Deck 16: Health, Stress and Coping

Question 1

Unlike in the past, most premature deaths in the Unites States today can be attributed to ____________.

A) lifestyle factors
B) genetic disorders
C) contagious diseases
D) criminal activity

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Gretta is in an abusive relationship with her boyfriend. Although leaving her boyfriend is an obvious way to end the abuse, Gretta has been in this situation for so long that she no longer feels she has any control over it. Gretta's situation illustrates the concept of _____.

A) compensatory control
B) learned helplessness
C) resilience
D) post-traumatic growth

Answer 2

B

Question 3

The health risk is most likely to be associated with Type A personality is _________.

A) AIDS
B) cancer
C) the cold virus
D) coronary heart disease

Answer 3

D

Question 4

_________ is an acquired suppression of avoidance or escape behavior in response to unpleasant, uncontrollable circumstances.

A) Compensatory control
B) Learned helplessness
C) Coping
D) Resilience

Question 5

In modern times, the leading causes of death in industrialized nations such as the United States are __________.

A) viral infections
B) bacterial infections
C) lifestyle factors
D) each of these are equal contributorsall equal contributing options

Question 6

_____________ psychologists study both positive and negative impacts that humans' behavior and decisions have on their health, survival, and well-being.

A) Physiological
B) Developmental
C) Health
D) Medicinal

Question 7

Which aspect of Type A personality is most closely correlated with increased risk for heart disease?

A) Competitiveness
B) Anger and hostility
C) Patience
D) Worrying about time

Question 8

How does stress affect cancer?

A) Stress decreases the number of white blood cells in the body, which results in cancer progression.
B) Hormones from the autonomic nervous system stimulate cells that reside in tumors, which can in turn stimulate growth and proliferation of the tumors.
C) Stress decreases the growth of cancer cells.
D) Stress does not affect cancer

Question 9

Health psychologists are primarily interested in how an individual's ____________ affects his or her health.

A) physiology
B) genetics
C) development
D) behavior

Question 10

_________ is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States.

A) Asbestos exposure
B) Drug use
C) Alcohol use
D) Smoking

Question 11

What is psychoneuroimmunology?

A) The study of the relationship between the immune system and nervous system functioning
B) The study of both the positive and negative effects that our behavior and decisions have on health, survival, and well-being
C) A condition in which plaques form in the blood vessels that supply the heart with blood and oxygen, resulting in restricted blood flow
D) A hormone secreted by the adrenal gland

Question 12

People with ________ personality type are patient and easygoing, and have relaxed disposition, whereas ________ personality individuals tend to be impatient and are easily angered, competitive, and highly motivated.

A) Type A; Type B
B) stressed; relaxed
C) Type B; Type A
D) relaxed; stressed

Question 13

A hormone that is associated with enhanced immune responses and social bonding is called _________.

A) HPA
B) cortisol
C) oxytocin
D) Helicobacter pylori

Question 14

What effect does watching food commercials have on the eating habits of viewers?

A) Food commercials generally have little to no effect on eating habits.
B) People are more likely to eat the specific product being advertised in the commercial, but not other unrelated foods.
C) Snacking in general is more likely after viewers watch a food commercial.
D) The eating habits of adults are influenced more by food commercials than are the eating habits of children.

Question 15

What does it mean to say someone is resilient?

A) The person has the ability to effectively recover from illness or adversity.
B) The person tends to be calm when challenged or stressed.
C) The person shows the tendency to have a favorable, constructive view on situations and to expect positive outcomes.
D) The person uses only positive processes to manage demands, stress, and conflict.

Question 16

The HPA axis involves which three structures?

A) Hippocampus, pituitary gland, adrenal glands
B) Hypothalamus, pineal gland, adenoids
C) Hippocampus, pineal gland, adrenal glands
D) Hypothalamus, pituitary gland, adrenal glands

Question 17

Biofeedback is a therapeutic technique involving:

A) focusing on a specific thought or sensation, such as an image or a repeated sound.
B) attending to all thoughts, sensations, and feelings without attempting to judge or control them.
C) the use of physiological recording instruments to provide feedback that increases awareness of bodily responses.
D) bodily interaction with thinking and emotion.

Question 18

According to some research, the average smoker dies ____ years earlier than the average non-smoker.

A) 2
B) 6
C) 10
D) 18

Question 19

People often turn to religion to explain natural disasters. This behavior demonstrates the concept of _________.

A) compensatory control
B) learned helplessness
C) coping
D) resilience

Question 20

Which of the following statements about how discrimination influences health is most accurate?

A) Discrimination is unrelated to poor health.
B) People who experience discrimination are likely to compensate for it by making positive health-related choices.
C) An immediate increase in heart rate is the biggest problem associated with experiencing discrimination.
D) Experiencing discrimination stimulates the stress response, which can bring about long-term health problems.

Question 21

Research indicates that obese employees are paid ____ thin colleagues.

A) more than
B) about the same as
C) less than
D) twice as much

Question 22

Research discussed in your textbook indicated that television advertisements can have a significant impact on ____________.

A) the choice to smoke
B) snacking
C) stress levels
D) activity level

Question 23

Which of the following is NOT listed in your textbook as a health consequence of being overweight?

A) osteoporosis
B) diabetes
C) osteoarthritis
D) cancer

Question 24

Jennet drives her car to and from work each morning. She sits at a desk in front of a computer most of the day, and then watches television and plays videogames when she gets home. Jennet's lifestyle can be described as:

A) having a negative energy balance.
B) having a low set point.
C) socially contagious.
D) sedentary.

Question 25

According to your textbook, what else should be considered in addition to the role of a physiological set point in making it difficult for people to lose excess weight?

A) The body's metabolic rate is fixed and does not change.
B) The difficulty in losing excess weight is greatly exaggerated.
C) Lower activity levels are also associated with weight gain.
D) Set point theory assumes that a person's set point cannot change.

Question 26

Some researchers believe that the body has mechanisms to keep your body weight within a small range. For example, if you began eating more calories than usual, your body may increase its energy expenditure to keep your weight within the range. This range is referred to as the body's ___________.

A) mass index
B) set point
C) energy balance
D) resistance point

Question 27

Which statistic is commonly used to screen people for weight categories that indicate whether they are considered normal weight, underweight, overweight, or obese?

A) set point
B) positive energy balance
C) body mass index
D) obesity rate

Question 28

Which of the following best describes the current research on whether smoking in movies contributes to adolescent smoking?

A) The research clearly indicates that exposure to smoking in movies causes adolescents to smoke more.
B) There is no significant connection between adolescent smoking and watching smoking in movies.
C) Correlational research suggests that adolescent smoking and movies are related, but it has been difficult to establish the nature of this correlation.
D) Smoking causes adolescents to prefer movies in which the protagonist smokes.

Question 29

The fact that people who are overweight and obese have higher health care costs has led some people to suggest that they should pay higher taxes. Some researchers, however, point out that:

A) the shortened life expectancy for the overweight and obese offsets the additional medical costs.
B) the economic benefit associated with treating overweight and obese people offsets the cost.
C) people who are overweight or obese are already paid less than equivalent employees who are not overweight.
D) relatively few people are classified as overweight or obese.

Question 30

The increase in the number of children living sedentary lifestyles is likely due in part to ___________.

A) video games
B) increased time spent in school
C) stress
D) television advertising

Question 31

What do twin and adoption studies indicate about the role of genes in body weight?

A) Genes account for between 50% and 90% of the variation in body weight.
B) Genes account for a moderate 15-20 % of the variation in body weight.
C) Genes only account for 5-10 % of the variation in body weight.
D) Body weight is not influenced by genes.

Question 32

The body mass index allows people to:

A) calculate how many calories they should eat each day.
B) calculate a healthy body weight for their height.
C) determine whether they have a positive or negative energy balance.
D) determine where there set point is.

Question 33

Children who grow up in ____________ families have higher rates of overweight and obesity than children on average.

A) low-income
B) high-income
C) small
D) large

Question 34

Which of the following is NOT a contributor to the increase in sedentary lifestyles?

A) food advertisements
B) home entertainment
C) office jobs
D) modern conveniences, such as cars

Question 35

Patrice decided to lose weight by dieting. He found that it was relatively easy to lose the first 18 or so pounds, but after that, he felt his body was fighting his effort to lose more weight. Patrice's experience is consistent with the concept of _______________.

A) positive energy balance
B) the general adaptation syndrome
C) extinction
D) a set point

Question 36

According to set point theory, which of the following could cause a person's set point to change?

A) exposure to food advertising
B) stress
C) deciding to lose weight
D) gaining a large amount of weight

Question 37

Kendra goes to the doctor's office for a physical. After measuring Kendra's weight and height, the doctor enters the data into a mathematical formula and then tells Kendra that she is overweight. The doctor most likely used the formula to calculate Kendra's ________________.

A) body mass index
B) positive energy balance
C) set point
D) obesity rate

Question 38

According to set point theory, the set point is initially set by _______________, but can be modified by ______________.

A) genetic factors; environmental factors
B) environmental factors; genetic factors
C) exercise; caloric intake
D) caloric intake exercise.

Question 39

Which of the following has been the MOST DIFFICULT for health psychologists to demonstrate for adolescents?

A) that smoking is correlated with watching movie stars smoke
B) that watching movie stars smoke causes adolescents to smoke
C) that adolescents who smoke identify with movie stars who smoke
D) that adolescents who smoke are exposed to more smoking in movies

Question 40

While most students have heard of the "freshman 15," in reality, students who gain weight when they enter college put on an average of _____ pounds.

A) 1
B) 6
C) 20
D) 25

Question 41

Which of the following is true about health effects of a man and women marrying?

A) Both the man and women typically benefit equally from the marriage.
B) While both the man and woman benefit from the marriage, the man typically has the greater health benefits.
C) While both the man and woman benefit from the marriage, the woman typically has the greater health benefits.
D) The man is more likely to benefit, while the woman is more likely to have a small decrease in health as a result of marrying.

Question 42

________ occurs when the demands of a situation exceed our ability to cope effectively.

A) Stress
B) Anxiety
C) Trauma
D) Stimuli

Question 43

Which of the following describes the health benefits of same-sex marriage?

A) There are improvements in mental health and increased health coverage and medically related tax benefits.
B) There are no health benefits to same-sex marriage for gay male couples, only for lesbian couples.
C) There are health benefits for gay male couples, but not for lesbian couples.
D) The legality of same-sex marriage has reduced hate crime.

Question 44

Dr. Benno leaves his practice in a wealthy suburb and begins seeing patients in a clinic in a poor urban area. What can he expect will be the difference between his new patients and his former ones?

A) The new patients will be generally in worse health.
B) The new patients will have less stress because many are unemployed.
C) The new patients will have more stress but lower mortality rates.
D) The new patients will be less likely to suffer from diseases associated with high-pressure lives, like heart disease.

Question 45

Events which cause people to experience stress are called ___________.

A) stress stimuli
B) negative reinforcers
C) traumas
D) stressors

Question 46

What does the health locus of control scale measure?

A) The extent to which you feel you can control factors that influence your health.
B) The area of your body that you feel is most healthy.
C) How income is related to health outcomes.
D) Your genetic proclivity for obesity.

Question 47

The unintentional spreading of a behavior as a result of social interactions is referred to as _____________.

A) meme propagation
B) social contagion
C) the HPA axis
D) peer mimicking

Question 48

In a study described in your textbook, psychologists studied students who lived in poorly designed and crowded dormitories. By comparing these students to others who had better accommodations, the psychologists determined that the stressful living conditions caused the students to:

A) become emotionally closer to the other students sharing the same space.
B) focus their anger onto one or two "scapegoats."
C) develop emotional coping strategies.
D) lose their sense of control and feel helpless.

Question 49

People living in poverty also consume

A) a poorer diet.
B) more milk.
C) more medication.
D) less candy and processed foods.

Question 50

When Wally decided to quit smoking, several of his friends began smoking less. Overtime, most of Wally's friends eventually stopped smoking as well. This is an example of social _____________.

A) contagion
B) discrimination
C) coercion
D) desensitization

Question 51

Which of the following would most likely be an acute stressor?

A) discrimination
B) long-term unemployment
C) having a fight
D) having a relative with mental illness

Question 52

Overtime, groups of people who interact regularly can become increasingly similar in terms of body weight, smoking habits, and even happiness. This increased similarity is likely due to ____________.

A) genetic factors
B) social contagion
C) set point changes
D) coincidence

Question 53

In addition to poor access to healthcare, which of the following is another factor associated with poverty that puts people with low socioeconomic status at the greatest risk for health problems?

A) genetics
B) crime
C) use of public transportation
D) stress

Question 54

Heart disease is prevalent in _______________ populations.

A) socioeconomically advantaged
B) socioeconomically disadvantaged
C) diverse
D) wealthy

Question 55

Stress, poor diet, and discrimination collectively place children growing up in ___________at greater risk for developing health problems.

A) single parent households
B) poverty
C) rural areas
D) boarding schools

Question 56

Which of the following is true about discrimination?

A) Experiencing discrimination has short-, but not long-term effects on health.
B) Discrimination has a long-term effect on mental health, but not physical health.
C) Discrimination has a long-term effect on physical health, but not mental health.
D) Discrimination has a long-term effect on both physical and mental health.

Question 57

People with low socioeconomic statuses tend to have worse health than do those with high status. One reason for this is ________________.

A) malingering (pretending to be ill)
B) cultural reinforcers
C) environmental stressors
D) heredity

Question 58

High stress levels and poor nutrition put children who grow up in low socioeconomic status communities at a greater risk of developing ___________ as adults.

A) schizophrenia
B) heart disease
C) post-traumatic growth
D) social contagion

Question 59

Larry and Kim just got married. Although every marriage is different, how is their marriage most likely to affect their health?

A) Larry's health with benefit from the marriage while Kim's health with suffer.
B) Kim's health with benefit from the marriage while Larry's health with suffer.
C) Both Larry and Kim will benefit, but Larry will benefit more.
D) Both Larry and Kim will benefit, but Kim will benefit more.

Question 60

_____________is as great a mortality risk as smoking, obesity, and high blood pressure.

A) Poor job satisfaction
B) Chronic social isolation
C) Being married
D) Experiencing an episode of discrimination

Question 61

What is the correct sequence of stages in the general adaptation syndrome?

A) resistance, alarm, exhaustion
B) exhaustion, resistance, alarm
C) alarm, exhaustion, resistance
D) alarm, resistance, exhaustion

Question 62

The Social Readjustment Rating Scale measures stress related to _____________.

A) positive and negative life events
B) only negative life events
C) only positive life events
D) internal stressors

Question 63

In which stage of the general adaptation syndrome has the body reached the limits of its ability to adapt to stress, which may result in the development of stress-related diseases?

A) alarm
B) collapse
C) exhaustion
D) resistance

Question 64

Generally speaking, low levels of arousal facilitate ______________, while higher levels of arousal facilitate ______________.

A) studying; test taking
B) test taking; studying
C) solving complex tasks; solving simple tasks
D) solving simple tasks; solving complex tasks

Question 65

According to its developers, a person who has a higher score on the Social Readjustment Rating Scale is more likely than are people with lower scores to have ___________ in the near future.

A) more frequent changes of job
B) a divorce
C) commission of a crime
D) a higher chance of becoming ill

Question 66

______________ measures the amount of stress in a person's life resulting from major life changes.

A) Secondary appraisal
B) Primary appraisal
C) The Social Readjustment Rating Scale
D) Type A Personality Scale

Question 67

Imagine that you have just flunked a class. You evaluate this situation and decide that flunking a class is stressful and important enough to be upset about. Next you decide to repeat the class in summer school. You have made _________________.

A) a primary appraisal only
B) both a primary and a secondary appraisal
C) a stress-related decision
D) a hassle-related decision

Question 68

Which psychologist is credited with proposing the general adaptation syndrome?

A) Hans Selye
B) Berkowitz
C) Holmes and Rahe
D) Lazarus

Question 69

The Social Readjustment Rating Scale was designed to measure change due to ________________.

A) natural disasters
B) major life events
C) social difficulties
D) negative life events

Question 70

According to Cannon, the "fight-or-flight response" is:

A) a general response to many different types of stressors.
B) a response to physical stressors, but not other types of stressors such as social or cognitive stressors.
C) an extreme form of the stress response that only occurs in life-threatening emergences.
D) a coping strategy.

Question 71

Miranda is questioning whether her upcoming business trip, where she must travel through an area with many mountains, will pose a danger for her. As such, this example illustrates _______________.

A) a stress reaction
B) coping
C) primary appraisal
D) secondary appraisal

Question 72

After we have decided that a certain event is a stressor, we must decide how we will deal with it and what resources are available for coping with the stressor. This process is called ______________.

A) primary appraisal
B) secondary appraisal
C) tertiary appraisal
D) distress-eustress dichotomy

Question 73

Which of the following is true about stress?

A) Any amount of stress is detrimental and should be avoided.
B) High levels of stress generally improve performance.
C) Stress facilitates performing complex tasks more than it does simple tasks.
D) Low levels of stress can be motivating.

Question 74

Adelaida hears a rattling sound as she hikes through the desert. Her muscles tense and her blood pressure rises. According to Hans Selye, she is in the _______________.

A) chronic stress phase
B) alarm phase
C) exhaustion phase
D) resistance phase

Question 75

Kenya is experiencing absolutely no stress while taking a test. What effect is this most likely to have on her performance and why?

A) It will improve her grade because she will experience less distraction.
B) It will improve her grade because she will be able to recall information more easily.
C) It will lower her grade because her arousal level will be low.
D) It will lower her grade because suppressing stress taxes cognitive resources.

Question 76

Which major life event on the Social Readjustment Rating Scale has the highest number of "stress units"?

A) Divorce
B) Marriage
C) Death of a spouse
D) Damage to the home

Question 77

According to Hans Selye, resistance to stress is lowest at the _____________ stage of the general adaptation syndrome.

A) alarm
B) resistance
C) exhaustion
D) collapse

Question 78

Which of the following is true regarding the relationship between stress and major life events?

A) Research has shown that the stress caused by positive life events is nearly non-existent when compared to the stress caused by negative or bad life events.
B) Major life events can cause significant stress, even if they are good or positive life events.
C) Research has demonstrated that getting married, having a child, and losing a job are, in that order, the top three stressors reported by most adults.
D) Major life events can be more easily described as daily hassles.

Question 79

The term "fight-or-flight response" was dubbed by American psychologist ______________.

A) William James
B) Walter Cannon
C) Francis Sumner
D) Mary Carver

Question 80

According to Lazarus and Folkman, our first task when faced with a potential stressor is to determine whether it is a challenge or threat. This evaluation is referred to as _____________.

A) primary appraisal
B) secondary appraisal
C) stress-related decision
D) hassle-related decision