MCAT 2024 Exam - Dates, Registration, Syllabus, Admit Card, Result

Chemical and physical foundations of biological systems: Unit 01

• Translational motion (PHY): Units and dimensions, vectors, components, vector addition, speed, velocity (average and instantaneous), acceleration
• Force (PHY): Newton’s first law, inertia, Newton’s second law (F= ma), Newton’s third law, forces equal and opposite, friction, static and kinetic, center of mass
• Equilibrium (PHY): Vector analysis of forces acting on a point object, torques, lever arms
• Work (PHY): Work done by a constant force: W= Fdcosθ, mechanical advantage, work kinetic energy theorem, conservative forces
• Energy of point object systems (PHY): Kinetic energy: KE= ½mv; units, potential energy, PE =mgh (gravitational, local), PE= ½kx (spring), conservation of energy, power, units
• Periodic motion (PHY): Amplitude, frequency, phase, transverse and longitudinal waves: Wave length and propagation speed

Chemical and physical foundations of biological systems: Unit 02

• Fluids (PHY): Density, specific gravity, buoyancy, Archimedes’ principle, hydrostatic pressure: Pascal’s law, hydrostatic pressure; P= ρgh (pressure vs. depth), viscosity: Poiseuille flow, continuity equation (A∙v= constant)
• Fluids (PHY): Concept of turbulence at high velocities, surface tension, Bernoulli’s equation, Venturi effect, pitot tube
• Circulatory system (BIO): Arterial and venous systems; pressure and flow characteristics
• Gas phase (GC, PHY): Absolute temperature, K, Kelvin scale, pressure, simple mercury barometer, molar volume at 0°C and 1 atm = 22.4 L/mol, ideal gas: Definition, ideal gas law: PV= nRT, Boyle’s law: PV= constant, Charles’ law: V/T= constant
• Gas phase (GC, PHY): Ideal gas-Avogadro’s law: V/n= constant, kinetic molecular theory of gases: Heat capacity at constant volume and at constant pressure (PHY), Boltzmann’s constant (PHY), deviation of real gas behaviour from ideal gas law: Qualitative
• Gas phase (GC, PHY): Deviation of real gas behaviour from ideal gas law-quantitative (Van der Waals’ equation), partial pressure, mole fraction, Dalton’s law relating partial pressure to composition

Chemical and physical foundations of biological systems: Unit 03

• Electrostatics (PHY): Charge, conductors, charge conservation, insulators, Coulomb’s law, electric field E: Field lines, field due to charge distribution, electrostatic energy, electric potential at a point in space
• Circuit elements (PHY): Current I= ΔQ/Δt, sign conventions, units, electromotive force, voltage, resistance: Ohm’s law-I= V/R, resistors in series, resistors in parallel, resistivity: ρ= R•A/L, Capacitance: Parallel plate capacitor
• Circuit elements (PHY): Capacitance-energy of charged capacitor, capacitors in series, capacitors in parallel, dielectrics, conductivity: Metallic, electrolytic, meters
• Magnetism (PHY): Definition of magnetic field B, motion of charged particles in magnetic fields; Lorentz force
• Electrochemistry (GC): Electrolytic cell-electrolysis: Anode, cathode, electrolyte, Faraday’s law relating amount of elements deposited (or gas liberated) at an electrode to current, electron flow; oxidation and reduction at the electrodes
• Electrochemistry (GC): Galvanic or voltaic cells-half-reactions, reduction potentials; cell potential, direction of electron flow, concentration cell, batteries: Electromotive force, voltage, lead-storage batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries
• Specialized cell-nerve cell (BIO): Myelin sheath, Schwann cells, insulation of axon, nodes of Ranvier: Propagation of nerve impulse along axon

Chemical and physical foundations of biological systems: Unit 04

• Sound (PHY): Production of sound, relative speed of sound in solids, liquids, and gases, Intensity of sound, decibel units, log scale, attenuation (damping), Doppler effect: Moving sound source or observer,reflection of sound from a moving object, pitch
• Sound (PHY): Doppler effect-resonance in pipes and strings, ultrasound, shock waves
• Light, electromagnetic radiation (PHY): Concept of Interference; Young’s double-slit experiment, thin films, diffraction grating, single-slit diffraction, other diffraction phenomena, X-ray diffraction, polarization of light: Linear and circular
• Light, electromagnetic radiation (PHY): Properties of electromagnetic radiation-velocity equals constant c, in vacuo, electromagnetic radiation consists of perpendicularly oscillating electric and magnetic fields
• Light, electromagnetic radiation (PHY): Properties of electromagnetic radiation-direction of propagation is perpendicular to boths, classification of electromagnetic spectrum, photonenergy E = hf, visual spectrum, colour
• Molecular structure and absorption spectra (OC): Infrared region-intramolecular vibrations and rotations, recognizing common characteristic group absorptions, fingerprint region
• Molecular structure and absorption spectra (OC): Visible region (GC)-absorption in visible region gives complementary colour (e.g. carotene), effect of structural changes on absorption (e.g. indicators)
• Molecular structure and absorption spectra (OC): Ultraviolet region-π-Electron and nonbonding electron transitions, conjugated systems, NMR spectroscopy: Protons in a magnetic field; equivalent protons, spin-spin splitting
• Geometrical optics (PHY): Reflection from plane surface-angle of incidence equals angle of reflection, refraction, refractive index n; Snell’s law: nsin θ= nsin θ, dispersion, change of index of refraction with wavelength
• Geometrical optics (PHY): Conditions for total internal reflection, spherical mirrors: Center of curvature, focal length, real and virtual images, thin lenses: Converging and diverging lenses, use of formula 1/p+ 1/q= 1/f, with sign conventions
• Geometrical optics (PHY): Thin lenses-lens strength, diopters, combination of lenses, lens aberration, optical instruments, including the human eye

Chemical and physical foundations of biological systems: Unit 05

• Atomic nucleus (PHY, GC): Atomic number, atomic weight, neutrons, protons, isotopes, nuclear forces, binding energy, radioactive decay: α, β, γ decay, half-life, exponential decay, semi-log plots, mass spectrometer, mass spectroscopy
• Electronic structure (PHY, GC): Orbital structure of hydrogen atom, principal quantum number n, number of electrons perorbital (GC), ground state, excited states, absorption and emission line spectra, use of Pauli exclusion principle
• Electronic structure (PHY, GC): Paramagnetism and diamagnetism, conventional notation for electronic structure (GC), Bohr atom, Heisenberg uncertainty principle, effective nuclear charge (GC), photoelectric effect
• The periodic table-classification of elements into groups by electronic structure (GC): Alkali metals, alkaline earth metals: Their chemical characteristics, halogens: Their chemical characteristics
• The periodic table-classification of elements into groups by electronic structure (GC): Noble gases-their physical and chemical characteristics, transition metals, representative elements, metals and nonmetals, oxygen group
• The periodic table-variations of chemical properties with group and row (GC): Valence electrons, first and second ionization energy: Definition, prediction from electronic structure for elements in different groups or rows
• The periodic table-variations of chemical properties with group and row (GC): Electron affinity-definition, variation with group and row, electronegativity: Definition, comparative values for some representative elements and important groups
• The periodic table-variations of chemical properties with group and row (GC): Electron shells and the sizes of atoms, electron shells and the sizes ofions
• Stoichiometry (GC): Molecular weight, empirical vs.molecular formula, metric units commonly used in the context of chemistry, description of composition by percent mass, mole concept, Avogadro’s number NA, definition of density
• Stoichiometry (GC): Oxidation number-common oxidizing and reducing agents, disproportionation reactions, description of reactions by chemical equations: Conventions for writing chemical equations, balancing equations, including redox equations
• Stoichiometry (GC): Description of reactions by chemical equations-limiting reactants, theoretical yields

Chemical and physical foundations of biological systems: Unit 06

• Acid-base equilibria (GC, BC): Brønsted-Lowry definition of acid, base, ionization of water: Kw, its approximate value (Kw= [H+][OH–] = 10–14 at 25°C, 1 atm), definition of pH: pH of pure water, conjugate acids and bases (e.g., NH+and NH)
• Acid-base equilibria (GC, BC): Strong acids and bases (e.g.,nitric, sulfuric), weak acids and bases (e.g., acetic, benzoic): Dissociation of weak acids and bases with or without added salt, hydrolysis of salts of weak acids or bases
• Acid-base equilibria (GC, BC): Weak acids and bases (e.g., acetic, benzoic)-calculation of pH of solutions of salts of weak acids or bases, equilibrium constants Ka and Kb: pKa, pKb, buffers: Definition and concepts (common buffer systems)
• Acid-base equilibria (GC, BC): Buffers-influence on titration curves
• Ions in solutions (GC, BC): Anion, cation-common names, formulas, and charges for familiar ions (e.g., NH+ ammonium, PO- phosphate, SO2–sulfate), hydration, the hydronium ion
• Solubility (GC): Units of concentration (e.g. molarity), solubility product constant; the equilibrium expression Ksp, common-ion effect: its use in laboratory separations, complex ion formation, complex ions and solubility, solubility and pH
• Titration (GC): Indicators, neutralization, interpretation of the titration curves, redox titration

Chemical and physical foundations of biological systems: Unit 07

• Covalent bond (GC): Lewis electron dot formulas, resonance structures, formal charge, Lewis acids and bases, partial ionic character: Role of electro negativity in determining charge distribution, dipole moment
• Covalent bond (GC): σ and π bond-hybrid orbitals: sp, sp, sp,and respective geometries, valence shell electron pair repulsion and the prediction of shapes of molecules (e.g., NH, HO, CO)
• Covalent bond (GC): σ and π bond-structural formulas for molecules involving H, C, N, O, F, S, P, Si, Cl, delocalized electrons and resonance in ions and molecules, multiple bondin: Effect on bond length and bond energies, rigidity in molecular structure
• Covalent bond (GC): Stereochemistry of covalently bonded molecules(OC)-isomers: Structural isomers, stereoisomers (e.g. diastereomers, enantiomers, cis-transisomers), conformational isomers, polarization of light, specific rotation
• Covalent bond (GC): Absolute and relative configuration, conventions for writing R and S forms, conventions for writing E and Z forms
• Liquid phase-intermolecular forces (GC): Hydrogen bonding, dipole interactions, Van der Waals’ forces (London dispersion forces)

Chemical and physical foundations of biological systems: Unit 08

• Separations and purifications (OC, BC): Extraction-distribution of solute between two immiscible solvents, distillation, chromatography: Basic principles involved inseparation process, column chromatography: Gas-liquid chromatography
• Separations and purifications (OC, BC): Column chromatography-high-pressure liquid chromatography, paper chromatography, thin-layer chromatography: Separation and purification of peptides and proteins (BC)
• Separations and purifications (OC, BC): Electrophoresis, quantitative analysis, chromatography: Size-exclusion, ion-exchange, affinity, racemic mixtures, separation of enantiomers (OC)

Chemical and physical foundations of biological systems: Unit 09

• Nucleotides and nucleic acids (BC, BIO): Nucleotides and nucleosides-composition, sugar phosphate backbone, pyrimidine, purine residues, deoxyribonucleic acid: DNA; ribonucleic acid: RNA; double helix; RNA structures, chemistry (BC), other functions (BC)
• Amino acids, peptides, proteins (OC, BC): Amino acids-description: Absolute configuration at the α position, dipolar ions, classification: Acidic or basic, hydrophilic or hydrophobic, synthesis of α-amino acids (OC): Strecker synthesis, Gabriel synthesis
• Amino acids, peptides, proteins (OC, BC): Peptides and proteins-reactions, sulfur linkage for cysteine and cystine. peptide linkage: Polypeptides and proteins, hydrolysis (BC), general principles: Primary structure of proteins
• Amino acids, peptides, proteins (OC, BC): General principles-secondary structure of proteins, tertiary structure of proteins, isoelectric point
• The three-dimensional protein structure (BC): Conformational stability-hydrophobic interactions, solvation layer (entropy), quaternary structure, denaturing and folding
• Nonenzymatic protein function (BC): Binding, immune system, motor
• Lipids (BC, OC): Description, types, storage: Triacyl glycerols, free fatty acids: Saponification, structural: Phospholipids and phosphatids, sphingolipids (BC), waxes, signals, cofactors: Fat-soluble vitamins, steroids, prostaglandins (BC)
• Carbohydrates (OC): Description-nomenclature and classification, common names, absolute configuration, cyclic structure and conformations of hexoses, epimers and anomers, hydrolysis of the glycoside linkage, keto-enol tautomerism of monosaccharides
• Carbohydrates (OC): Disaccharides (BC), polysaccharides (BC)
• Aldehydes and ketones (OC): Description-nomenclature, physical properties, important reactions: Nucleophilic addition reactions at C=O bond-acetal, hemiacetal, imine, enamine, hydride reagents, cyanohydrin
• Aldehydes and ketones (OC): Important reactions-oxidation of aldehydes, reactions at adjacent positions: Enolatechemistry, Keto-enol tautomerism (α-racemization), Aldol condensation, retro-aldol, kinetic vs.thermodynamic enolate
• Aldehydes and ketones (OC): General principles, effect of substituents on reactivity of C=O; sterichindrance, acidity of α-H; carbanions
• Alcohols (OC): Description-nomenclature, physical properties (acidity, hydrogen bonding), important reactions: Oxidation, substitution reactions: SN1 or SN2, protection of alcohols, preparation of mesylates and tosylates
• Carboxylic acids (OC): Description-nomenclature, physical properties, important reactions: Carboxyl group reactions-amides (and lactam), esters (and lactone), anhydride formation, reduction, decarboxylation
• Carboxylic acids (OC): Important reactions-reactions at 2-position, substitution
• Acid derivatives (anhydrides, amides, esters) (OC): Description-nomenclature, physical properties, important reactions: Nucleophilic substitution, transesterification, hydrolysis of amides, general principles: Relative reactivity of acid derivatives
• Acid derivatives (anhydrides, amides, esters) (OC): General principles-steric effects, electronic effects, strain (e.g. β-lactams)
• Phenols (OC, BC): Oxidation and reduction (e.g. hydroquinones,ubiquinones): Biological 2e–redox centers
• Polycyclic and heterocyclic aromatic compounds (OC, BC): Biological aromatic heterocycles

Chemical and physical foundations of biological systems: Unit 10

• Enzymes (BC, BIO): Classification by reaction type, mechanism: Substrates and enzyme specificity, active-site model, induced-fit model, cofactors, coenzymes, and vitamins, kinetics: General (catalysis), Michaelis-Menten, cooperativity
• Enzymes (BC, BIO): Kinetics-effects of local conditions on enzyme activity, inhibition, regulatory enzymes: Allosteric, covalently modified
• Principles of bioenergetics (BC): Bioenergetics/ thermodynamics-free energy, Keq, concentration, phosphorylation/ ATP: ATP hydrolysis ΔG<< 0, ATP group transfers, biological oxidation-reduction: Half-reactions, soluble electron carriers, flavoproteins
• Energy changes in chemical reactions-thermochemistry, thermodynamics (GC, PHY): Thermodynamic system-state function, zeroth law-concept of temperature, first law-conservation of energy in thermodynamic processes
• Energy changes in chemical reactions-thermochemistry, thermodynamics (GC, PHY): PV diagram- work done = area under or enclosed by curve (PHY), second law-concept of entropy: Entropy as a measure of “disorder”
• Energy changes in chemical reactions-thermochemistry, thermodynamics (GC, PHY): Second law-concept of entropy: Relative entropy for gas, liquid, and crystal states, measurement of heat changes (calorimetry), heatcapacity, specific heat
• Energy changes in chemical reactions-thermochemistry, thermodynamics (GC, PHY): Heat transfer-conduction, convection, radiation (PHY), endothermic, exothermic reactions (GC): Enthalpy, H, and standard heats of reaction and formation
• Energy changes in chemical reactions-thermochemistry, thermodynamics (GC, PHY): Exothermic reactions (GC)-Hess’ law of heat summation, bond dissociation energy as related to heats offormation (GC), free energy: G (GC)
• Energy changes in chemical reactions-thermochemistry, thermodynamics (GC, PHY): Spontaneous reactions and ΔG° (GC), coefficient of expansion (PHY), heat of fusion, heat of vaporization, phase diagram: Pressure and temperature
• Rate processes in chemical reactions-kinetics and equilibrium (GC): Reaction rate, dependence of reaction rate on concentration of reactants, rate law, rate constant, reaction order

Psychological, social, and biological foundations of behaviour: Unit 01

• Sensory processing (PSY, BIO): Sensation-threshold, Weber’s law (PSY), signal detection theory (PSY), sensory adaptation, psychophysics, sensory receptors: Sensory pathways, types of sensory receptors
• Vision (PSY, BIO): Structure and function of the eye, visual processing: Visual pathways in the brain, parallel processing (PSY), feature detection (PSY)
• Hearing (PSY, BIO): Structure and function of the ear, auditory processing (e.g. auditory pathways in the brain), sensory reception by hair cells
• Other Senses (PSY, BIO): Somatosensation (e.g. pain perception), taste (e.g. taste buds (chemoreceptors) that detect specific chemicals), smell: Olfactory cells (chemoreceptors) that detect specific chemicals, pheromones (BIO)
• Other Senses (PSY, BIO): Smell-olfactory pathways in the brain (BIO), kinesthetic sense (PSY), vestibular sense
• Perception (PSY): Bottom-up/ top-down processing, perceptual organization (e.g. depth, form, motion, constancy), Gestalt principles

Psychological, social, and biological foundations of behaviour: Unit 02

• Attention (PSY): Selective attention, divided attention
• Cognition (PSY): Information-processing model, cognitive development: Piaget’s stages of, cognitive development, cognitive changes in late adulthood, role of culture in cognitive development, influence of heredity and environment on cognitive development
• Cognition (PSY): Biological factors that affect cognition (PSY, BIO), problem-solving and decision-making: Types of problem-solving, barriers to effective problem-solving, approaches to problem-solving
• Cognition (PSY): Problem-solving and decision-making-heuristics and biases (e.g. overconfidence, belief perseverance), intellectual functioning: Theories of intelligence, influence of heredity and environment on intelligence
• Cognition (PSY): Intellectual functioning-variations in intellectual ability
• Consciousness (PSY): States of consciousness-alertness (PSY, BIO), sleep: Stages of sleep, sleep cycles and changes to sleep cycles, sleep and circadian rhythms (PSY, BIO), dreaming, sleep-wake disorders, hypnosis and meditation
• Consciousness (PSY): Consciousness-altering drugs-types of consciousness-altering drugs and their effects on the nervous system and behaviour, drug addiction and the reward pathway in the brain
• Memory (PSY): Encoding-process of encoding information, processes that aid in encoding memories, storage: Types of memory storage (e.g. sensory, working, long-term), semantic networks and spreading activation
• Memory (PSY): Retrieval-recall, recognition, and relearning, retrieval cues, the role of emotion in retrieving memories (PSY,BIO), processes that aid retrieval, forgetting: Aging and memory
• Memory (PSY): Forgetting-memory dysfunctions (e.g. Alzheimer’s disease, Korsakoff’s syndrome), decay, interference, memory construction and source monitoring, changes in synaptic connections underlie memoryand learning (PSY, BIO): Neural plasticity
• Memory (PSY): Changes in synaptic connections underlie memoryand learning (PSY)-memory and learning, long-term potentiation
• Language (PSY): Theories of language development (e.g. learning, nativist, interactionist), influence of language on cognition, brain areas that control language and speech (PSY, BIO)

Psychological, social, and biological foundations of behaviour: Unit 03

• Emotion (PSY): Three components of emotion (i.e. cognitive, physiological, behavioral), universal emotions (i.e. fear, anger, happiness,surprise, joy, disgust, sadness), adaptive role of emotion, theories of emotion: James-Lange theory
• Emotion (PSY): Theories of emotion-Cannon-Bard theory, Schachter-Singer theory, the role of biological processes in perceiving emotion (PSY, BIO): Brain regions involved in the generation andexperience of emotions
• Emotion (PSY): The role of biological processes in perceiving emotion (PSY, BIO)-the role of the limbic system in emotion, emotion and the autonomic nervous system, physiological markers of emotion (signatures of emotion)
• Stress (PSY): The nature of stress, appraisal, different types of stressors (e.g. cataclysmic events, personal), effects of stress on psychological functions, stress outcomes, response to stressors: Physiological (PSY, BIO), emotional, behavioural
• Stress (PSY): Managing stress (e.g. exercise, relaxation, spirituality)

Psychological, social, and biological foundations of behaviour: Unit 04

• Biological bases of behaviour (PSY, BIO): The nervous system-neurons (e.g., the reflex arc), neurotransmitters, structure and function of the peripheral nervous system, structure and function of the central nervous system
• Biological bases of behaviour (PSY, BIO): The brain-forebrain, midbrain, hindbrain, lateralization of cortical functions, methods used in studying the brain, the spinal cord, neuronal communication and its influence on behaviour (PSY)
• Biological bases of behaviour (PSY, BIO): Influence of neurotransmitters on behaviour (PSY), the endocrine system: Components of the endocrine system, effects of the endocrine system on behaviour, Behavioral genetics: Genes, temperament, and heredity
• Biological bases of behaviour (PSY, BIO): Behavioral genetics-adaptive value of traits and behaviors, interaction between heredity and environmental influences
• Biological bases of behaviour (PSY, BIO): Influence of genetic and environmental factors on the development of behaviour-experience and behaviour (PSY), regulatory genes and behaviour (BIO), genetically based behavioural variation in natural populations
• Biological bases of behaviour (PSY, BIO): Human physiological development (PSY)-prenatal development, motor development, developmental changes in adolescence
• Personality (PSY): Theories of personality-psychoanalytic perspective, humanistic perspective, trait perspective, social cognitive perspective, biological perspective, behaviorist perspective, situational approach to explaining behaviour
• Psychological disorders (PSY): Understanding psychological disorders-biomedical vs. biopsychosocial approaches, classifying psychological disorders, rates of psychological disorders
• Psychological disorders (PSY): Types of psychological disorders-anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, trauma-and stressor-related disorders, somatic symptom and related disorders, bipolar and related disorders, depressive disorders
• Psychological disorders (PSY): Types of psychological disorders-Schizophrenia, dissociative disorders, personality disorders
• Psychological disorders (PSY): Biological bases of nervous system disorders (PSY,BIO)-Schizophrenia, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, stem cell-based therapy to regenerate neurons inthe central nervous system (BIO)
• Motivation (PSY): Factors that influence motivation, instinct, arousal, drives (e.g. negative-feedback systems) (PSY, BIO), needs, theories that explain how motivation affects human behaviour: Drive reduction theory, incentive theory
• Motivation (PSY): Theories that explain how motivation affects human behaviour-other theories (e.g. cognitive, need-based), biological and sociocultural motivators that regulate behaviour (e.g. hunger, sex drive, substance addiction)
• Attitudes (PSY): Components of attitudes (i.e. cognitive, affective, behavioral), the link between attitudes and behaviour: Processes by which behaviour influences attitudes (e.g. foot-in-the door phenomenon, role-playing effects)
• Attitudes (PSY): The link between attitudes and behaviour-processes by which attitudes influence behaviour, cognitive dissonance theory

Psychological, social, and biological foundations of behaviour: Unit 05

• How the presence of others affects individual behaviour (PSY): Social facilitation, deindividuation, Bystander effect, social loafing, social control (SOC), peer pressure (PSY, SOC), conformity (PSY, SOC), obedience (PSY, SOC)
• Group decision-making processes (PSY, SOC): Group polarization (PSY), group think
• Normative and nonnormative behaviour (SOC): Social norms (PSY, SOC), sanctions (SOC), folkways, mores, and taboos (SOC), anomie (SOC), deviance: Perspectives on deviance (e.g. differential association, labeling theory, strain theory)
• Normative and nonnormative behaviour (SOC): Aspects of collective behaviour (e.g. fads, masshysteria, riots)
• Socialization (PSY, SOC): Agents of socialization (e.g. the family, mass media, peers, workplace)

Psychological, social, and biological foundations of behaviour: Unit 06

• Habituation and dishabituation (PSY): Associative learning (PSY)-classical conditioning (PSY, BIO): Neutral, conditioned, and unconditioned stimuli, conditioned and unconditioned response, processes: Acquisition, extinction, spontaneous recovery
• Habituation and dishabituation (PSY): Associative learning (PSY)-classical conditioning (PSY, BIO): Processes-generalization, discrimination, operant conditioning (PSY, BIO): Processes of shaping and extinction, types of reinforcement: Positive, negative
• Habituation and dishabituation (PSY): Operant conditioning (PSY, BIO)-types of reinforcement: Primary, conditional, reinforcement schedules: Fixed-ratio, variable-ratio, fixed-interval, variable-interval, punishment, escape and avoidance learning
• Habituation and dishabituation (PSY): The role of cognitive processes in associative learning, biological processes that affect associative learning (e.g. biological predispositions, instinctive drift) (PSY, BIO)
• Observational learning (PSY): Modeling, biological processes that affect observational learning, mirror neurons, role of the brain in experiencing vicarious emotions, applications of observational learning to explain individual behaviour
• Theories of attitude and behaviour change (PSY): Elaboration likelihood model, social cognitive theory, factors that affect attitude change (e.g. changing behaviour, characteristics of the message and target, social factors)

Psychological, social, and biological foundations of behaviour: Unit 07

• Self-concept, self-identity, and social identity (PSY, SOC): The role of self-esteem, self-efficacy, and locus of control in self-concept and self-identity (PSY), different types of identities (e.g. race/ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, class)
• Formation of identity (PSY, SOC): Theories of identity development (e.g. gender, moral, psychosexual, social), influence of social factors on identity formation: Influence of individuals (e.g. imitation, looking-glass self, role-taking)
• Formation of identity (PSY, SOC): Influence of social factors on identity formation-influence of groups (e.g. reference group), influence of culture and socialization on identity formation

Psychological, social, and biological foundations of behaviour: Unit 08

• Attributing behaviour to persons or situations (PSY): Attributional processes (e.g. fundamental attribution error, role of culture in attributions), how self-perceptions shape our perceptions of others
• Attributing behaviour to persons or situations (PSY): How perceptions of the environment shape our perceptions of others
• Prejudice and bias (PSY, SOC): Processes that contribute to prejudice-power, prestige, and class (SOC), the role of emotion in prejudice (PSY), the role of cognition in prejudice (PSY), stereotypes, stigma (SOC)
• Prejudice and bias (PSY, SOC): Ethnocentrism (SOC)-ethnocentrism vs. cultural relativism
• Processes related to stereotypes (PSY): Self-fulfilling prophecy, stereotype threat
• Elements of social interaction (PSY, SOC): Status (SOC)-types of status (e.g. achieved, ascribed), role: Role conflict and role strain (SOC), role exit (SOC), groups: Primary and secondary groups (SOC), in-group vs. Out-group
• Elements of social interaction (PSY, SOC): Groups-group size (e.g. dyads, triads) (SOC), networks (SOC), organizations (SOC): Formal organization, bureaucracy: Characteristics of an ideal bureaucracy
• Elements of social interaction (PSY, SOC): Organizations (SOC)-bureaucracy: Perspectives on bureaucracy (e.g. iron law ofoligarchy, McDonaldization)
• Self-presentation and interacting with others (PSY, SOC): Expressing and detecting emotion-the role of gender in the expression and detection of emotion, the role of culture in the expression and detection of emotion
• Self-presentation and interacting with others (PSY, SOC): Presentation of self-impression management, front-stage vs. back-stage self (dramaturgical approach) (SOC), verbal and nonverbal communication, animal signals and communication (PSY, BIO)
• Social behaviour (PSY): Attraction, aggression, attachment, altruism, social support (PSY, SOC), biological explanations of social behaviour in animals (PSY, BIO): Foraging behaviour (BIO), mating behaviour and mate choice, applying game theory (BIO)
• Social behaviour (PSY): Biological explanations of social behaviour in animals (PSY, BIO)-altruism, inclusive fitness (BIO)
• Discrimination (PSY, SOC): Individual vs. institutional discrimination (SOC), the relationship between prejudice and discrimination, how power, prestige, and class facilitate discrimination (SOC)

Psychological, social, and biological foundations of behaviour: Unit 09

• Theoretical approaches (SOC): Microsociology vs. Macrosociology, functionalism, conflict theory, symbolic interactionism, social constructionism, exchange-rational choice, Feminist theory
• Social institutions (SOC): Education, hidden curriculum, teacher expectancy, educational segregation and stratification, family (PSY, SOC): Forms of kinship (SOC), diversity in family forms, marriage and divorce
• Social institutions (SOC): Family (PSY, SOC)-Violence in the family (e.g. child abuse, elderabuse, spousal abuse) (SOC), religion: Religiosity, types of religious organizations (e.g. churches, sects, cults)
• Social institutions (SOC): Religion-religion and social change (e.g. modernization, secularization, fundamentalism), government and economy: Power and authority, comparative economic and political systems, division of labour
• Social institutions (SOC): Health and medicine-medicalization, the sick role, delivery of health care, illness experience, social epidemiology
• Culture (PSY, SOC): Elements of culture (e.g. beliefs, language, rituals, symbols, values), material vs. symbolic culture (SOC), culture lag (SOC), culture shock (SOC), assimilation (SOC), multiculturalism (SOC), subcultures and countercultures (SOC)
• Culture (PSY, SOC): Mass media and popular culture (SOC), evolution and human culture (PSY, BIO), transmission and diffusion (SOC)

Psychological, social, and biological foundations of behaviour: Unit 10

• Demographic structure of society (PSY, SOC): Age-aging and the life course, age cohorts (SOC), social significance of aging, gender: Sex vs.gender, the social construction of gender (SOC), gender segregation (SOC)
• Demographic structure of society (PSY, SOC): Race and ethnicity (SOC)-the social construction of race, racialization, racial formation, immigration status (SOC): Patterns of immigration, intersections with race and ethnicity, sexual orientation
• Demographic shifts and social change (SOC): Theories of demographic change (e.g. Malthusian theory and demographic transition), population growth and decline (e.g. population projections, population pyramids)
• Demographic shifts and social change (SOC): Fertility, migration, and mortality-fertility and mortality rates (e.g. total, crude, age-specific), patterns in fertility and mortality, push and pull factors in migration
• Demographic shifts and social change (SOC): Social movements-relative deprivation, organization of social movements, movement strategies and tactics
• Demographic shifts and social change (SOC): Globalization-factors contributing to globalization (e.g. communication technology, economic interdependence), perspectives on globalization, social changes in globalization (e.g. civil unrest, terrorism)
• Demographic shifts and social change (SOC): Urbanization-industrialization and urban growth, suburbanization and urban decline, gentrification and urban renewal

Psychological, social, and biological foundations of behaviour: Unit 11

• Spatial inequality (SOC): Residential segregation, neighborhood safety and violence, environmental justice (location and exposure to health risks)
• Social class (SOC): Aspects of social stratification-social class and socioeconomic status, class consciousness and false consciousness, cultural capital and social capital, social reproduction, power, privilege, and prestige
• Social class (SOC): Aspects of social stratification-intersectionality (e.g. race, gender, age), socioeconomic gradient in health, global inequalities, patterns of social mobility: Intergenerational and intragenerational mobility
• Social class (SOC): Patterns of social mobility-vertical and horizontal mobility, meritocracy

Scientific inquiry and reasoning skills: Unit 01

• Demonstrate understanding of scientific concepts and principles
• Identify the relationships between closely-related concepts

Scientific inquiry and reasoning skills: Unit 02

• Reason about scientific principles, theories, and models
• Analyzing and evaluating scientific explanations and predictions

Scientific inquiry and reasoning skills: Unit 03

• Demonstrate understanding of important components of scientific research
• Reason about ethical issues in research

Scientific inquiry and reasoning skills: Unit 04

• Interpret patterns in data presented in tables, figures, and graphs
• Reasoning about data and drawing conclusions from them

Critical analysis and reasoning skills: Unit 01

• Humanities: Passages in the humanities are drawn from a variety of disciplines, including (but not limited to): Architecture, art, dance, ethics, literature, music, philosophy, popular culture, religion, theater, studies of diverse cultures
• Social sciences: Social sciences passages are also drawn from a variety of disciplines, including (but not limited to): Anthropology, archaeology, economics, education, geography, history, linguistics, political science, population health
• Social sciences: Social sciences passages are also drawn from a variety of disciplines, including (but not limited to): Psychology, sociology, studies of diverse cultures