MCAT Behavioral Sciences Question 216: Answer and Explanation

Home > MCAT Test > MCAT behavioral sciences practice tests

Test Information

Question: 216

6. A doctor does a check up on a 40-year-old patient and talks to him in a serious and professional manner. A few moments later, the same doctor goes to a different room to do a routine check up on a 5-year-old patient. The doctor makes funny faces throughout the check-up in order to make the patient laugh. This scenario is most closely related to which concept?

  • A. Deviance
  • B. Impression management
  • C. Conflict theory
  • D. Symbolic interactionism

Correct Answer: B

Explanation:

Impression management is the concept of expressing parts of one's self, depending on the person on the receiving end of the interaction. The doctor conveys this by acting differently towards the 40-year-old patient and the 5-year-old patient (choice B is correct). Deviance occurs when an individual is violating social norms. It is socially acceptable for the doctor to act professional with the adult and silly with the child (choice A is wrong). Conflict theory is the belief that inequality exists due to an uneven distribution of power and resources in society; this theory is unrelated to the scenario described in the question (choice C is wrong). Symbolic interactionism describes the way people interact and respond towards others based on how the individual interprets the interaction itself. The interpretation of social symbols are usually defined through the individual's own social process. In comparison to impression management, symbolic interactionism is not most closely related to the scenario and does not fully explain the doctor's differing behaviors between the two patients (choice D is wrong).

Previous       Next