A Road Map to MCAT® Content in Sociology and Psychology Textbooks
A Road Map to MCAT® Content in Sociology and Psychology TextbooksPrepare for the MCAT® exam with this official Road Map to MCAT Content in Sociology and Psychology Textbooks.
We reached out to publishers of sociology and psychology textbooks and asked them to identify where the foundational concepts and content categories tested on the MCAT exam can be found within their textbooks. Four textbooks are included in this resource, and two others will be added soon. We will update it as we hear from publishers of other textbooks.
Disclaimer
All references to the textbook and corresponding content information were self-reported by the publishers. The AAMC has not verified the information for accuracy or relevance. This information is not intended to prescribe a program of study for the MCAT exam, promote a textbook, or guarantee success on the exam.
Invitation to Textbook Publishers
If you are a publisher of an introductory textbook on sociology or psychology and would like to add your publication and information to this reference document, please email mcatprep@aamc.org.
Textbooks Included in the Road Map
Textbooks Included in the Road MapMapping included in this road map:
| Textbook | Link |
|---|---|
| Ballantine JH, Roberts KA, Korgen KO. Our Social World. 7th ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.; 2020. | https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/our-social-world/book259286 |
| Cragun RT, Cragun DL, Konieczny P. Introduction to Sociology. Wikibooks; 2012. | Free and open access: http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Introduction_to_Sociology |
| Myers DG, DeWall CN. Exploring Psychology., 11th ed. New York, NY: Worth Publishers; 2019. | https://www.macmillanlearning.com/college/us/product/Exploring-Psychology/p/1319104193 |
| Newman DM. Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life. 13th ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.; 2021. | https://edge.sagepub.com/newman13e |
Mapping coming soon:
| Textbook | Link |
|---|---|
| Spielman RM, et al. Psychology. Open Stax. Rice University; 2014. | Free and open access: https://openstax.org/details/books/psychology |
| Griffiths H, et al. Introduction to Sociology 2e. Open Stax. Rice University; 2020. | Free and open access: https://openstax.org/details/books/introduction-sociology-2e |
Foundational Concept 6
Foundational Concept 6Foundational Concept 6: Biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors influence the ways that individuals perceive, think about, and react to the world.
The ways we sense, perceive, think about, and react to stimuli affect our experiences. Foundational concept 6 focuses on these components of experience, starting with the initial detection and perception of stimuli through cognition and continuing to emotion and stress.
Content Categories
- Category 6A focuses on the detection and perception of sensory information.
- Category 6B focuses on cognition, including our ability to attend to the environment, think about and remember what we experience, and use language to communicate with others.
- Category 6C focuses on how we process and experience emotion and stress.
With these building blocks, medical students will be able to learn about the ways cognitive and perceptual processes influence their understanding of health and illness.
Content Category 6A: Sensing the Environment
Content Category 6A: Sensing the EnvironmentPsychological, sociocultural, and biological factors affect our sensation and perception of the world. All sensory processing begins with first detecting a stimulus in the environment through sensory cells, receptors, and biological pathways.
After collecting sensory information, we then interpret and make sense of it. Although sensation and perception are distinct functions, they are both influenced by psychological, social, and biological factors and therefore become almost indistinguishable in practice. This complexity is illuminated by examining human sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell.
The content in this category covers sensation and perception across all human senses.
| Topic | Our Social World | Introduction to Sociology | Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life | Exploring Psychology |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Sensory Processing (PSY, BIO):
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NA | NA | NA |
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Vision (PSY, BIO)
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NA | NA | NA |
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Hearing (PSY, BIO)
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NA | NA | NA |
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Other Senses (PSY, BIO)
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NA | NA | NA |
|
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Perception (PSY)
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NA | NA | NA |
|
Content Category 6B: Making sense of the environment
Content Category 6B: Making sense of the environmentThe way we think about the world depends on our awareness, thoughts, knowledge, and memories. It is also influenced by our ability to solve problems, make decisions, form judgments, and communicate. Psychological, sociocultural, and biological influences determine the development and use of these different yet convergent processes.
Biological factors underlie the mental processes that create our reality, shape our perception of the world, and influence the way we perceive and react to every aspect of our lives.
The content in this category covers critical aspects of cognition ― including consciousness, cognitive development, problem-solving and decision-making, intelligence, memory, and language.
|
Topic |
Our Social World | Introduction to Sociology | Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life | Exploring Psychology |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Attention (PSY)
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NA | NA | NA |
|
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Cognition (PSY)
|
NA | NA | NA |
|
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Consciousness (PSY)
|
NA | NA |
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Memory (PSY)
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NA | NA | NA |
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Language (PSY)
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NA | NA |
|
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Content Category 6C: Responding to the World
Content Category 6C: Responding to the WorldWe experience a barrage of environmental stimuli throughout the course of our lives. In many cases, environmental stimuli trigger physiological responses, such as an elevated heart rate, increased perspiration, or heightened feelings of anxiety. How we perceive and interpret these physiological responses is complex and influenced by psychological, sociocultural, and biological factors.
Emotional responses, such as feelings of happiness, sadness, anger, or stress, are often born out of our interpretation of this interplay of physiological responses. Our experience with emotions and stress not only affects our behavior, but also shapes our interactions with others.
The content in this category covers the basic components and theories of emotion and their underlying psychological, sociocultural, and biological factors. It also addresses stress, stress outcomes, and stress management.
| Topic | Our Social World | Introduction to Sociology | Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life | Exploring Psychology |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Emotion (PSY)
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NA | NA |
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Stress (PSY)
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NA | NA | NA |
|
Foundational Concept 7
Foundational Concept 7Foundational Concept 7: Biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors influence behavior and behavior change.
Human behavior is complex and often surprising, differing across individuals in the same situation and within an individual across different situations. A full understanding of human behavior requires knowledge of the interplay between psychological, sociocultural, and biological factors related to behavior. This interplay has important implications for the way we behave and the likelihood of behavior change.
Foundational Concept 7 focuses on individual and social determinants of behavior and behavior change.
Content Categories:
- Category 7A focuses on the individual psychological and biological factors that affect behavior.
- Category 7B focuses on how social factors, such as groups and social norms, affect behavior.
- Category 7C focuses on how learning affects behavior, as well as the role of attitude theories in behavior and behavior change.
With these building blocks, medical students will be able to learn how behavior can either support health or increase risk for disease.
Content Category 7A: Individual influences on behavior
Content Category 7A: Individual influences on behaviorA complex interplay of psychological and biological factors shapes behavior. Biological structures and processes serve as the pathways by which bodies carry out activities. They also affect predispositions to behave in certain ways, shape personalities, and influence the likelihood of developing psychological disorders. Psychological factors also affect behavior and, consequently, health and well-being.
The content in this category covers biological bases of behavior, including the effect of genetics and how the nervous and endocrine systems affect behavior. It also addresses how personality, psychological disorders, motivation, and attitudes affect behavior. Some of these topics are learned in the context of nonhuman animal species.
| Topic | Our Social World | Introduction to Sociology | Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life | Exploring Psychology |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Biological Bases of Behavior (PSY, BIO)
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NA | NA |
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Personality (PSY)
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NA | NA | NA |
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Psychological Disorders (PSY)
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NA | NA |
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Motivation (PSY)
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NA | NA | NA |
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Attitudes (PSY)
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NA | NA | NA |
|
Content Category 7B: Social processes that influence human behavior
Content Category 7B: Social processes that influence human behaviorMany social processes influence human behavior; in fact, the mere presence of other individuals can influence our behavior. Groups and social norms also exert influence over our behavior. Oftentimes, social processes influence our behavior through unwritten rules that define acceptable and unacceptable behavior in society.
Our understanding of groups and social norms is learned through the process of socialization. What we learn about the groups and society to which we belong affects our behavior and influences our perceptions and interactions with others.
The content in this category covers how the presence of others, group decision-making processes, social norms, and socialization shape our behavior.
| Topic | Our Social World | Introduction to Sociology | Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life | Exploring Psychology |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
How the Presence of Others Affects Individual Behavior (PSY)
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NA |
NA |
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Group Decision-making Processes (PSY, SOC)
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NA | Groups | NA |
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Normative and Nonnormative Behavior (SOC)
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Deviance |
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Socialization (PSY, SOC)
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Socialization |
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Content Category 7C: Attitude and behavior change
Content Category 7C: Attitude and behavior changeLearning is a relatively permanent change in behavior brought about by experience. There are a number of different types of learning, which include habituation as well as associative, observational, and social learning.
Although people can learn new behaviors and change their attitudes, psychological, environmental, and biological factors influence whether those changes will be short-term or long-term. Understanding how people learn new behaviors and change their attitudes and which conditions affect learning helps us understand behavior and our interactions with others.
The content in this category covers learning and theories of attitude and behavior change. This includes the elaboration likelihood model and social cognitive theory.
| Topic | Our Social World | Introduction to Sociology | Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life | Exploring Psychology |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Habituation and Dishabituation (PSY) |
NA | NA | NA |
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Associative Learning (PSY)
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NA | NA | NA |
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Observational Learning (PSY)
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NA | NA | NA |
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Theories of Attitude and Behavioral Change (PSY)
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NA | NA | NA |
|
Foundational Concept 8
Foundational Concept 8Foundational Concept 8: Psychological, sociocultural, and biological factors influence the way we think about ourselves and others, as well as how we interact with others.
The connection between how people think about themselves and others is complex and affects social interactions. The interplay between thoughts about ourselves, thoughts about others, and our biology has important implications for our sense of self and interpersonal relationships.
Foundational Concept 8 focuses on the physical, cognitive, and social components of our identity, as well as how these components influence the way we think about and interact with others.
Content Categories:
- Category 8A focuses on the notion of self and identity formation.
- Category 8B focuses on the attitudes and beliefs that affect social interaction.
- Category 8C focuses on the actions and processes underlying social interactions. With these building blocks, medical students will be able to learn how to communicate and collaborate with patients and other members of the health care team.
Content Category 8A: Self Identity
Content Category 8A: Self IdentityThe self refers to the thoughts and beliefs we have about ourselves. Our notion of self is complex and multifaceted. It includes gender, racial, and ethnic identities, as well as beliefs about our ability to accomplish tasks and exert control over different situations.
Our notion of self develops over time and is shaped by a variety of factors, including society, culture, individuals and groups, and our unique experiences. How we view ourselves influences our perceptions of others and, by extension, our interactions with them.
The content in this category covers the notions of self-concept and identity, along with the role of self-esteem, self-efficacy, and locus of control in the development of self-concept. Identity formation, including developmental stages and the social factors that affect identity formation, is also covered here. Theories are included to provide historical context for the field of identity formation.
| Topic | Our Social World | Introduction to Sociology | Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life | Exploring Psychology |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Self Concept, Self-identity, and Social Identity (PSY, SOC)
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Groups |
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Formation of Identity (PSY, SOC)
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Groups |
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Content Category 8B: Social Thinking
Content Category 8B: Social ThinkingSocial thinking refers to the ways we view others and our environment, as well as how we interpret others’ behaviors. A variety of factors — personality, environment, and culture — factor into the beliefs and attitudes we develop.
Our beliefs and attitudes about others and the environment also shape the way we interact with each other. To interact with others, we need to interpret different aspects of a situation, including our perception of ourselves, the behavior of others, and the environment.
The content in this category covers our attitudes about others and how those attitudes develop, including how perceptions of culture and environment affect attributions of behavior. It also covers how our attitudes about different groups — prejudice, stereotypes, stigma, and ethnocentrism — may influence our interactions with group members.
| Topic | Our Social World | Introduction to Sociology | Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life | Exploring Psychology |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Attributing Behavior to Persons or Situations (PSY)
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NA | NA | NA |
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Prejudice and Bias (PSY, SOC)
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Race and Ethnicity |
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Processes Related to Stereotypes (PSY)
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NA |
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Content Category 8C: Social Interactions
Content Category 8C: Social InteractionsHumans are social beings by nature. Though the sentiment is simple, the actions and processes underlying and shaping our social interactions are not.
The changing nature of social interaction is important for understanding the mechanisms and processes through which people interact with each other, both individually and within groups. A variety of factors — environment, culture, and biology — affect how we present ourselves to others and how we treat them. For example, perceptions of prejudice and stereotypes can lead to acts of discrimination, whereas positive attitudes about others can lead to the provision of help and social support.
The content in this category covers the mechanisms of self-presentation and social interaction including expressing and detecting emotion, impression management, communication, the biological underpinning of social behavior, and discrimination.
| Topic | Our Social World | Introduction to Sociology | Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life | Exploring Psychology |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Elements of Social Interaction (PSY, SOC)
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Groups |
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Self-Presentation and Interacting with Others (PSY, SOC)
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NA | Groups |
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Social Behavior (PSY)
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NA | Groups | NA |
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Discrimination (PSY, SOC)
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Race and Ethnicity |
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Foundational Concept 9
Foundational Concept 9Foundational Concept 9: Cultural and social differences influence well-being
Social structure and demographic factors influence people’s health and well-being. Knowledge about basic sociological theories, social institutions, culture, and demographic characteristics of societies is important to understand how these factors shape people’s lives and their daily interactions.
Foundational Concept 9 focuses on social variables and processes that influence our lives.
Content Categories:
- Category 9A focuses on the link between social structures and human interactions.
- Category 9B focuses on the demographic characteristics and processes that define a society.
With these building blocks, medical students will be able to learn about the ways patients’ social and demographic backgrounds influence their perception of health and disease, the health care team, and therapeutic interventions.
Content Category 9A: Understanding Social Structure
Content Category 9A: Understanding Social StructureSocial structure organizes all human societies. Elements of social structure include social institutions and culture. These elements are linked in a variety of ways and shape our experiences and interactions with others — a process that is reciprocal.
The content in this category provides a foundation for understanding social structure and the various forms of interactions within and among societies. It includes theoretical approaches to studying society and social groups, specific social institutions relevant to student preparation for medical school, and the construct of culture.
| Topic | Our Social World | Introduction to Sociology | Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life | Exploring Psychology |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Theoretical Approaches (SOC)
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Sociological Theory |
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Social Institutions (SOC)
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Economy |
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Culture (PSY, SOC)
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Culture |
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Content Category 9B: Demographic characteristics and processes
Content Category 9B: Demographic characteristics and processesTo understand the structure of a society, it is important to understand the demographic characteristics and processes that define it. Knowledge of the demographic structure of societies and an understanding of how societies change help us comprehend the distinct processes and mechanisms through which social interaction occurs.
The content in this category covers the important demographic variables at the core of understanding societies and includes concepts related to demographic shifts and social change.
| Topic | Our Social World | Introduction to Sociology | Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life | Exploring Psychology |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Demographic Structure of Society (PSY, SOC)
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Demographic Shifts and Social Change (SOC)
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Demography |
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NA |
Foundational Concept 10
Foundational Concept 10Foundational Concept 10: Social stratification and access to resources influence well-being.
Social stratification and inequality affect all human societies and shape the lives of all individuals by affording privileges to some and positioning others at a disadvantage. Foundational Concept 10 focuses on the aspects of social inequality that influence how we interact with one another, as well as how we approach our health and the health care system.
Content Categories:
- Category 10A focuses on a broad understanding of social class, including theories of stratification, social mobility, and poverty. With these building blocks, medical students will be able to learn about the ways social and economic factors can affect access to care and the probability of maintaining health and recovering from disease.
Content Category 10A: Social inequality
Content Category 10A: Social inequalityBarriers to access to institutional resources exist for the segment of the population that is disenfranchised or lacks power within a given society. Barriers to access might include language, geographic location, socioeconomic status, immigration status, and racial/ethnic identity. Institutionalized racism and discrimination are also factors that prevent some groups from obtaining equal access to resources. An understanding of the barriers to access to institutional resources, informed by perspectives such as social justice, is essential to address health and health care disparities.
The content in this category covers spatial inequality, the structure and patterns of social class, and health disparities in relation to class, race/ ethnicity, and gender.
| Topic | Our Social World | Introduction to Sociology | Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life | Exploring Psychology |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Spatial Inequality (SOC)
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Human Ecology and Environment |
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Social Class (SOC)
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Stratification |
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NA |
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Health Disparities (SOC) (e.g., class, gender, race inequalities in health) |
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Health and Medicine |
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NA |
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Health Care Disparities (SOC) (e.g., class, gender, race inequalities in health care) |
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Health and Medicine |
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NA |