Psych/Soc Series: Social Movement, Classes, and More

Session 87

Our last week of the Psych/Soc content is here. This week we dive more into sociology and talk about social movements, socioeconomics and more.

Check out all our other podcasts on MedEd Media, especially The Premed Years Podcast where we talk about MCAT, writing your personal statement, preparing for interviews, applications in general. We also talk to a lot of motivating and inspiring premed, medical students, and physicians, including some Deans of Admissions.

Back to today’s episode, this is the fourth and final week of your psych/soc block here, specifically covering more on Sociology this week. Again, we’re joined by Blueprint MCAT (formerly Next Step Test Prep)‘s Bryan Schnedeker.

[02:10] Proactive Social Movement

Question 2: Which of these situations best exemplifies a proactive social movement?

(A) A large number of middle aged men who often organized in attempt to ban women from voting in federal elections.
(B) Over 10,000 high school students across the nation who campaign for gender neutral bathrooms in their institutions.
(C) A coalition that has a goal of preventing the expansion of green energy programs in the United States.
(D) More than one of the above

Bryan’s Insights:

First off, Bryan explains that these kinds of questions are much more meant for “drill and kill” content repetition. You’ll see answer choices like A, B, and C. So there are some answer choices that are not as common in the AAMC but are specifically designed to make you think super carefully about the content. So he goes on to say that “more than one of the above” just means, between A, B, and C, it’s two or all three of them are true.

Bryan explains that social movement is literally any time a group of two or more people attempt to create or resist change in the society. It could be any change, ex. how we change electricity or elect our representatives, any social change.

The key here is to know between proactive versus reactive. Proactive is pushing for change while reactive is opposing change. So answer choices A and C, would be pretty reactive as you’re trying to roll back a hundred years of progress. Then (C) trying to prevent green energy is again opposing change. While B is a proactive one.

As you go over your practice test, it’s important that you look at the ones you got right as well.

[05:53] Social Capital

Question: An individual who’s a member of a lower socio economic class is likely to:

Have strong ties but a smaller network connection
Have weak ties and a larger network connection

III. Have less social capital since he or she exists in a smaller network of people

Have less social capital since he or she exists in a larger network of people

(A) I
(B) II
(C) I and III
(D) II and IV

Bryan’s Insights:

Social capital is the additional status you gain beyond just your money. It’s the people that you know have actual value when it comes to your social status. In this case, those on a lower socio economic class, you’re going to have less social capital compared to having a high social capital. If you know doctors, you could shadow them easily and that gives you good shadowing experience on your medical school application. So it’s not money, but it have value.

It’s harder for somebody with a lower socio economic class who doesn’t know any doctors. So they have less social capital.

For this question, certainly III has to be true. Just by the definition of it, III has got to be true. Now, this is a classic MCAT reasoning, we just reasoned out that III was true and we’re done. So on the MCAT, don’t do more work than you have to.

[08:24] Cultural Capital

Question 8: Cultural capital can include:

I.Educational degrees or certifications

Networking connections gained from membership in a fraternity

III. Public speaking ability

Retirement and college funds

(A) I and II
(B) I and III
(C) II, III, and IV
(D) I, II, III, and IV

Bryan’s Insights:

Number II is social capital, not cultural capital so this is definitely out. Obviously, the answer here is (B). You didn’t even have to know what cultural capital was. You just have to know that networking is social capital.

Capital refers to the resources that can help you determine your status in a society. And one resource is who you know. So that’s social capital. Additionally, knowledge and facility with the culture that you move in. Your vocabulary is part of your cultural capital, not capital or people. It’s just a piece of paper that helps to save your status in American status. So (A) is the classic example social capital. Things like really good fashion sense, or how to dress for the appropriate number you’re i is another example of social capital where you can clearly communicate your status.

[12:28] About Blueprint MCAT (formerly Next Step Test Prep)

Go back to Session 84 where started the first of this series. Next week we’re tackling four weeks of Physics where a block in the middle covers something different.

If you’re struggling with your MCAT prep, go talk to Blueprint MCAT (formerly Next Step Test Prep) and see how a tutor may or not help you in your test preparation. They offer online tutoring online or in-person.But wherever you are, a tutor can help you.

Use the promo code MCATPOD to save some money upon checkout.