MCAT Psychological Social Foundations Flashcards: 8c Biological Bases Social Behavior

What this deck covers

This deck focuses on 8c Biological Bases Social Behavior, giving you a quick way to review the definitions, rules, and examples that matter most for MCAT Psychological Social Foundations.

How to use these flashcards

Work through these flashcards in short sessions. Try to answer each prompt before flipping the card, then revisit any cards you miss until the explanation feels automatic.

Flashcard 1: What is negative feedback in endocrine regulation?

Answer: Rising hormone levels inhibit upstream release to restore set point. This mechanism maintains homeostasis by having end-product hormones signal back to reduce further secretion from the hypothalamus and pituitary.

Flashcard 2: What is the prefrontal cortex's key function in regulating social behavior?

Answer: Top-down control of impulses, emotion, and social decision-making. Executive control region that inhibits inappropriate social responses.

Flashcard 3: What is the mirror neuron system most associated with in social cognition?

Answer: Action understanding and imitation; supports empathy. Fire when observing and performing same actions.

Flashcard 4: What is dopamine generally associated with in social behavior?

Answer: Reward, motivation, and reinforcement of social behavior. Mediates pleasure from social interactions and drives social seeking.

Flashcard 5: What is the temporoparietal junction (TPJ) most associated with in social cognition?

Answer: Theory of mind and perspective-taking about others' beliefs. Critical for understanding others' mental states and intentions.

Flashcard 6: What is the sympathetic-adrenal-medullary (SAM) axis primarily responsible for?

Answer: Fast fight-or-flight via epinephrine/norepinephrine release. Rapid stress response through adrenal medulla catecholamines.

Flashcard 7: What is the primary social-behavior role of serotonin in the brain?

Answer: Mood regulation and inhibition of impulsive aggression. Low levels linked to increased impulsive aggression.

Flashcard 8: What is the "tend-and-befriend" response and which hormone is most associated with it?

Answer: Affiliative stress response; most associated with oxytocin. Social support seeking under stress, especially in females.

Flashcard 9: What hormone is the primary end product of the HPA axis during stress responses?

Answer: Cortisol. Glucocorticoid released from adrenal cortex during stress.

Flashcard 10: What is the amygdala's primary role in social behavior and emotion processing?

Answer: Threat/fear salience and emotional learning in social cues. Processes fear-relevant social stimuli and emotional associations.

Flashcard 11: Which option best matches the brain area to function: TPJ → ?

Answer: Theory of mind and perspective taking. TPJ processes others' beliefs and intentions.

Flashcard 12: What is the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) most associated with in social behavior?

Answer: Emotion-guided judgment and social decision-making. This region integrates emotional information with cognitive processes to guide moral and social choices, as evidenced by lesion studies.

Flashcard 13: What is oxytocin most commonly associated with in social behavior?

Answer: Bonding, trust, and affiliative behavior. Neuropeptide that promotes social attachment and prosocial behavior.

Flashcard 14: What does damage to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex most classically impair?

Answer: Emotion-guided decision making and social judgment. Integrates emotions with reasoning for social decisions.

Flashcard 15: What is the HPA axis pathway for the physiological stress response?

Answer: Hypothalamus → pituitary → adrenal cortex (cortisol release). Stress triggers cascade ending in cortisol release.

Flashcard 16: What is the key function of the temporoparietal junction (TPJ) in social cognition?

Answer: Theory of mind and perspective taking. Integrates information to understand others' perspectives.

Flashcard 17: What is the HPA axis pathway for stress signaling (in order)?

Answer: Hypothalamus → pituitary → adrenal cortex. Stress activates CRH → ACTH → cortisol release.

Flashcard 18: What is theory of mind (mentalizing) in the context of social behavior?

Answer: Attributing beliefs, intentions, and emotions to others. Enables understanding others' mental states for social interaction.

Flashcard 19: What is the hypothalamus's key role in social behavior and motivation?

Answer: Regulates drives: sex, aggression, and endocrine control. Links limbic system to hormonal responses for basic drives.

Flashcard 20: What is cortisol's primary function in stress responses relevant to social behavior?

Answer: HPA-axis stress hormone that mobilizes energy and arousal. Released by adrenal cortex during stress.

Flashcard 21: What is the primary social-behavioral effect of testosterone?

Answer: Increases dominance-related behavior and competitive aggression. Linked to status-seeking and competitive behaviors.

Flashcard 22: What is the fusiform face area's key function in social perception?

Answer: Facial recognition and processing facial identity. Specialized for distinguishing individual faces.

Flashcard 23: What is the superior temporal sulcus (STS) commonly linked to in social perception?

Answer: Biological motion and gaze/intent inference from movement. Detects social cues from body movements and eye gaze direction.

Flashcard 24: What is dopamine's main role in social behavior and motivation?

Answer: Reward, reinforcement learning, and incentive salience. Mediates motivation for social rewards and learning.

Flashcard 25: What neurotransmitter is most associated with reward prediction and reinforcement learning?

Answer: Dopamine. In the mesolimbic pathway, it signals anticipated rewards, driving motivation and learning from social reinforcements like approval.

Flashcard 26: Identify the concept: helping behavior that increases the survival of genetic relatives.

Answer: Kin selection. Altruism toward relatives preserves shared genes.

Flashcard 27: What is the HPA axis (name the pathway) and what does it regulate?

Answer: Hypothalamus→pituitary→adrenal; regulates stress response (cortisol). This axis activates in response to stressors, leading to glucocorticoid release that mobilizes energy and modulates immune function.

Flashcard 28: What hormone is the primary glucocorticoid released by the adrenal cortex in humans?

Answer: Cortisol. As the main stress hormone in humans, it is secreted by the adrenal cortex to regulate metabolism and suppress inflammation during prolonged stress.

Flashcard 29: What is vasopressin most associated with in social behavior?

Answer: Pair bonding and social aggression/territoriality. Structurally similar to oxytocin with distinct social functions.

Flashcard 30: What is the fusiform face area (FFA) primarily responsible for?

Answer: Face perception and facial identity processing. Specialized region in fusiform gyrus for recognizing faces.

Flashcard 31: What is the most specific role of the ventromedial PFC in social cognition?

Answer: Value-based social decision-making and emotion regulation. Integrates emotional value with social choices.

Flashcard 32: What is testosterone's most test-relevant association in social behavior questions?

Answer: Dominance-related and competitive/aggressive behaviors (context-dependent). This androgen influences status-seeking and agonistic interactions, with effects varying based on social context and individual differences.

Flashcard 33: What is the primary role of serotonin in social behavior and aggression?

Answer: Inhibits impulsive aggression; modulates mood and social behavior. Low levels associated with increased impulsive aggression.

Flashcard 34: Which neurotransmitter system is most implicated when social behavior is reinforced by reward?

Answer: Dopaminergic (mesolimbic) pathways. Social rewards activate the same pathways as drugs and food.

Flashcard 35: What is the defining feature of a pheromone in social communication?

Answer: A chemical signal released by one individual that affects others. Triggers behavioral/physiological responses without conscious awareness.

Flashcard 36: What is oxytocin most commonly linked to in social behavior?

Answer: Bonding, trust, and affiliative behavior. Neuropeptide that promotes social attachment.

Flashcard 37: What is testosterone most commonly associated with in social behavior?

Answer: Dominance-related behavior and aggression. Androgen hormone that increases competitive and aggressive behaviors.

Flashcard 38: What is the main difference between the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems?

Answer: Sympathetic arouses; parasympathetic restores baseline. Opposing functions maintain homeostasis.

Flashcard 39: What is the main social function of the amygdala in human behavior?

Answer: Threat detection and emotional salience, especially fear and aggression. Processes emotional stimuli and triggers fear/aggression responses.

Flashcard 40: What is the insula commonly associated with in social and emotional processing?

Answer: Interoception and disgust; empathy for others' pain. Processes internal bodily sensations and emotional awareness.

Flashcard 41: What is the primary function of the prefrontal cortex in social behavior?

Answer: Executive control and regulation of social/emotional responses. Top-down control inhibits inappropriate social behaviors.

Flashcard 42: What is the temporoparietal junction (TPJ) most associated with in social cognition?

Answer: Theory of mind and attributing others' mental states. Critical for understanding others' beliefs and intentions.

Flashcard 43: What is the primary role of the mirror neuron system in social behavior?

Answer: Linking observed actions to motor representations; supports imitation/empathy. Neurons fire both when performing and observing actions.

Flashcard 44: What is the amygdala's primary role in social-emotional processing?

Answer: Detects salience/threat; supports fear learning and emotion processing. As part of the limbic system, it evaluates emotional significance of stimuli, facilitating conditioned fear responses crucial for social survival.

Flashcard 45: Identify the concept: preferences that increase an organism's reproductive success become more common.

Answer: Natural selection. Traits enhancing survival and reproduction spread through populations.

Flashcard 46: What is testosterone most associated with in social behavior research?

Answer: Dominance-related behavior and aggression modulation. Higher levels correlate with competitive behaviors.

Flashcard 47: What is the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) commonly associated with in social contexts?

Answer: Conflict monitoring and social pain (rejection-related distress). Detects conflicts and processes social exclusion as physical pain.

Flashcard 48: What is the superior temporal sulcus (STS) most associated with in social perception?

Answer: Biological motion and interpreting gaze/intentions. Detects social cues from body movement and eye direction.

Flashcard 49: What is the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) commonly linked to in social behavior studies?

Answer: Social pain, conflict monitoring, and error detection. Activates when social rejection mimics physical pain.

Flashcard 50: What is vasopressin most commonly associated with in social behavior?

Answer: Pair bonding and social territorial aggression. Related to oxytocin but more linked to mate guarding and defense.

Flashcard 51: What is the key behavioral association of oxytocin in social contexts?

Answer: Bonding and affiliation; increases social approach/trust. "Love hormone" promotes prosocial behaviors.

Flashcard 52: What is the function of epinephrine in the stress response?

Answer: Rapid sympathetic arousal: increases heart rate, blood glucose. Released from the adrenal medulla, it triggers acute physiological changes to prepare the body for immediate action in threatening situations.

Flashcard 53: What is the fusiform face area (FFA) specialized for?

Answer: Facial recognition and face processing. Contains neurons that respond specifically to faces.

Flashcard 54: What is the primary social-behavior role of norepinephrine in the brain?

Answer: Arousal, vigilance, and attention to salient stimuli. Enhances focus on socially relevant information.

Flashcard 55: What is oxytocin most associated with in human social behavior?

Answer: Bonding, trust, and affiliation (context-dependent effects). Often called the "love hormone" but effects vary by context.

Flashcard 56: What is the primary function of the amygdala in social behavior?

Answer: Threat detection and emotional salience (especially fear/aggression). Processes emotional significance and triggers fear responses.

Flashcard 57: What is meant by the "fight-or-flight" response and which system mediates it?

Answer: Acute arousal response mediated by the sympathetic nervous system. Prepares body for immediate threat response.

Flashcard 58: Which division of the autonomic nervous system supports "fight-or-flight" in social threat?

Answer: Sympathetic nervous system. Activates during perceived threats for rapid response.

Flashcard 59: What is testosterone typically associated with in social and affective behavior?

Answer: Dominance-related behavior and aggression (context-dependent). Effects depend on social context and individual differences.

Flashcard 60: What is dopamine generally associated with in social behavior?

Answer: Reward, reinforcement learning, and motivation. Released during rewarding social interactions.

Flashcard 61: What is the primary social-cognitive function of the fusiform face area (FFA)?

Answer: Facial recognition and processing of facial identity. Specialized for distinguishing individual faces.

Flashcard 62: What is the primary role of dopamine in social behavior?

Answer: Reinforcement learning and motivation for rewarding social stimuli. Signals reward prediction and motivates social approach.

Flashcard 63: What is the primary social effect of oxytocin in humans?

Answer: Facilitates bonding and trust; enhances affiliative behavior. Released during social bonding to promote prosocial behaviors.

Flashcard 64: What is the prefrontal cortex's main function in social behavior?

Answer: Executive control and regulation of social/emotional responses. Top-down control inhibits inappropriate social behaviors.

Flashcard 65: What is the amygdala's primary role in social behavior and emotion processing?

Answer: Threat detection and fear/aggression-related social cues. Processes emotional salience of faces and social threats.

Flashcard 66: What is the primary social-cognitive function of the superior temporal sulcus (STS)?

Answer: Perception of biological motion, gaze direction, and social intentions. Detects social cues from body language and eye movements.

Flashcard 67: What is the hypothalamus most directly responsible for in social behavior?

Answer: Homeostasis and drives; coordinates endocrine responses. Links nervous and endocrine systems for behavioral drives.

Flashcard 68: Which hormone is most directly tied to immediate fight-or-flight effects: cortisol or epinephrine?

Answer: Epinephrine. It acts quickly via the sympathetic nervous system to elevate physiological arousal for short-term survival threats.

Flashcard 69: What is the primary social-cognitive role of the prefrontal cortex (PFC)?

Answer: Executive control of social behavior (planning, inhibition, judgment). Regulates impulses and complex social decision-making.

Flashcard 70: What is the primary social effect of vasopressin in humans?

Answer: Supports pair-bonding and social attachment; linked to aggression. Promotes monogamous bonding but can increase territorial aggression.

Flashcard 71: What neurotransmitter is most directly involved in arousal and vigilance relevant to social stress?

Answer: Norepinephrine. Activates sympathetic nervous system during social threats.

Flashcard 72: What is the temporoparietal junction (TPJ) most associated with in social cognition?

Answer: Theory of mind and perspective taking. Allows understanding others' mental states.

Flashcard 73: What is the key behavioral association of vasopressin in social contexts?

Answer: Social bonding and pair-bonding; can increase aggression. Promotes territoriality and mate-guarding behaviors.

Flashcard 74: What neurotransmitter is most associated with aggression and impulsivity modulation?

Answer: Serotonin. Low levels linked to increased aggression and poor impulse control.

Flashcard 75: What is the main effect of vasopressin on social behavior that is commonly tested on the MCAT?

Answer: Facilitates social bonding and pair-bonding; can increase aggression/territoriality. ADH analog that modulates social memory and mate guarding.

Flashcard 76: What neurotransmitter is most associated with arousal and vigilance in many MCAT passages?

Answer: Norepinephrine. It enhances alertness and attention to environmental cues, supporting adaptive responses in stressful or novel social situations.

Flashcard 77: What is the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) most associated with in social behavior?

Answer: Cognitive control of impulses and norm-guided behavior. Executive control region that inhibits inappropriate social responses.

Flashcard 78: What is the correct sequence of the HPA axis from hypothalamus to adrenal output?

Answer: CRH  ACTH  cortisol. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal cascade for stress response.

Flashcard 79: What is the primary role of serotonin in social behavior regulation?

Answer: Modulates mood and impulsive aggression. Low levels linked to increased reactive aggression.

Flashcard 80: What is the primary effect of cortisol on social behavior under stress?

Answer: Stress hormone that biases vigilance and can impair social cognition. Chronic elevation disrupts prefrontal regulation.

Flashcard 81: What hormone is most associated with pair bonding and parental behaviors in many mammals?

Answer: Vasopressin. Also known as antidiuretic hormone, it promotes monogamous bonding and protective parental responses in animal models.

Flashcard 82: What is the most specific role of the dorsolateral PFC in social behavior?

Answer: Cognitive control and regulation of impulses in social contexts. Maintains goal-directed behavior despite social distractions.

Flashcard 83: What hormone is most associated with pair bonding, trust, and affiliation behaviors?

Answer: Oxytocin. "Love hormone" promotes social bonding and prosocial behaviors.

Flashcard 84: What is the hypothalamus's key role in social behavior and motivation?

Answer: Drives basic motivated behaviors and endocrine control. Links nervous and endocrine systems for homeostasis.

Flashcard 85: What is the prefrontal cortex's key role in regulating social behavior?

Answer: Executive control: inhibits impulses and supports decision-making. It oversees higher-order functions like planning and self-regulation, modulating impulsive reactions in interpersonal settings.

Flashcard 86: Which endocrine gland releases cortisol: adrenal medulla or adrenal cortex?

Answer: Adrenal cortex. Cortisol, a glucocorticoid, is produced in the outer layer of the adrenal gland as part of the sustained stress response.

Flashcard 87: Identify the concept: selection that favors traits increasing mating success, even if costly to survival.

Answer: Sexual selection. Evolution of traits that attract mates despite survival costs.

Flashcard 88: Which division of the autonomic nervous system supports "rest-and-digest" and calming?

Answer: Parasympathetic nervous system. Promotes social engagement and recovery from stress.

Flashcard 89: What is the main effect of oxytocin on social behavior that is commonly tested on the MCAT?

Answer: Promotes social bonding, trust, and attachment-related behaviors. Released during childbirth/nursing; enhances in-group favoritism.

Flashcard 90: What is cortisol's primary role in the stress response relevant to behavior?

Answer: Mobilizes energy and modulates arousal/attention. Increases glucose availability and heightens alertness.

Flashcard 91: What is the primary social-behavioral effect of cortisol release?

Answer: Mediates stress response; can increase vigilance and withdrawal. Chronic elevation impairs social cognition and increases anxiety.

Flashcard 92: What is the key distinction between kin selection and reciprocal altruism?

Answer: Kin selection: helps relatives; reciprocal altruism: helps nonkin with expected return. Kin share genes; reciprocal requires future benefit.

Flashcard 93: What is the hippocampus's primary function relevant to social behavior research?

Answer: Formation of declarative memories, including contextual information. It encodes episodic memories with spatial and temporal details, supporting recall of social experiences for adaptive behavior.

Flashcard 94: What is the definition of inclusive fitness in evolutionary explanations of social behavior?

Answer: Total genetic success via own offspring plus aiding relatives' reproduction. Maximizes gene copies through direct and indirect means.

Flashcard 95: What hormone is most associated with social dominance motivation and aggression-linked behaviors?

Answer: Testosterone. Androgen that increases competitive and status-seeking behaviors.

Flashcard 96: What is the primary social function of the insula?

Answer: Interoception and disgust/empathy-related affective processing. Processes bodily sensations linked to social emotions.

Flashcard 97: What is the key social function of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)?

Answer: Conflict monitoring and social pain (rejection-related distress). Activates when detecting conflicts and experiencing social exclusion.

Flashcard 98: What is the mirror neuron system hypothesized to support in social behavior?

Answer: Imitation and understanding others' actions. Neurons fire both when performing and observing actions.

Flashcard 99: What is the primary social function of the amygdala in human behavior?

Answer: Processing emotional salience, especially fear and threat-related social cues. Rapidly detects threats to trigger fight-or-flight responses.

Flashcard 100: What neurotransmitter is most associated with mood regulation and impulse control?

Answer: Serotonin. It modulates neural circuits involved in emotional stability and behavioral inhibition, influencing aggression and social withdrawal.