NBME Behavioral Science 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient newly diagnosed with terminal cancer angrily blames her physician for missing the diagnosis earlier. According to Kübler-Ross, which stage of grief is she most likely experiencing?
- Denial
- Anger (Correct answer)
- Bargaining
- Depression
Correct answer: Anger
Anger is the second stage of Kübler-Ross grief, often directed at caregivers or loved ones.
Question 2: A man who harbors unconscious hostility toward his boss instead becomes overly kind and complimentary toward him. This defense mechanism is best described as:
- Projection
- Displacement
- Reaction formation (Correct answer)
- Sublimation
Correct answer: Reaction formation
Reaction formation converts an unacceptable impulse into its opposite conscious behavior.
Question 3: A student studies harder after failing a quiz to avoid receiving a failing grade for the course. This best illustrates:
- Positive reinforcement
- Negative reinforcement (Correct answer)
- Punishment
- Extinction
Correct answer: Negative reinforcement
Negative reinforcement increases a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus (the threat of failing).
Question 4: A screening test for disease X has a sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 80%. If a patient tests negative, the most useful statistic for counseling them is:
- Sensitivity
- Specificity
- Positive predictive value
- Negative predictive value (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Negative predictive value
Negative predictive value (NPV) tells you the probability that a person with a negative test truly does not have the disease.
Question 5: In a town of 10,000 people, 200 have diabetes at the start of the year and 50 new cases are diagnosed during that year. What is the incidence of diabetes in that year?
- 2%
- 0.5% (Correct answer)
- 2.5%
- 5%
Correct answer: 0.5%
Incidence = new cases / population at risk = 50 / (10,000 − 200) = 50/9,800 ≈ 0.51%.
Question 6: A physician attributes his own feelings of attraction toward a patient onto that patient, believing the patient is attracted to him. This defense mechanism is:
- Rationalization
- Projection (Correct answer)
- Identification
- Splitting
Correct answer: Projection
Projection involves attributing one's own unacceptable feelings or impulses to another person.
Question 7: An infant consistently seeks proximity to a caregiver when distressed and is easily soothed upon reunion. This pattern represents which type of attachment?
- Avoidant attachment
- Disorganized attachment
- Anxious-ambivalent attachment
- Secure attachment (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Secure attachment
Secure attachment is characterized by using the caregiver as a safe base and being easily comforted upon return.
NBME Behavioral Science 2
A patient newly diagnosed with terminal cancer angrily blames her physician for missing the diagnosis earlier.
According to Kübler-Ross, which stage of grief is she most likely experiencing?