Deck 13: Emotions, Stress, and Health

Question 1

Psychologists currently define emotions as

A) subjective mental states that are usually accompanied by distinctive behaviors and involuntary physiological arousal.
B) objective physiological arousal in the parasympathetic nervous system.
C) subjective interpretation of facial features combined with physiological arousal.
D) objective changes in the pattern of physiological arousal over time.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

The part of the nervous system that controls the involuntary components of emotional responses is the

A) parahippocampal gyrus.
B) somatic nervous system.
C) autonomic nervous system.
D) central nervous system.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

The nerves that make up the autonomic nervous system control

A) involuntary components of emotional responses.
B) the movement of the large motor muscles.
C) the facial expressions that accompany emotions.
D) long-term effects of stress on the body.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

When we're escaping from danger, like a fire, our _______ nervous system, is active. When we're digesting food, our _______ nervous system is active.

A) sympathetic; monochromatic
B) somatic; sympathetic
C) parasympathetic; automatic
D) sympathetic; parasympathetic

Question 5

When you are startled by a noise in the middle of the night, your heart begins racing. This increase in heart rate is due to the work of your

A) somatic nervous system.
B) central nervous system.
C) sympathetic nervous system.
D) parasympathetic nervous system.

Question 6

The general term for the response controlled by the sympathetic nervous system is

A) fight or flight.
B) flee or perish.
C) give and take.
D) react and release.

Question 7

When you feel content and relaxed, your _______ nervous system is likely active.

A) sympathetic
B) parasympathetic
C) cranial
D) somatic

Question 8

One reason some people feel nauseated before doing something that they are afraid of-like giving a class presentation-is that activation of the sympathetic nervous system

A) speeds up digestion.
B) slows down digestion.
C) facilitates salivation.
D) constricts pupil diameter.

Question 9

According to the James-Lange theory, your psychological experience of fear, in reaction to the body sensation of a bear attacking you, is

A) not related to the physiological changes attributed to the body sensation.
B) a result of the physiological changes triggered by the body sensation.
C) followed by physiological changes like an increase in heart rate.
D) less important than the physiological changes your body experiences.

Question 10

According to the _______, when you see a bear approaching you in the woods, your muscles tighten and your adrenaline starts to flow, and then you experience intense fear.

A) Cannon-Bard theory
B) James-Lange theory
C) Fight-or-Flight theory
D) Autonomic reaction theory

Question 11

You awake in the night to the sound of a crash nearby. Immediately your heart begins racing as you simultaneously experience intense fear. Which theory does this experience support?

A) James-Lange theory
B) Physiological arousal theory
C) Cannon-Bard theory
D) Schachter-Singer theory

Question 12

What hypothesis did Schachter and Singer test in their experiment, in which they injected participants with epinephrine and manipulated the emotion that a confederate displayed?

A) Activation of the central nervous system will enhance emotional experience.
B) Activation of the somatic nervous system will affect emotional experience.
C) Activation of the sympathetic nervous system will affect emotional experience.
D) Deactivation of the frontal lobe will enhance emotional experience.

Question 13

In their classic experiment, Schachter and Singer injected students with epinephrine, then told some of them about the side effects they might experience. Other subjects were not told about the drug's side effects because

A) not all people experience the effects of epinephrine, and the scientists did not want to bias the students.
B) uninformed subjects were more likely to try to suppress their emotional reactions.
C) the scientists wanted to find out whether confederates responded differently to informed and uninformed subjects.
D) the scientists wanted to compare uninformed subjects to informed subjects in the intensity of their emotional responses.

Question 14

Which statement provides the best support for the conclusions in the Schachter and Singer experiment involving epinephrine injections?

A) Epinephrine has no measurable effect on emotional experiences.
B) Activation of the sympathetic nervous system is only part of the reason people experience specific emotions.
C) Observing anger causes people to respond angrily, themselves.
D) People who observe others being shy tend to act aggressively.

Question 15

Use the following to answer questions :
Refer to the figure below.

-According to the information in the figure, a novice skydiver might learn to inhibit her fear of heights over successive jumps by

A) watching the ground to stay informed about the remaining distance.
B) focusing on fear and allowing it to control her physical and emotional reactions.
C) interpreting fear as a rush of adrenaline and consciously letting it pass.
D) working through the fear with dramatic facial expressions until the fear passes.

Question 16

Use the following to answer questions :
Refer to the figure below.

-What is the main implication of the feedback arrow?

A) It shows that both autonomic arousal and context will affect interpretation of any emotional experience.
B) It shows that both stimulus and context play a greater role in the interpretation of emotion than arousal.
C) It shows that arousal plays a greater role in the interpretation of emotion than context.
D) It shows that our emotional experiences follow a fixed process that is out of our control.

Question 17

Use the following to answer questions :
Refer to the figure below.

-What is true about the role played by the stimulus in emotional experience?

A) The effect of the context generally outweighs the intensity of the stimulus.
B) Even if the stimulus is unnoticed, it will weigh heavily on the interpretation of emotion.
C) Autonomic response to the stimulus has no bearing on emotional outcome or intensity of feedback.
D) An intense stimulus can outweigh the context and provide intense feedback to emotional experience.

Question 18

Rather than rely purely on studies of words for emotional states to determine how many emotions humans experience, scientists have turned to studying

A) facial expressions.
B) positive reinforcement.
C) positive punishment.
D) mating behavior.

Question 19

According to the textbook, researchers have found that yawning may actually be

A) an involuntary response to boredom.
B) a physiological reaction to high carbon dioxide levels in our blood.
C) a primitive form of social communication.
D) a sign of an increased arousal or interest.

Question 20

The fact that we are able to communicate our emotional state using emoticons is real-world evidence that

A) our emotional needs are decreasing.
B) we can most effectively communicate our emotions with advanced technology.
C) we are so good at reading facial expressions that we can identify emotions with minimal information.
D) our simple communication system is not adequate for the changing pace of our technological world.

Question 21

The near-universal use of certain facial expressions to communicate specific emotions supports the idea that emotional expression was favored by

A) natural selection.
B) spinal cord development.
C) species-specific traits.
D) chance.

Question 22

Use the following to answer questions :
Refer to the graph below.

-What does the graph reveal about facial expressions that indicate disgust?

A) In some cultures, expressions of disgust are rare or nonexistent.
B) Expressions of disgust may be more consistent in literate groups than in nonliterate groups.
C) People in nonliterate groups have little familiarity with emotional displays of disgust.
D) Members of Western literate groups use similar facial expressions for many emotions.

Question 23

Use the following to answer questions :
Refer to the graph below.

-Which conclusion is best represented by the graph?

A) Overall, the level of agreement about expressions of emotion is low across cultures.
B) There is most agreement about expressions of sadness across all cultures in the study.
C) Isolated, nonliterate groups rely heavily on facial expressions of emotion and thus show the highest level of agreement on what each one means.
D) There is a high level of agreement among Western and non-Western literate groups regarding emotional expression.

Question 24

Despite the evidence that facial expressions for different emotions are relatively stable across cultures, cultures vary with respect to how and when emotions are expected to be expressed. These conventions are called

A) cultural display rules.
B) facial feature rules.
C) general adaptation rules.
D) Franco-Prussian rules.

Question 25

Many people believe that intense emotional experiences allow for the purging of emotions from the system, known as

A) catharsis.
B) sadism.
C) withdrawal.
D) reductionism.

Question 26

According to the facial feedback hypothesis, which of the following situations is likely to produce the desired effect?

A) You spend all day smiling in hopes of reducing your sadness about a recent breakup.
B) You spend all day frowning in hopes of purging the sad feelings you have about a death of a pet.
C) You spend all day gritting your teeth to get rid of your frustration with your psychology teacher.
D) You try to garner sympathy for your recent break-up by looking distraught all day.

Question 27

Which of the following scenarios is supported by Bushman's research on aggressive behavior?

A) A child who accidentally bumps into a classmate just before lunch gets angry with her best friend in the lunchroom.
B) A boy who was involved in a fight on the playground goes inside and handles the class hamster very gently.
C) A father who forgives his daughter for breaking his phone then yells at his computer for crashing.
D) A woman who has just had an argument with a coworker drives very aggressively on her way home.

Question 28

Based on findings by Killingsworth and Gilbert, which situation would be associated with the smallest amount of happiness?

A) Biking
B) Cooking dinner
C) Sitting in a waiting room
D) Engaging in a heated conversation

Question 29

Given the fact that people associate happiness with increased income up to $75,000 a year, what can be concluded about the relationship between income and happiness overall?

A) People with incomes over $75,000 are happier after a cut in pay.
B) We can tell how happy somebody is once we know their annual income.
C) People need a certain level of income to feel happy, but other things are more important.
D) Income leads to happiness, but those making more than $75,000 a year experience less happiness.

Question 30

Studies have shown that the best predictor of happiness is

A) the amount of exercise a person gets in a given week.
B) how many strong social relationships a person has.
C) the amount of money a person earns in a year.
D) a person's affiliation with a religious group.

Question 31

The amygdala is the brain structure that produces

A) happiness.
B) pleasure.
C) sadness.
D) fear.

Question 32

Studies of fear conditioning have provided a map of neural circuitry that
Includes the almond-shaped

A) sensory cortex.
B) hippocampus.
C) amygdala.
D) thalamus.

Question 33

In the 1930s, researchers found that after lesioning the amygdala on both sides of the brain in monkeys, the monkeys no longer

A) approached their human captors.
B) attacked other monkeys.
C) engaged in social relations with other monkeys.
D) had the ability to walk upright.

Question 34

A "low road" pathway of sensory information that runs directly from the thalamus to the amygdala enables

A) immediate reactions to fearful stimuli.
B) the ability to inhibit emotional responses.
C) slow reactions to fearful stimuli.
D) conscious processing of fearful stimuli.

Question 35

One key advantage of having two pathways for processing incoming fearful stimuli is that the "high road" pathway, which involves activation of the cortex and hippocampus, enables _______ reactions to fearful stimuli.

A) immediate, protective
B) slow, conscious
C) emotional, rather than physical
D) involuntary, rather than voluntary

Question 36

In which disorder does a patient have memories of unpleasant events that repeatedly plague him or her, often provoking fear and sympathetic activation?

A) Generalized anxiety disorder
B) Posttraumatic stress disorder
C) Anorexia nervosa
D) Schizophrenia

Question 37

Bremner and colleagues found that war veterans who had developed combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder had

A) smaller right hippocampi than controls.
B) a lower threshold for pain tolerance than controls.
C) a background of emotional abuse.
D) a background of physical abuse.

Question 38

People who have suffered damage to the right temporal cortex as a result of a stroke are described as unduly cheerful and indifferent to their loss. This is an example of

A) a region of interest disorder.
B) an emotional syndrome.
C) a stroke reactivity syndrome.
D) a lateralized brain disorder.

Question 39

By cutting a photograph of a person who is displaying an emotion down the exact middle of the face and creating composite faces out of different combinations of the left and right sides, researchers found that photographs constructed using only the left side of a face appear to look

A) more emotional than photographs using only the right side.
B) less emotional than photographs using only the right side.
C) more distraught than actual faces.
D) easier to identify than actual faces.

Question 40

Which dimension of stress refers to the actual events and stimuli that threaten us?

A) Stressor
B) Stress evaluation
C) Stress response
D) Stress syndrome

Question 41

The cognitive system that assesses events that threaten us is also known as

A) stress deregulation.
B) stress evaluation.
C) stress response.
D) stress syndrome.

Question 42

Scientists call the body's physiological reaction to the assessment of threat the

A) stress deregulation.
B) stress evaluation.
C) stress response.
D) stress syndrome.

Question 43

Which test monitors several different physiological measures, including respiration, heart rate, blood pressure, and the electrical conductance of the skin?

A) Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
B) Polygraph
C) Electroencephalogram (EEG)
D) Positron emission tomography (PET)

Question 44

One problem with the use of the polygraph to detect lying is that the test

A) cannot distinguish between stress-based physiological arousal and lying.
B) measures only how much someone lies, rather than what he or she is lying about.
C) can indicate only whether a person is sweating, not whether he or she shows an increase in heart rate.
D) measures positive emotions in the same way it measures negative ones.

Question 45

According to Hans Selye, the order of the stages in the general adaptation syndrome is

A) alarm reaction, resistance stage, relaxation stage.
B) release stage, resistance stage, retrieval stage.
C) alarm reaction, adaptation stage, exhaustion stage.
D) alarm reaction, exhaustion stage, adaptation stage.

Question 46

The general adaptation syndrome, as first described by Hans Selye,

A) connects stress and disease through a series of stages.
B) shows that stress is actually good for the body.
C) integrates psychiatry and psychology to help recovering alcoholics.
D) distinguishes between physical and mental stressors.

Question 47

The first step in the alarm reaction to stress within the general adaptation syndrome involves the activation of the _______ nervous system.

A) parasympathetic
B) sympathetic
C) central
D) somatic

Question 48

Use the following to answer questions :
Refer to the graphs below.

-What can be concluded from the graph depicting epinephrine increases during normal and crowded train trips?

A) Traveling by train is generally stressful, whether the train is crowded or not.
B) Travel in a crowded train creates more stress than an uncrowded train trip.
C) Lower epinephrine levels indicate that a trip on an uncrowded train is more stressful.
D) Epinephrine levels during normal and crowded train trips are not related to feelings of stress.

Question 49

Use the following to answer questions :
Refer to the graphs below.

-What is suggested about the timing of stress hormone release before and after a stressful event?

A) Hormones are released only in the period immediately after the stressor occurs.
B) Hormones are released only in the period immediately before the stressor occurs.
C) Hormone release begins during an anticipatory period and peaks when a stressor occurs.
D) Hormone release and stress are less related for psychological stressors than for physical stressors.

Question 50

A study by Ursin and colleagues of military recruits, both before and after parachute training, revealed that on jump days they released the hormone _______ from the _______ gland.

A) cortisol; pineal
B) epinephrine; mammary
C) cortisol; adrenal
D) epinephrine; pineal

Question 51

In addition to cortisol, the adrenal gland releases _______ in response to acute stress.

A) serotonin
B) epinephrine
C) dopamine
D) saline

Question 52

Though there is evidence from studies of animals to support the idea that early exposure to mild stress will make an individual better able to handle stress later in life, research on adverse childhood experiences in humans showed that

A) as the number of adverse childhood experiences increases, so does the risk of suicide later in life.
B) as the number of adverse childhood experiences increases, the risk of suicide later in life decreases.
C) the number of adverse childhood experiences is not related to stress reactions later in life.
D) the likelihood that an individual develops depression later in life is independent of his or her childhood experiences.

Question 53

Imagine that you and a friend are found cheating on an exam. Because the friend copied your answers, the professor decides to give him whatever score you earned. Assuming that you were not very confident about your answers, what can you conclude about your friend's stress levels?

A) Your friend should not be terribly stressed because the matter is not under his control.
B) Your friend should be more stressed than you because the matter is not under his control.
C) You should be more stressed than your friend because the matter is under your control.
D) You and your friend will be equally stressed.

Question 54

Experiments in which two rats were exposed to shocks, with one rat (the "executive") able to press a lever to avoid a shock, and the other rat dependent on the executive for shock avoidance, showed that the physical impact of the stress was related to

A) the predictability and control of the shock.
B) the magnitude of the shock.
C) the way in which the shock was delivered.
D) the size of the "executive" rat.

Question 55

Which discipline examines the psychological, social, and biological factors that influence physical and mental health?

A) Psychoneuroimmunology
B) Health psychology
C) Epigenetics
D) Psychiatry

Question 56

Health psychologists Holmes and Rahe linked stressful life events to later health problems by

A) surveying the medical records of people, asking the patients to report whether they had experienced any of a list of stressful events in the years preceding their illness, and measuring the degree of their psychological stress using a psychological rating scale.
B) correlating the rates of illness among elderly individuals with the number of children they had raised.
C) asking people to answer questions about their medical history and then evaluating them with various personality tests, including the Rorschach test.
D) consulting drug companies and medical professionals for case histories of severely disturbed patients.

Question 57

The study of psychological and neural influences on the immune system and its influences on behavior is known as

A) health psychology.
B) clinical immunology.
C) psychoneuroimmunology.
D) humoral immunology.

Question 58

Neurons in the hypothalamus monitor the blood for proteins called _______, which the immune system uses to control the production of _______.

A) cytokines; quinines
B) cytokines; white blood cells
C) white blood cells; cell walls
D) immunosuppressors; cytokines

Question 59

The immune system functions in part by the action of antibodies, which latch on to invaders to signal _______ to attack.

A) white blood cells
B) red blood cells
C) cytokines
D) endorphins

Question 60

According to the textbook, one hypothesis in psychoneuroimmunology is that depression in some people may be related to

A) the number of cytokines circulating in the blood.
B) the number of white blood cells that attack invading microbes.
C) the degree to which antibodies produce cytokines.
D) the circulation of hormones within the thalamus.

Question 61

Suppression of the immune system often results from

A) proliferation of bacteria.
B) parasympathetic activation.
C) positive social interaction.
D) prolonged periods of stress.

Question 62

In general, the stress system calls for body reactions in humans that

A) are only good for us in the short run.
B) are best managed over an extended period of time.
C) lead to increased resilience over long periods of time.
D) promote the long-term health of the immune system.

Question 63

In the 1970s, researchers identified two general patterns of behavior in the development of heart disease. _______ behavior is characterized by excessive competitive drive, impatience, hostility, and accelerated speech and movements, while _______ behavior patterns are more relaxed, with little evidence of aggressive drive or emphasis on getting things done quickly.

A) Type A; type Z
B) Type B; type A
C) Type A; type B
D) Type X; type Y

Question 64

Though the type A / type B dichotomy resonates in popular culture, it is possible that the personality dimension that accounts for our stress reactions is

A) openness.
B) conscientiousness.
C) agreeableness.
D) neuroticism.

Question 65

The most common forms of _______ are intended to reduce stress by focusing attention on calming stimuli and releasing muscle tension.

A) meditation
B) behavior modification therapy
C) breath awareness
D) relaxation training

Question 66

Mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy (MBSR) pairs relaxation with attention to the present moment. Which of the following would be an acceptable exercise in the practice of MBSR?

A) Calmly working through problems of the day
B) Organizing errands into a list
C) Humming along with a favorite song
D) Focusing on sensations in the shoulders

Question 67

To overcome anxiety about driving at night, a therapist suggests that you spend 20 minutes every day sitting quietly and focusing on the present moment. The therapist is having you practice which of the following?

A) Isolation training
B) Cognitive relaxation
C) Behavior modification therapy
D) Mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy

Question 68

According to the Mayo clinic's recommendations for stress relief, which of the following is most likely to alleviate stress during final exam periods?

A) Socializing instead of studying, because social connections can lead to stress reduction
B) Eating comfort foods, such as tea, toast, hot chocolate, and macaroni and cheese
C) Spending all of your time alone to keep your mind clear and focused
D) Interrupting your studying for occasional short walks, stretching, or mediation

Question 69

Studies show that drinking alcohol can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other health problems when a person

A) consumes alcohol when he or she is alone.
B) has more than two alcoholic drinks a day.
C) has a low tolerance for the cognitive effects of alcohol.
D) consumes alcohol when he or she is exercising.

Question 70

A defining feature of alcoholism is not just that a person consumes alcohol in excess, but that the person's consumption of alcohol

A) is higher than average for people in the same age group.
B) interferes with leading a happy and productive life.
C) becomes a daily habit, even in moderation.
D) requires the person to attend drug rehabilitation.

Question 71

A cigarette smoker has been experiencing headaches, insomnia, anxiety, and depression between cigarettes. It is likely that she

A) smokes cigarettes and drinks alcohol simultaneously.
B) smokes at least a pack of cigarettes every day.
C) has a great deal of stress in many parts of her life.
D) is undergoing the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Question 72

Cigarette smoking may lead to _______, a progressive lung disease that impairs respiration due to lung damage.

A) pulmonary embolism
B) chronic plaque psoriasis
C) chronic fatigue syndrome
D) chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD)

Question 73

All of the following coping mechanisms are associated with stress reduction except

A) cigarette smoking.
B) regular exercise.
C) a low-protein diet.
D) adequate sleep.

Question 74

Research has consistently found that people are most likely to suffer mental and physical illness if they lack

A) a college education.
B) support of friends and family.
C) adequate means of financial support.
D) meaningful work.

Question 75

A friend's mother has been injured in an automobile accident. To help the family, you organize a walk-a-thon at a local park, raising funds for the mother's care. The benefits of this kind of help are supported by the _______ hypothesis.

A) social learning
B) stress and health
C) stress buffering
D) social support

Question 76

The autonomic nervous system consists of two divisions, the _______ nervous system, which activates the body for action, and the _______ nervous system, which prepares the body for relax and recuperate.

Question 77

According to the _______ theory, if you awaken in the night to a sudden scream outside your window, a tightening of your muscles and a surge of adrenaline will precede your feeling of fear.

Question 78

If you drink two energy drinks prior to seeing a scary movie, you might experience more fear than you would if you had not had caffeine because caffeine increases _______.

Question 79

When visiting new places, being aware of _______ can help to ensure that you do not unknowingly make any offensive gestures.

Question 80

One example of the psychological phenomenon called _______ might be screaming obscenities after hitting your head on something very hard.