MCAT Behavioral Sciences Question 215: Answer and Explanation
Home > MCAT Test > MCAT behavioral sciences practice tests
Test Information
- Use your browser's back button to return to your test results.
- Do more MCAT behavioral sciences practice tests.
Question: 215
5. A researcher randomly surveys people asking them how they found out about their most recent job, either through an acquaintance or through a close friend. The researcher concluded that the results proved the social network theory, which suggests:
- A. more respondents found their jobs from an acquaintance rather than a close friend.
- B. more respondents found their jobs from a close friend rather than an acquaintance.
- C. half of the respondents found their jobs from an acquaintance while the other half of the respondents found their jobs from a close friend.
- D. a majority of respondents found their jobs on their own.
Correct Answer: A
Explanation:
The social network theory posits that people's networks are important and necessary for the spread of ideas and resources; there is much strength in weak ties because weak ties allow the sharing of new resources to a vast network. It is more likely for participants to find jobs through an acquaintance (weak tie) compared to a close friend (strong tie; choice A is correct). Although having strong ties has an advantage to people's networks, there is a sense of redundancy with the information and resources provided; generally people's strong ties have information that the person is already aware of since they are a part of the same cluster (choice B is wrong). Since the researcher concluded that the results "proved the social network theory," it wouldn't make sense for the results to be half and half (choice C is wrong), nor would it make sense that most respondents found their jobs on their own (choice D is wrong).