The Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behaviour Section

Medical schools only accept the best candidates, but you’ll need competitive MCAT scores in each section just to be considered, before you can show that you are the best. So find the best way to study.

Study smart. Begin by breaking down the MCAT into its four component sections, understanding the content and structure, and developing study strategies for each. The MCAT has four major sections. The Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behaviour is one of the three science-based sections.

Topics

The topics covered in this section include psychology, sociology and biology.

Questions and question Style

This section has 59 questions in total. There will be 10 passages, with 44 passage based questions, and 15 stand-alone questions.

Time

You’ll be given 95 minutes to complete this section.

Time per Question

You have, on average, 96.6 seconds per question.

What skills it tests for

This section tests the following:

• Scientific reasoning
• Critical thinking
• Science knowledge
• Data interpretation
• Calculations

What this section tests, specifically

This section is composed of the following question types: psychology (65%), sociology (30%), and biology (5%).

This section tests your knowledge and use of the concepts in psychology, sociology, biology, research methods, and statistics that provide a solid foundation for learning in medical school about the behavioural and social-cultural determinants of health and health outcomes.

You will be tested on your knowledge of the ways in which psychological, social, and biological factors influence perceptions and reactions to the world; behaviour, and behaviour change; what people think about themselves and others; and the cultural and social differences that influence wellbeing. The passages in this section are also designed to test concepts in statistics and research methods, so most will be based on experiments and data.

The 5% of this section that is devoted to biology is limited to areas of biology most relevant to behaviour and mental processes. The bulk of this consists of the structure and function of sensory organs and the nervous system, but it also includes the biological causes and effects of stress, psychological disorders, and other psychological phenomena.

How to prepare for this section

You should start by revising the material, but you should also make sure that you practice MCAT-type questions. Tackle as many practice tests as you can so that you become accustomed to the devious MCAT multiple choice questions. Take as many timed practice tests as you can so that you train yourself to deal with the time restraints.

How to prepare for the MCAT, in general

You need to prepare the material, and prepare yourself for the test itself. Visit our Expert Instructors page to learn how the qualified instructors can help you prepare for all the sections of the MCAT.