the stimulation that actually occurs when your sensory receptors are activated... the neural activity. ( I found this in a reddit post, so I do not know how valid it is)

 

[OrangeMed]

Thanks!

 

[OrangeMed]

9. Yes. you are also supposed to know that 83% of data falls between one standard deviation of the mean. ( Kaplan physics book has a great section on stats)

15. So instinctual drift refers to when training interferes with instincts. So if you are training an animal, you would not want to train it in a manner that goe against the instincts. For example, if you are training a cat to swim, this is not going to end well because cats instinctually hate water.

24. Sensory stimulus is more referring to the type of information being received by your receptors which elicits a response... ie: light, heat, touch, sound, etc.
Proximal stimulus is the stimulation that actually occurs when your sensory receptors are activated... the neural activity. ( I found this in a reddit post, so I do not know how valid it is)

9. Are you referring to this image? It shows that one standard deviation is 34.1% on either side, so a total of 68%. Where are getting 83% from?
I recognized my mistake though. I was calculating 2/3= 75% and not 66.6%. FML.

15. I see. Still, why is trying to avoid instinctual drift a better answer choice than trying to avoid stimulus generalization.

24. Gotcha!

 

[Astra]

9. Are you referring to this image? It shows that one standard deviation is 34.1% on either side, so a total of 68%. Where are getting 83% from?
I recognized my mistake though. I was calculating 2/3= 75% and not 66.6%. FML.
View attachment 201391

15. I see. Still, why is trying to avoid instinctual drift a better answer choice than trying to avoid stimulus generalization.

24. Gotcha!

Yea my bad. I have no idea where that 83% came from. Just woke up lol

Sorry about that

 

[OrangeMed]

34. Can someone explain this question to me. I don't understand the wording: "In operant conditioning studies, the subject’s motivational state is most typically operationally defined by:" Is it asking what motivates someone to change their behavior in operant conditioning?
Choices:
a) observing a subject's behavior over long period of time
b) using a type of reinforcement that the experimenter knows that the subject usually likes
c) depriving the subject of some desirable stimulus item for a period of time
d) using a novel stimulus that the subject is sure to like

I am mulling between c) and d). I don't like c) because while depriving the subject of a desirable stimulus sounds like negative punishment, other operant conditioning, that is, pos reinf, neg reinf, and pos punishment don't seem to have the element of depriving the subject of something that he/she already has. I don't like d) because, well, it sounds a little extreme.

5. Did the task used in the study fulfill the original need described in the first paragraph?

I don't know how to think about answering this questions. Even though the passage mentions that "There was a strong negative correlation between the number of errors in Phase 2 and the successful completion of pilot training", it does not clarify if there is a negative correlation between error and successful completion for the entire task (phase I and II combined). The passage also mentions that "The number of errors in Phase 2 had low correlations with all other tests used for pilot selection." This last statement led me to believe that performance on this task does not correlate with successful completion of other tasks in pilot training. So then, would it be fair to say that the task described in the passage does not fulfill the original need mentioned in the first paragraph?
Options are:
a) Yes, because cadets who completed training on more advanced equipment had performed significantly better on the task than those who dropped out of the training earlier. (Although this statement seems logical, I don't think this is supported by the passage)
b) No, because performance in Phase 2 of the task did not predict performance on other tests used in pilot selection
c) Yes, because cadet's ability to divide attention between simultaneous inputs was predicted by their performance in Phase I
d) No, because cadet's performance in Phase I did not predict their ability to redirect attention in Phase II.

Thank you!

 

[OrangeMed]

53. Based on the study results, how is the relationship between inadequate sleep and hunger best described?
a) There is a positive correlation between hunger and inadequate sleep and hunger
b) There is evidence that inadequate sleep causes hunger

I thought brain activation studies, at best, showed correlation. The answer is b), but I chose a). Why?

Also, does correlation work both ways, that is, if A is correlated with B then is it always true that B also correlates with A?
I don't think this relationship holds true in case of causation, right?

 

[NextStepTutor_2]

53. Based on the study results, how is the relationship between inadequate sleep and hunger best described?
a) There is a positive correlation between hunger and inadequate sleep and hunger
b) There is evidence that inadequate sleep causes hunger

I thought brain activation studies, at best, showed correlation. The answer is b), but I chose a). Why?

Also, does correlation work both ways, that is, if A is correlated with B then is it always true that B also correlates with A?
I don't think this relationship holds true in case of causation, right?

B can be considered correct. The conventional wisdom that "correlation =/= causation" means that correlation cannot be used to infer a causal relationship between the variables. This DOES NOT mean that correlations cannot indicate the potential existence of causal relations (which is what the answer choice states, that there is evidence of...). However, the causes underlying the correlation, if any, may be indirect and unknown without more investigation.

As for correlation, of we find that A is related to/correlated with B, then by definition we can say that B is related to/correlated with A.

Correlation techniques works best with linear relationships: as one variable gets larger, the other gets larger (or smaller) in direct proportion. It does not work well with curvilinear relationships (in which the relationship does not follow a straight line). An example of a curvilinear relationship is age and health care. They are related, but the relationship doesn't follow a straight line. Young children and older people both tend to use much more health care than teenagers or young adults. Multiple regression can be used to examine curvilinear relationships, but it is beyond the scope of the MCAT.

hope this helps, good luck!

 

[aldol16]

53. Based on the study results, how is the relationship between inadequate sleep and hunger best described?
a) There is a positive correlation between hunger and inadequate sleep and hunger
b) There is evidence that inadequate sleep causes hunger

I thought brain activation studies, at best, showed correlation. The answer is b), but I chose a). Why?

Also, does correlation work both ways, that is, if A is correlated with B then is it always true that B also correlates with A?
I don't think this relationship holds true in case of causation, right?

In this case, they actively deprived the participants of sleep if I remember correctly and controlled for confounding variables. So it wasn't a correlational study. If you deprive somebody of X and their performance on Y declines, then X is necessary for Y, assuming controls stay constant.

 

[OrangeMed]

Thanks guys!
If you can explain my previous two questions as well, I would be grateful.

 

[lostintranslation]

34. Can someone explain this question to me. I don't understand the wording: "In operant conditioning studies, the subject’s motivational state is most typically operationally defined by:" Is it asking what motivates someone to change their behavior in operant conditioning?
Choices:
a) observing a subject's behavior over long period of time
b) using a type of reinforcement that the experimenter knows that the subject usually likes
c) depriving the subject of some desirable stimulus item for a period of time
d) using a novel stimulus that the subject is sure to like

I am mulling between c) and d). I don't like c) because while depriving the subject of a desirable stimulus sounds like negative punishment, other operant conditioning, that is, pos reinf, neg reinf, and pos punishment don't seem to have the element of depriving the subject of something that he/she already has. I don't like d) because, well, it sounds a little extreme.

5. Did the task used in the study fulfill the original need described in the first paragraph?

I don't know how to think about answering this questions. Even though the passage mentions that "There was a strong negative correlation between the number of errors in Phase 2 and the successful completion of pilot training", it does not clarify if there is a negative correlation between error and successful completion for the entire task (phase I and II combined). The passage also mentions that "The number of errors in Phase 2 had low correlations with all other tests used for pilot selection." This last statement led me to believe that performance on this task does not correlate with successful completion of other tasks in pilot training. So then, would it be fair to say that the task described in the passage does not fulfill the original need mentioned in the first paragraph?
Options are:
a) Yes, because cadets who completed training on more advanced equipment had performed significantly better on the task than those who dropped out of the training earlier. (Although this statement seems logical, I don't think this is supported by the passage)
b) No, because performance in Phase 2 of the task did not predict performance on other tests used in pilot selection
c) Yes, because cadet's ability to divide attention between simultaneous inputs was predicted by their performance in Phase I
d) No, because cadet's performance in Phase I did not predict their ability to redirect attention in Phase II.

Thank you!

I have the exact same questions, and our thought processes are pretty much the same too. These questions have been bugging me for a while! I will post on the MCAT subreddit as well to see if we can get any good answers! https://redd.it/4ch4et

 

[lostintranslation]

Just got a reply from neur_onymous re: Q34

"Can only answer the first question, sorry!

I think you have a misunderstanding of what an operational definition is. Any variable a researcher wants to measure must be operationally defined such that the researcher knows what the variable should look like, how it could be described qualitatively/quantitatively, how it could be measured, etc. And in order to determine these things, conditions must be set so that the variable can actually be observed. You want to know what someone's like when they're motivated, what drives them to do something to get something, you have to take away something they're motivated to get. Hence c)."

 

[wheatthinners]

.

 

[aldol16]

#15 I thought the same as you and got it wrong. Anyone know why instinctual drift would want to be avoided more than stimulus generalization?

Stimulus generalization is just simply harder to avoid. It's not something that's explicitly within the trainer's control and often is not foreseeable. However, instinctual drift is completely within control and foreseeable. I think most people would agree on a set of basic instincts or drives that all animals have - e.g. training the rabbit to avoid food is probably not a smart thing to do.

 

[OrangeMed]

Just got a reply from neur_onymous re: Q34

"Can only answer the first question, sorry!

I think you have a misunderstanding of what an operational definition is. Any variable a researcher wants to measure must be operationally defined such that the researcher knows what the variable should look like, how it could be described qualitatively/quantitatively, how it could be measured, etc. And in order to determine these things, conditions must be set so that the variable can actually be observed. You want to know what someone's like when they're motivated, what drives them to do something to get something, you have to take away something they're motivated to get. Hence c)."

Thanks lostintranslation for posting it on reddit. That explanation does help. Operational definition of motivation is what the questions is looking for.

Hope someone knows how to answer Q5 as well.

 

[Mr. otcoD]

Q4) Researchers conducted a replication of the pilot training study with bus drivers. How accurately will the measure of a person's ability to redirect attention predict accident rates among drivers?

Answer: Phase 2 will be directly related

Can someone explain Q4?
How can you even tell if its relating to Phase 1 or Phase 2? I had no idea how to even approach this question.

 

[bobeanie95]

Can someone explain #15 Which phenomenon will an animal trainer most likely try to avoid when training a rabbit for a television commercial?

I see how instinctual drift could be avoided, but why couldn't operant extinction be just as important? The trainer could easily avoid operant extinction by continuous reinforcement of the conditioned response?

 

[theonlytycrane]

@bobeanie95 I personally don't like this question- but here's how it was reasoned to me when I asked about it awhile back.

The animal trainer will try to avoid any training that will be offset by instinctual drift, like teaching the animal to starve. Because if the animal's behavior is based on this training, it is more than likely going to get messed up by the animal's instinctive urge to do what it was born to do to survive.

The other options are good to avoid too, but the trainer mainly wants to avoid training things that clash with instinctual behavior of the animal.

This is just a bad question basically asking about instinctual drift.

 

[bobeanie95]

@theonlytycrane thanks for the explanation! and I agree I felt like multiple questions had ambiguous answers.. hopefully this doenst happen on the exam

 

[Ad2b]

with respect to instinctual drift:

training a raccoon to drop pennies in a piggy bank; the raccoon does for a bit but then reverts to it's instincts and starts turning them over in it's paws or leaving them on the ground ... you can teach a wild animal so much but then due to instinctual drift, it reverts to natural tendencies

So, the trainer will avoid using things that shine or resemble food

 

[kamikama101]

#3 I don't know why, but I do not understand #3 at all. The question about predictive validity and the pilot passage. Can someone provide some insight into why B is the right answer? Is it just because of the last answer?

 

[kamikama101]

Also #63. What does the recognition of own-race and other-race have to do with recognizing emotions. I am confused how this is negative correlation to be honest.... maybe I just don't understand the passage.

 

[xoxo111]

B can be considered correct. The conventional wisdom that "correlation =/= causation" means that correlation cannot be used to infer a causal relationship between the variables. This DOES NOT mean that correlations cannot indicate the potential existence of causal relations (which is what the answer choice states, that there is evidence of...). However, the causes underlying the correlation, if any, may be indirect and unknown without more investigation.

As for correlation, of we find that A is related to/correlated with B, then by definition we can say that B is related to/correlated with A.

Correlation techniques works best with linear relationships: as one variable gets larger, the other gets larger (or smaller) in direct proportion. It does not work well with curvilinear relationships (in which the relationship does not follow a straight line). An example of a curvilinear relationship is age and health care. They are related, but the relationship doesn't follow a straight line. Young children and older people both tend to use much more health care than teenagers or young adults. Multiple regression can be used to examine curvilinear relationships, but it is beyond the scope of the MCAT.

hope this helps, good luck!

As for correlation, of we find that A is related to/correlated with B, then by definition we can say that B is related to/correlated with A.

So B has to ALWAYS be correlated with A right in a correlation?