Deck 11: Stress and Health

Question 1

________ focuses attention on the stress-provoking situation, and people are most likely to use it when they think they can change the situation.

A) Emotion-focused coping
B) Emotional disclosure
C) Distancing
D) Problem-focused coping

Answer 1

Problem-focused coping

Question 2

Identify a true statement about eating and stress.

A) When a person eats in response to stress, stress-related physiological activity increases.
B) When a person eats in response to stress, reward pathways in the brain are deactivated.
C) Stress increases eating and in turn eating reduces stress reactivity in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.
D) Stress-induced eating decreases fat in the abdominal area (compared to other places), which is a predictor of heart disease in men and women.

Answer 2

Stress increases eating and in turn eating reduces stress reactivity in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.

Question 3

According to the cardiovascular reactivity (CVR) model, which of the following is true of Type A personalities who display hostile tendencies?

A) Frequent episodes of anger leading to hostility are not particularly linked to frequent cardiovascular reactivity.
B) Hostility increases the likelihood of heart disease through at least two causal routes.
C) Hostile individuals have a higher threshold for the elicitation of anger than those who are not hostile.
D) Hostility is not correlated with the presence of cardiovascular disease.

Answer 3

Hostility increases the likelihood of heart disease through at least two causal routes.

Question 4

________ is a stress-related hormone released by the adrenal gland and controls autonomic nervous system (ANS) activation.

A) Mineralocorticoid
B) Catecholamine
C) Glucocorticoid
D) Serotonin

Question 5

The ________ links the nervous system to parts of the endocrine system relevant to emotions.

A) thalamus
B) temporal lobe
C) hypothalamus
D) hippocampus

Question 6

Which of the following is true about the relationship between genes and stress responses?

A) The effects of chronic social isolation on illness appear to be regulated by acquired genes.
B) There is one uniform process involving stress, genes, and endocrines that regulates the relationship between stress and disease.
C) The genes associated with the human stress response do not play any role in chronic diseases.
D) There is no single gene that dictates how the body responds to stress.

Question 7

What did Fredrickson and Levenson find in their experiments that required participants to watch movies eliciting different emotions?

A) The cardiovascular activity remained constant throughout for many participants regardless of the kind of movie they watched.
B) The cardiovascular activation elicited by pleasant film decreased after watching the fear film.
C) The cardiovascular activation elicited by the fear film returned to baseline levels more quickly in people who saw sad or neutral films after the fear film.
D) The cardiovascular activation elicited by the fear film returned to baseline levels more quickly in people who saw pleasant films after the fear film.

Question 8

Henry, an entrepreneur, recently suffered huge losses in his business venture. Despite his losses and the stress associated with it, he has managed to remain positive about the whole situation. He decides to regroup his thoughts, learn from this experience, and move on. In this scenario, which of the following personality traits is Henry exhibiting?

A) Resilience
B) Introversion
C) Grit
D) Anxiety

Question 9

The ________ states that social support is beneficial to mental and physical health whether or not a person is under stress.

A) direct effects hypothesis
B) physiological reactivity model
C) buffering hypothesis
D) GAS model

Question 10

According to some emotion theorists, hostility is a(n) ________ trait that sets a threshold for the likelihood of particular emotional responses.

A) functional
B) behavioral
C) cognitive
D) affective

Question 11

What does the physiological reactivity model examine?

A) How sustained behaviors such as a good diet regime and exercise may enhance health
B) How behaviors such as substance abuse may affect one's physiological wellness
C) How people feel stressed to react and behave well when they are conscious about being watched
D) How a sustained physiological activation associated with stress response affects the occurrence of illness

Question 12

What happens in the event of a sympathetic arousal in an organism?

A) It curbs the organism from acting on instinct.
B) It increases the likelihood of fatty buildup.
C) It reduces the heart rate and blood pressure of the organism.
D) It enables a quick and efficient response.

Question 13

By demonstrating that one could classically condition the suppression of an antibody response to an antigen, Ader and Cohen concluded that ________.

A) natural immune response take longer to initiate than acquired immune responses
B) acquired immunity does not involve endocrine and cellular processes to recognize antigens
C) the immune system's operation is independent of the working of the central nervous system
D) there are connections between the central nervous system and the immune system

Question 14

Which of the following refers to the central tenet of psychosomatic theory?

A) Stress increases a person's susceptibility to diseases.
B) Mental and emotional factors do not have any bearing on a person's susceptibility to diseases.
C) Illnesses and disorders begin in a person's mindset and are purely mental rather than physical.
D) Hereditary factors are exclusively responsible for influencing a person's susceptibility to diseases.

Question 15

The term ________ is defined as the idea that emotional factors can lead to the occurrence or worsening of illness.

A) "psychosomatic theory"
B) "realistic conflict theory"
C) "expectancy theory"
D) "correspondent inference theory"

Question 16

________ refers to anything people do to deal with or manage stress or emotions.

A) Primary appraisal
B) Disclosure
C) Secondary appraisal
D) Coping

Question 17

The ________ stage is the phase of the general adaptation syndrome in which all the body's resources for fighting a threat have been depleted and illness is more likely.

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

Question 18

Mathilda is diagnosed with dysbiosis. Her doctor informs her that her condition is the reason for her obesity, allergies, and asthma. She also has stress-related inflammation. Which of the following pathways has been primarily affected?

A) The Kreb's cycle
B) Fatty acid biosynthesis
C) The pentose phosphate pathway
D) The gut-brain axis

Question 19

The activation of the ________ nervous system persists and creates sustained physiological arousal in the physiological reactivity model.

A) enteric nervous system
B) peripheral nervous system
C) sympathetic nervous system
D) intrinsic

Question 20

What happens in the second stage of the general adaptation syndrome (GAS) model to an animal exposed to a stressor?

A) The animal is able to overcome the threat by maintaining a positive mental state.
B) The sustained release of cortisol from the adrenal glands protects the animal's body from the stress.
C) The animal wears out the resources that help it sustain a resistance to threats.
D) The animal's body diverts resources from the maintenance of normal body functions to fight the threat.

Question 21

How can consistent mindfulness meditation help a person?

A) It can help prevent an unhealthy obsession with negative emotions.
B) It does not have any effect on the levels of catecholamine in the blood.
C) It can help a person be completely disconnected with his or her emotions.
D) It can increase the physiological activation caused by negative emotions.

Question 22

Which of the following is an advantage of the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS) to measure stress?

A) It is easy for psychologists to administer and score.
B) It considers the differences in people's emotional responses to stressors.
C) It considers the fact that people view similar events differently.
D) It takes into account the trivial and routine tasks that usually wear a person out.

Question 23

According to the study conducted by Rosenberg et al, what did the study on coronary patients undergoing the Type A Structured Interview show?

A) The blood supply to the heart muscles was more likely to be obstructed when patients displayed facial expressions of anger.
B) Facial expressions of anger had no bearing on the blood supply to the heart muscles.
C) The blood supply to the heart muscles increased when patients displayed facial expressions of anger.
D) Patients displayed facial expressions of anger when they experienced increased cardiovascular activity.

Question 24

What were the findings of Matthews' research into the connection between Type-A personalities and heart disease?

A) No component of Type A behavior predicted death from heart disease.
B) The component of impatience predicted death by heart disease more often in women than in men.
C) Competitiveness increased the risk of death from cardiovascular disease more than other components.
D) Hostility was the sole factor that predicted death from heart disease.

Question 25

The ________, which consists of the heart and all the blood vessels of the body, is especially susceptible to the effects of sustained arousal.

A) cardiovascular system
B) endocrine system
C) renal system
D) lymphatic system

Question 26

The ________ consists of all the neurons that serve the organs and the glands, and plays a crucial role in stress responses.

A) endocrine system
B) immune system
C) autonomic nervous system
D) lymphatic system

Question 27

________ are the hormones that are responsible for maintaining the activation of physiological systems during emergencies.

A) Catecholamines
B) Serotonins
C) Glucocorticoids
D) Mineralocorticoids

Question 28

Stress-related cortisol release causes hippocampal dendrites to shrink, which can interfere with ________.

A) memory
B) vision
C) hearing
D) reasoning

Question 29

Lauren is anxious and under a lot of pressure over her impending divorce. Not only does she worry about the huge fees due to her lawyer, she also fears losing custody of her only daughter. Of late, she has been having memory-related issues, especially when it comes to remembering important dates. Which of the following is most likely to be causing Lauren's problems with her memory?

A) Decreased levels of epinephrine secreted by the medulla of the adrenal glands impacting memory formation
B) Increased neurogenesis in the hippocampus thus, inhibiting the synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus and neocortex, impacting memory formation
C) Increased rates of cortisol release that can cause hippocampal dendrites to shrink and interfere with memory
D) Decreased activity in the olfactory tract leading to poor memory functioning

Question 30

The model of physiological reactivity is rooted in ________.

A) occupational health psychology
B) psychosomatic medicine
C) applied psychology
D) behavioral medicine

Question 31

Martha, recently widowed, is a young working mother who remains stressed for a major part of the day. Loneliness, professional pressure, and the need to single-handedly look after her toddler are making her distraught. She visits a psychiatrist who instructs her to write about a traumatic emotional experience she recently had but could not share with anyone. She gives her 15 minutes to do the same. In this scenario, which of the following technique is Martha's psychiatrist employing?

A) Reappraisal
B) Sensory deprivation
C) Empathic listening
D) Emotional disclosure

Question 32

What is the result of extended periods of sympathetic arousal on an individual?

A) It leads to decreased heart rate and blood pressure over extended periods.
B) It protects arteries by reducing their elasticity.
C) It can make an individual ill.
D) It decreases the chance of fatty buildup in an individual.

Question 33

Given that Lynn practices mindfulness meditation, which of the following will she be required to do when she meditates?

A) Focus on the details of past experiences.
B) Note experiences and emotions as they occur without clinging to them.
C) Analyze the emotions and sensations that may arise in her mind.
D) Brush aside all thoughts and emotions that arise in her mind.

Question 34

Which of the following is true of allostasis?

A) The concept of allostasis states that just a single-level system in the body struggles to return to baseline at a time.
B) The concept of allostasis makes clear that our bodies can respond adaptively to challenge for only a short period of time.
C) The concept of allostasis explains the concept of gene expression and hierarchy that is reflected in our observable external behavior.
D) The concept of allostasis states that unless we are provoked, we maintain a standard optimal baseline state and cannot return to that same state after the stress.

Question 35

Which of the following models is an extension of the idea that immunosuppression increases susceptibility to disease?

A) The transactional model
B) The physiological reactivity model
C) The biopsychosocial model
D) The physical reactivity model

Question 36

The ________ states that social support may serve to protect an individual from the effects of stress under certain conditions.

A) physiological reactivity hypothesis
B) buffering hypothesis
C) general adaptation hypothesis
D) direct effects hypothesis

Question 37

Joe, a young stock broker, has recently suffered a severe setback in his trade. Despite his loss, he has managed to find a positive meaning in the situation by considering this as a learning experience. Considering these characteristics, which personality trait is Joe exhibiting?

A) Anxiety
B) Resilience
C) Grit
D) Introversion

Question 38

With regard to stress, results from animal research indicate that a variety of stressors such as maternal separation, inescapable shock, abrupt temperature change, and loud noise ________.

A) increase the numbers of certain immune cells
B) can weaken responses to antigens
C) can subvert reactions such as response to vaccines
D) improve immune cell functions

Question 39

Which of the following is a function of cortisol?

A) Breaking down complex molecules into simpler ones to release energy
B) Releasing aldosterone from the adrenal cortex
C) Regulating cell growth and development by telling the pituitary when to release various hormones
D) Releasing the digestive enzymes from the pancreas into the bloodstream

Question 40

Jerry fell off his bike and sustained minor bruises on his knees. Which of the following processes will help restore the injured tissues in his knees?

A) Inflammation
B) Autoregulation
C) Ecchymosis
D) Catabolism

Question 41

According to Momersteeg et al., 2016; Tully and Cosh, 2013, what were the findings of a large-scale meta-analysis done for people with coronary heart disease?

A) Depression has no effect on those suffering from coronary heart disease.
B) Depression scores cannot predict death from cardiovascular disease and overall mortality.
C) Chemicals involved in inflammation that are harmful for the heart are reduced in people who are depressed than in others.
D) Clinical depression increases the risk of death from heart disease.

Question 42

Which of the following defines stress as a particular relationship between people and the situations in which they find themselves?

A) The stimulus view of stress
B) The psychological view of stress
C) The physiological view of stress
D) The relational view of stress

Question 43

While studying the interplay of stress and social connectedness in people's susceptibility to the common cold, what were the results of Cohen's research?

A) The number of stressors to which an individual had been exposed predicted whether he or she developed a cold.
B) Exposure to the cold virus guaranteed that a person will get sick.
C) Meaningful social interactions in an individual's daily life increased his or her susceptibility to colds.
D) The perception of stress predicted whether or not a person developed a cold.

Question 44

________ plays an important role in ensuring that more glucose is available for fuel in the bloodstream.

A) Estrone
B) Cortisol
C) Testosterone
D) Estriol

Question 45

In the context of the general adaptation syndrome (GAS), upon exposure to a stressor, an animal enters a state of physiological shock, called the ________, which is the body's emergency response to a threat.

A) resistance stage
B) exhaustion stage
C) alarm stage
D) denial stage

Question 46

Which of the following is true of foods that are high in fiber and low in fat?

A) They can help prevent cancer of the blood.
B) They can help protect against cancer of the colon.
C) They can help prevent cancer of the lungs.
D) They can help prevent cancer of the mouth.

Question 47

The concept of homeostasis did not entirely garner consensus among researchers because ________.

A) not all organisms could show adaptability to the changes in internal and external environment
B) even the slightest fluctuations in the environment could cause the regulatory process to stop functioning
C) it implies that just one system in the body struggles to return to baseline at a time
D) organisms did not always show signs of survival mechanisms when faced with changes in the internal and external environment

Question 48

________ is the drug component of cigarette smoke.

A) Benzodiazepine
B) Ritalin
C) Nicotine
D) Oxycodone

Question 49

In the context of emotion-focused coping, ________ refers to wishful thinking or doing something to get one's mind off a situation.

A) self-control
B) distancing
C) reappraisal
D) escape-avoidance

Question 50

Though pianist Lewis usually eats in moderation, his intake increases dramatically when he is affected by performance pressure. He says eating ice creams in particular soothes his agitated mind and makes him feel better. Which of the following is responsible for the "good feeling" that he experiences after eating?

A) Release of encephalin
B) Release of norepinephrine
C) Release of endorphins
D) Release of dopamine

Question 51

Danny, a marketing manager for a large multinational company, has been held responsible for the poor management of a crucial project. The company had suffered huge losses because of this project, and Danny has been having a stressful week dealing with his boss and his clients. Danny goes for a movie with his friends to unwind and get his mind off work. Which of the following strategies has Danny used in this scenario?

A) Reappraisal
B) Self-control
C) Acceptance of responsibility
D) Escape-avoidance

Question 52

The ________ focuses on the physiological changes that occur when an individual encounters an excessively challenging situation.

A) response view of stress
B) relational view of stress
C) stimulus view of stress
D) psychological view of stress

Question 53

________ is the immune response that occurs when T lymphocytes fight antigens.

A) Innate immunity
B) Molecular immunity
C) Cellular immunity
D) Natural immunity

Question 54

Stress-induced eating is risky, as it increases fat in the ________, which is a predictor of heart disease in men and women.

A) face
B) buttocks
C) thighs
D) abdomen

Question 55

Sustained activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis leads to sustained release of ________, which inhibits the production of certain immune cells.

A) cortisol
B) testosterone
C) estriol
D) estrone

Question 56

Which of the following is NOT a psychological risk factor for heart disease?

A) Anger
B) Depression
C) Lack of time urgency
D) Hostility

Question 57

Frederick, an entrepreneur, is worried because his business has not started earning enough profits and fears that his business plan will not succeed. He seeks advice from his older brother Ron. Ron asks him not to worry and to keep his mind focused. Which of the following mechanisms has Frederick used in this scenario?

A) Acceptance of responsibility
B) Reappraisal
C) Self-control
D) Escape-avoidance

Question 58

Which of the following does Friedman and Rosenman hypothesize about the Type A Behavior Pattern?

A) People who do not exhibit the TABP at all are more vulnerable to death due to cardiovascular complications.
B) People who do not exhibit the TABP under provocation face greater risk for heart disease than those who do.
C) People who exhibit the TABP under provocation are at greater risk for heart disease than those who do not.
D) People with the TABP invariably show feelings of anxiety and paranoia.

Question 59

The calming effect of smoking encourages smokers to use smoking for ________.

A) physiological regulation
B) cognitive regulation
C) emotion regulation
D) physical regulation

Question 60

Which of the following is true of an individual's response to stress?

A) The effects of stress can hardly be buffered by social support as it all depends on the individual's capacity to better his or her status quo.
B) It is important to examine stress solely as a stimulus in the individual in order to study the effects of stress in a comprehensive way.
C) The individual's perception of stress is more likely to make an impact on how he or she responds to a stressor.
D) The relationship between stress and illness is very likely to depend on the situation rather than the individual's perception of it.

Question 61

Identify a true statement about health behaviors that affect and change the microbiome.

A) C-section and formula for an infant's microbiome are better than natural birth and breastfeeding.
B) Research on gut-brain axis suggests that avoiding dirt and "germs" is always a good thing for the immune system.
C) Even though kissing can transfer harmful germs, it also transmits beneficial probiotics between people.
D) Research suggests that living germ-free actually decreases the stress response.

Question 62

For over a month, Timothy studies day and night in order to perform well in his final exams, which are fast approaching. Though he does quite well in his exams, Timothy takes ill shortly after his exams are over. According to Selye's general adaptation syndrome (GAS) model, Timothy shows signs of ________.

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

Question 63

Which of the following statements is true of acquired immunity?

A) An effective immune response occurs even before prior exposure to a particular antigen.
B) It does not involve experience and its forms include phagocytosis and inflammation.
C) Acquired immune responses take longer to initiate than natural immune responses.
D) It consists of a number of inborn processes that help remove foreign substances from the body.

Question 64

The focus on ________ is known as the stimulus view of stress.

A) an individual's behavior in a particular situation
B) the changes that occur as a result of stress
C) the situations that cause stress
D) the relationship between an individual and a particular situation

Question 65

What does the Hassles and Uplifts Scale measure?

A) The frequency and intensity of minor irritations and positive events of daily life that may counteract their damaging effects
B) The number of times a person gets bogged down by mundane activities in one day
C) The number of times a person consciously avoids reacting "when irritable" during a given period of time
D) The list of events that might be considered life-changing for an individual where each event is assigned a corresponding life change value

Question 66

Harold, a professional musician, usually is very careful about his eating habits. He eats in moderation and exercises regularly. However, his food intake increases dramatically when he is affected by work pressure. He says eating chocolates soothes his agitated mind and makes him feel better. The "good feeling" that Harold experiences after eating is due to the release of ________.

A) encephalin
B) endorphins
C) dopamine
D) norepinephrine

Question 67

In the context of emotion-focused coping, self-control refers to ________.

A) the attempt to regulate one's feelings or actions regarding a problem
B) acknowledging one's role in a stress-eliciting situation
C) the attempt to separate oneself from an emotional experience
D) doing something to get one's mind off a stressful situation

Question 68

Which of the following is NOT an illness associated with cigarette smoking?

A) Lung cancer
B) Thalassemia
C) Impotence
D) Emphysema

Question 69

With continued exposure to a stressor, when an animal develops alternative ways of coping, they enter the second stage of adaptation, known as the ________.

A) alarm stage
B) exhaustion stage
C) tranquility stage
D) resistance stage

Question 70

Which of the following is true of the catecholamine norepinephrine?

A) It ensures that glucose is available for fuel in the bloodstream.
B) It tells the pituitary when to release various hormones.
C) It activates the sympathetic response to make the body ready for action.
D) It decreases the heart rate and the rate of respiration.

Question 71

Which of the following is true of social support as a coping strategy?

A) It aims to stimulate the experience of distress.
B) It combines problem- and emotion-focused coping.
C) It is beneficial to mental health only if an individual is under stress.
D) It has little effect on improving one's physical health.

Question 72

Barbara gave birth to a baby girl, but she had difficulty breastfeeding her as she did not produce enough milk. She was constantly frustrated and unhappy. She talked to her friends, family, and her child's pediatrician about alternatives as she knew that her baby's needs came first. She also joined the online group "Formula-Feeding Mamas" to seek guidance from their experiences. In the context of stress, which of the following coping strategies was Barbara using?

A) Problem-focused strategy
B) Social support strategy
C) Cognitive reappraisal
D) Emotion-focused strategy

Question 73

Which of the following was Hans Selye's hypothesis about the effects of long-term stress?

A) All stress occurs when the body reacts to changes that are specialized in nature.f
B) Prolonged exposure to stress produces physical reactions that differ from person to person.
C) All stress causes a generalized, nonspecific set of changes in the body.
D) Stress causes a specific set of physiological changes depending exclusively on the type of elicitor.

Question 74

Identify a major limitation of measuring stress using the Hassles and Uplifts Scale.

A) It does not consider the differences in people's emotional responses to stressors.
B) It is cumbersome to use and administer.
C) It overrates the impact of minor irritations on depression.
D) It overemphasizes the differences in perception among people.

Question 75

Stress occurs when ________.

A) a person resolves to make the changes required to improve his or her chances for improving a situation
B) a person avoids all negative emotions and maintains a sense of well-being and balance
C) a situation overwhelms a person's perceived ability to meet the demands of that situation
D) a situation is characterized by minor events that a person can address in a methodical manner despite the pressures of daily life

Question 76

Which of the following coping strategies aims to regulate the experience of distress?

A) Emotion-focused coping
B) Secondary appraisal
C) Problem-focused coping
D) Primary appraisal

Question 77

________ coping strategies aim to change a situation that is creating stress.

A) Problem-focused
B) Escape-avoidance
C) Emotion-focused
D) Assertive action-based

Question 78

Dan, a 60-year-old, feels lonely and finds it distressing to do even the most mundane of things. Compounding his problem is the fact that his children have grown up, moved out, and have lives of their own. He has recently started socializing with his neighbors and also begun sharing his emotional troubles. Which of the following best explains Dan's method of dealing with stress?

A) The GAS model
B) The physiological reactivity model
C) The psychosomatics model
D) The buffering hypothesis

Question 79

Which organ of the body is generally worst-hit by alcohol?

A) Small intestine
B) Stomach
C) Liver
D) Esophagus

Question 80

How does sustained activation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis affect the immune system?

A) It triggers the production of certain immune cells.
B) It makes a person less susceptible to diseases.
C) It leads to a sustained release of cortisol.
D) It leads to significant and substantial reductions in anxiety, depression, and fear.