Deck 12: Health, stress, and Coping

Question 1

Which title is least likely be a topic of a researcher who studies health psychology?

A) "Improving employee motivation and job performance."
B) "Factors influencing men's decisions to perform testicular examinations."
C) "Why Americans continue to smoke."
D) "How to encourage your children to exercise."

Answer 1

"Improving employee motivation and job performance."

Question 2

Stress is defined as ____.

A) an uncomfortable feeling in certain situations
B) the process of adjustment to disrupting circumstances
C) damage to the body caused by psychological processes
D) difficulties in daily living

Answer 2

the process of adjustment to disrupting circumstances

Question 3

During an especially long and stressful expedition,Sulu went in for a checkup.The doctor told him that his blood sugar and cortisol levels were elevated and that he might be at risk for illness.According to Hans Selye,Sulu is in the ____ stage of the general adaptation syndrome.

A) alarm reaction
B) burnout
C) exhaustion
D) resistance

Answer 3

resistance

Question 4

After Natter narrowly avoids a car accident,he notices that his heart is beating rapidly and he feels a "rush" from the adrenaline in his bloodstream.Natter is most likely in the ____ stage of the general adaptation syndrome.

A) resistance
B) alarm reaction
C) adaptation
D) exhaustion

Question 5

Roberta is a health care psychologist.As part of her practice and research,Roberta is least likely to ____.

A) study the role played by stress in physical illness
B) seek efforts to cure the general adaptation syndrome
C) help people understand how to live longer
D) educate people about the warning signs of illnesses

Question 6

According to Selye's general adaptation syndrome model,an inexperienced soldier suddenly thrust into a long,intense battle would most likely react in which sequence?

A) alarm reaction, resistance, exhaustion
B) resistance, alarm reaction, exhaustion
C) resistance, exhaustion, alarm reaction
D) panic, illness, resistance

Question 7

Which individual is experiencing a stressor that falls in the life changes and strains category?

A) Ross, whose wife just had a baby
B) Rachel, who was just in a car accident
C) Monica, who spends two hours in traffic each day on her way to work
D) Chandler, who has to deal with an unfriendly co-worker every day

Question 8

Sophia is an air traffic controller.If she fails in her job,planes could crash and hundreds of people could die.While she is at work,she must be constantly alert and pay close attention.Although she is outwardly healthy,Sophia's blood pressure and blood sugar levels are high,and her body is secreting excess amounts of corticosteroids.Which stage of the general adaptation syndrome is Sophia in?

A) resistance
B) alarm reaction
C) exhaustion
D) defensive

Question 9

Cheranita is experiencing the first stage of the general adaptation syndrome.An environmental stressor has triggered a process in her brain in which the ____ activates the sympathetic branch of the ____ nervous system,which stimulates the adrenal gland,which then secretes adrenaline.

A) hypothalamus; autonomic
B) medulla oblongata; somatic
C) hypothalamus; somatic
D) medulla oblongata; autonomic

Question 10

The University of Illinois is starting a research project that compares the test performance of students who sleep eight hours a night and eat well-balanced meals with students who skip sleep and eat only junk food.This research project will most likely be directed by ____ psychologists.

A) clinical
B) health care
C) occupational
D) personality

Question 11

Although they appear to be in top physical condition,professional basketball players often get sick during the eighty-two-game,six-month-long NBA season.According to the textbook,a likely reason is that ____.

A) they are exposed to many more germs than other people
B) their bodies' reserves of adaptive energy are worn down by the constant and long-lasting stressors of the season
C) a physical defense mechanism kicks in to protect the athletes from burnout
D) their sympathetic nervous systems become overworked in the resistance stage, and too few catecholamines are released into the bloodstream

Question 12

In Keely's typical semester at college,she usually blows off all her work until midsemester.Then she panics and works long hours under pressure until finals are over.Then she goes home for vacation and gets sick.Keely probably gets sick because she is in the ____ phase of ____.

A) resistance; the general adaptation syndrome
B) exhaustion; the general adaptation syndrome
C) alarm reaction; resistance
D) final; the general anxiety syndrome

Question 13

At a hostile family reunion,Paige is quite stressed.Her heart is racing,her emotions are frazzled,and she has crossed her arms to signal she's not to be disturbed.Paige's responses to the reunion are known as ____.

A) stress reactions
B) stressors
C) general adaptation
D) burnout

Question 14

According to Selye's general adaptation syndrome (GAS),when an organism first appears to be settling in for a long-term battle with the stressor,the stage of ____ has been reached.

A) alarm reaction
B) exhaustion
C) resistance
D) expiration

Question 15

Spring has an increased level of catecholamines in her bloodstream,indicating that she is most likely in the ____ stage of the general adaptation syndrome.

A) resistance
B) biological
C) alarm reaction
D) exhaustion

Question 16

Scott has heart damage that his doctor says is due to prolonged stress from caring for a child with a serious,incurable illness.The doctor explains that the damage is probably due to high levels of adrenaline and cortisol produced by his body over a long period of time.Hans Selye would say that Scott is in the ____ stage of the general adaptation syndrome.

A) alarm reaction
B) catastrophic
C) exhaustion
D) resistance

Question 17

During lunch,Barry tells Wynne that he cannot take any more stressors in his life.She gives him a funny look,so he explains that a stressor is a(n)____.

A) reaction of the body, such as increased heart rate or nausea
B) behavioral response, such as drinking
C) person in the process of adjusting to uncomfortable circumstances
D) event or situation to which people must react

Question 18

Trina is thinking about how many papers she has to do before the end of the term,how to mend things with her boyfriend,and how to earn enough money to buy her family presents for the holidays.In other words,Trina is thinking about ____.

A) stress responses
B) stressors
C) stress mediators
D) chronic problems

Question 19

After the initial shock of entering cold water,swimmers feel comfortable even though their blood pressure has increased.They are in the ____ phase of the general adaptation syndrome.

A) resistance
B) exhaustion
C) alarm reaction
D) adaptive

Question 20

After working a stressful job for years,Kyle has developed high blood pressure and an ulcer.In which stage of the general adaptation syndrome would Selye place Kyle?

A) alarm reaction
B) attack
C) resistance
D) exhaustion

Question 21

While searching for an artifact,Indiana Jones is captured by mercenaries and tied up with rope.He keeps looking for a dagger or sword to cut the rope,not realizing that he could use a jagged rock instead.This is an example of how stress can cause ____.

A) functional fixedness
B) ruminative thinking
C) catastrophizing
D) cognitive restructuring

Question 22

All of the following are behavioral stress responses except ____.

A) strained facial expressions
B) aggression
C) catastrophizing
D) alcohol abuse

Question 23

According to Selye,which factor would be the most important determinant of one's response to stress?

A) emotional state
B) biological variables
C) cognitive appraisal of stressors
D) environmental conditions

Question 24

After killing the giant who chased him,Jack immediately starts thinking about how the giant's wife is going to come after him,how she's going to catch him and torture him,and how he'll probably spend the rest of his life in a giant prison.Jack's thoughts are an example of ____.

A) ruminative thinking
B) burnout
C) premonitions
D) catastrophizing

Question 25

Because Amber went out last night to watch the Emma Feel band,she is unprepared for her psychology final today.As a result,during the middle of the exam,she begins to repeatedly think,"I should have studied more for this test." This type of thought pattern is representative of ____.

A) ruminative thinking
B) catastrophizing
C) a mental set
D) cognitive restructuring

Question 26

Which of the following is best classified as an emotional stress response?

A) ruminative thinking and a narrowed scope of attention
B) feelings of anxiety and depression
C) trembling hands and a shaky voice
D) increased heart rate and perspiration

Question 27

Derek is under extreme stress because he is taking an exam that will determine his grade in the course.As a result of this pressure,he is trying to answer all of the questions on the exam using exactly the same procedure-even when that procedure isn't correct.Derek's situation illustrates the negative impact of ____.

A) problem-focused coping strategies
B) mental sets
C) posttraumatic stress disorder
D) functional fixedness

Question 28

Which of the following statements is false?

A) Stress can come from negative and positive events.
B) Stress cannot lead to death.
C) Stressful events often involve change.
D) Boredom can lead to stress.

Question 29

Kestor was camping in the woods when a bear attacked him.Now Kestor has trouble concentrating and getting along with others.In addition,Kestor has difficulty sleeping,and he often has nightmares involving bears.Kestor is most likely suffering from ____.

A) generalized anxiety disorder
B) burnout
C) posttraumatic stress disorder
D) diathesis-stress

Question 30

Gail cannot stop thinking about her breakup with her boyfriend.She wonders constantly what caused it,how it could have been prevented,and if they will get back together.Gail is ____.

A) ruminating
B) overaroused
C) maximizing
D) catastrophizing

Question 31

The punk rock group called Stress Factor wants to name their first music album after illnesses that are caused by stressors.As their manager,you tell them the album should be called "____."

A) Psychoneuroimmunology
B) Dispositional Hostility
C) Disease of Adaptation
D) Mental Sets

Question 32

Near the end of the semester,Gina shows signs of exhaustion.She is pulling all-nighters to finish papers and projects while working part-time and visiting her ailing grandmother.As a result,she becomes more vulnerable to illness.Hans Selye would refer to Gina's resulting illness as ____.

A) a maladaptive coping outcome
B) a disease of adaptation
C) functional fixedness
D) posttraumatic stress disorder

Question 33

Erwin,a decorated war hero,occasionally has flashbacks concerning his hand-to-hand combat experiences in Southeast Asia.This is a symptom of ____.

A) a generalized anxiety disorder
B) posttraumatic stress disorder
C) the general adaptation syndrome
D) acute nemosis

Question 34

Scooby and Shaggy are being chased by a scary ghost.In the stress of their escape,they may be more prone to functional fixedness.Which example best illustrates functional fixedness?

A) Shaggy perceives that he has no control over their escape.
B) Shaggy dwells on the potential dangers if they are caught.
C) Scooby thinks of their escape as a challenge rather than a problem.
D) Scooby doesn't think to use a chair to barricade a door with no lock.

Question 35

In times of stress,a person is likely to use mental sets when solving a problem.An example of a mental set is ____.

A) thinking of objects only for their intended use
B) a well-learned but inefficient approach to a problem
C) a recurring intrusion of thoughts about the stressful event
D) dwelling on potential negative outcomes

Question 36

How do psychobiological models of stress response differ from Selye's model? They ____.

A) place more emphasis on fixed biological factors
B) place more emphasis on psychological factors
C) emphasize the role of physical stressors
D) place more emphasis on change in the environment

Question 37

Which example best illustrates catastrophizing?

A) Colette can't stop thinking about the way she embarrassed herself at a party last night.
B) Silas is nervous about the MCAT and decides to take a Stanley Kaplan study course to prepare.
C) Daniella's mother is ill, and Daniella feels guilty for not being home to take care of her.
D) Kiwane is taking his Psych 100 final and keeps thinking throughout the test that he is failing and will never get into law school.

Question 38

When Rudolph is under stress,he usually begins to feel mildly depressed and anxious.When Vermetta is under stress,she has difficulty remembering the phone numbers she uses every day and misplaces objects around the house.How do Rudolph's and Vermetta's responses to stress differ?

A) Rudolph's response is behavioral; Vermetta's is cognitive.
B) Rudolph's response is physical; Vermetta's is behavioral.
C) Rudolph's response is emotional; Vermetta's is cognitive.
D) Rudolph's response is emotional; Vermetta's is behavioral.

Question 39

Hathora is worried about her upcoming driver's license test."If I fail this test,my friends will all laugh at me," she worries."I just can't face my friends if I fail this; it will be the end for me." Hathora is illustrating the cognitive stress response called ____.

A) sublimation
B) reaction formation
C) catastrophizing
D) displacement

Question 40

Joe returned from combat two months ago.However,he is still experiencing sleep disturbances,anxiety,irritability,guilt,jumpiness,inability to concentrate,and difficulty getting along with others.Joe is most likely suffering from ____.

A) posttraumatic stress disorder
B) diathesis-stress
C) burnout
D) chronic stress

Question 41

On the first day of class,Guff tells his students that they can choose the way in which quizzes will be administered.Which option should Guff's students choose in order to minimize stress?

A) quizzes given every Wednesday
B) quizzes scheduled by students' unanimous vote
C) pop quizzes scheduled by Guff
D) two quiz questions to be given during any class period at which attendance is high (as estimated by Guff)

Question 42

When Alyson faces a stressful problem,she concentrates on controlling negative thoughts and reassuring herself that she can handle the situation.She also plans her day so that she doesn't have time to think about the problem.Alyson is using ____ coping to deal with her stress.

A) emotion-focused
B) outcome-oriented
C) solution generation
D) problem-focused

Question 43

You find yourself in a stressful environment.Which condition would be least effective in helping you cope with the stress?

A) being able to predict when a stressful stimulus will occur
B) believing you have some control over the stressor
C) having a good social network or social support system
D) using a cognitive stress response such as cognitive flooding

Question 44

Little Jill creeps downstairs on Christmas Eve to try to see Santa.To her shock,she sees her mommy kissing Santa Claus underneath the mistletoe! In response to the stress this induces,Jill wishes that it had never happened and tries not to think about it too much.In this example,Jill is using ____-focused coping methods.

A) problem
B) escape
C) emotion
D) social

Question 45

Corbin recently found out that he has cancer,and he now strictly follows a treatment,diet,and exercise program that the doctor thinks will be helpful in keeping the cancer from spreading.These behaviors best illustrate ____ coping.

A) problem-focused
B) distance-focused
C) diligence-focused
D) emotion-focused

Question 46

Han-Sung is a university student who feels very anxious and on edge when he is struggling to get everything done.To feel less anxious,he listens to relaxing classical music.Which form of coping skills does Han-Sung employ?

A) Emotion-focused
B) Problem-focused
C) Cynical optimist
D) Socially supportive

Question 47

Renata often has conflicts with her boss at work,which causes her a great deal of stress.To cope with her stress,Renata develops a plan of action to confront her boss so that her situation will be less stressful.In this situation,Renata exhibits ____.

A) emotion-focused coping
B) social networking
C) problem-focused coping
D) ruminative coping skills

Question 48

You are most likely to experience stress when you ____.

A) are scheduled for experiments from a card you filled out indicating when you have free time to do the experiments
B) participate in a scheduled group activity worth 10 percent of your grade
C) take an exam in a class that you find fun and interesting
D) have an instructor tell you to put away your books and notes and get ready for a pop quiz

Question 49

Professor Guavita gives surprise quizzes on a random schedule.Professor Hoggatt gives the same number of quizzes,but gives them once a week on Mondays.Assuming the quizzes are of equal difficulty,whose students would be under more stress?

A) Professor Guavita's students
B) Professor Hoggatt's students
C) The stress would be equal for both groups.
D) There is no way of predicting stress levels in this situation.

Question 50

Unlike posttraumatic stress disorder,burnout is the result of ____.

A) physiological events
B) interpersonal conflict
C) inadequate informal help
D) long-term or chronic stress

Question 51

Leah is a full-time lawyer for a big law firm.She is continuously under pressure to perform her job well,both from her clients and the law partners.She has three young children at home that she rarely gets to see.Lately,Leah has become disengaged from both her work and family life.She also has become quite accident prone.Leah is likely suffering from ____.

A) posttraumatic stress disorder
B) burnout
C) a brain tumor
D) ruminative thinking

Question 52

Seena is extremely nervous about an exam that she is taking tomorrow.To relieve the stress,she decides to stop thinking about the exam,and she spends her evening watching television and thinking happy thoughts.Seena is using a(n)____ coping method.

A) emotion-focused
B) task-oriented
C) problem-focused
D) person-oriented

Question 53

Rosario is a nurse in a large metropolitan hospital.There are some shifts that are very busy and very stressful.What coping strategy would be the most effective in helping her be resilient to the stress?

A) Take a break while working.
B) Determine and prepare for the busier times of the week or year.
C) Work slower on the busy shifts.
D) Eat an adequate meal during those shifts.

Question 54

Uncle Buck likes to visit your family about twice a year-which is two times too many for you.Which strategy would be least effective in minimizing the stress associated with these visits?

A) knowing the exact dates that he is arriving and leaving
B) being able to control when he comes to visit
C) thinking of his visits as "fun and helpful"
D) knowing that he might come in December, although he may come sooner

Question 55

After receiving a partridge,two turtle doves,and three French hens from his true love,Luke is experiencing stress because he hasn't sent a single present to his true love yet! However,Luke decides to think about his situation as a challenge rather than a problem,and he realizes that he can talk to his friends about good gift ideas.In this example,which stress mediators are most clearly operating?

A) cognitive appraisal and predictability
B) control and predictability
C) control and social support
D) cognitive appraisal and social support

Question 56

Margarita is writing a book about problem-focused coping strategies.Which title would be least relevant for this book?

A) Standing Your Ground: Getting What You Want in Three Easy Steps
B) Wishing Them Away: The Guide to Not Letting Your Problems Get to You
C) The Dummies Guide for Making a Plan of Action and Following Through
D) How to Identify the Right Support Group for You

Question 57

Cory is a social worker responsible for removing children from homes where parents were cruel and neglectful.After two years of being assaulted by parents and getting body lice from children,Cory has a difficult time getting up to go to work in the mornings.Often he starts crying as he showers and dresses.Eventually,he quits going to work altogether.Cory is probably ____.

A) burned out
B) experiencing dissociative disorder
C) experiencing a posttraumatic stress disorder
D) employing cognitive coping skills

Question 58

Batman and Spiderman are having lunch together.Spiderman confides that he can't take the stress of crime fighting anymore.He's become accident prone,sad,irritable,and indifferent to the growing injustice of the city.Based on what you know from the text,Spiderman seems to be suffering from ____.

A) dysthymic disorder
B) posttraumatic stress disorder
C) burnout
D) social phobia

Question 59

Kanesh is trying to think about many difficult issues right now.Which thought should be the most stressful because it has the least number of stress mediators?

A) thinking about his challenging exam scheduled for tomorrow
B) thinking about the severe storm that is predicted to happen in three days
C) thinking about his sister, who is a journalist in a distant, hostile region
D) thinking about the new car he might need to buy within the next couple years

Question 60

Nina is trying to deal with her husband's job loss.She refuses to feel helpless and is working hard to get her husband a job at her firm.Given her actions,Nina is employing ____-focused coping to overcome her stress.

A) escape
B) problem
C) emotion
D) control

Question 61

Rick's marriage is fairly stable.George,on the other hand,fights with his wife and worries that she might leave him.According to the results of the Terman Life Cycle Study,George is more likely to ____ than Rick.

A) eat a healthier diet
B) die at a younger age
C) score higher on conscientiousness
D) score higher on openness to experience

Question 62

Justin has been writing songs about his use of emotion-focused coping strategies in dealing with his relationship problems.Which song title would be least relevant for these songs?

A) "Taking Action to Change My Ways."
B) "Wishing It Away."
C) "I Didn't Cry Me a River."
D) "Okay, So It's All My Fault."

Question 63

Harley has recently heard that his company is closing,and that he will be out of a job soon.He has decided to not think about it very much because he believes he doesn't have the skills to get another good job.Based on how he handles this stressor,Harley seems to possess a ____ personality.

A) disease-prone
B) contemplation
C) disease-resistant
D) precontemplation

Question 64

Ozlem thinks that things always work out positively for her.When she has a problem,she takes steps to eliminate it immediately,and she thinks of the problem as a challenge.Ozlem seems to be a person with ____.

A) dispositional optimism
B) high neuroticism
C) type A characteristics
D) high extraversion

Question 65

Mark and Lisa are a couple in the middle of a heated argument.Research on gender differences in stress responses suggests that ____.

A) Mark is more likely than Lisa to make use of his social support network.
B) Mark and Lisa are equally likely to make use of social support networks.
C) Mark is more likely than Lisa to display intense emotional and behavioral responses.
D) Mark and Lisa are equally likely to display intense emotional and behavioral responses.

Question 66

Research demonstrates that people who view their marriage as _____ are less likely than other married people to have developed harmful plaque in their coronary arteries.

A) supportive
B) unstable
C) a mix of ups and downs
D) socially isolating

Question 67

When Friedman and his associates analyzed the Terman Life Cycle Study to find the personality characteristics that predict long life,they found a link between ____ and longevity.

A) openness to experience
B) extraversion
C) conscientiousness
D) agreeableness

Question 68

Eli grew up in an impoverished neighborhood and had friends who never went to school and ended up in prison.He finished high school while holding down a full-time job at night.He has put himself through college while working and caring for his ailing parents.Throughout the challenges,Eli always believes that things would work out for the best.Eli is displaying ____.

A) a self-serving bias
B) dispositional optimism
C) a Type A personality
D) the actor-observer bias

Question 69

Which factor is least representative of someone with a disease-resistant personality?

A) inability to adapt to changing conditions
B) perception of stressful events as challenging opportunities
C) strong involvement in personal values and goals
D) belief in ability to deal with problems

Question 70

Men and women typically react differently in the face of stress.These differences may result from the tendency of men to adopt ____,whereas women tend to adopt ____ when reacting to stress.

A) ruminative thinking; cognitive restructuring
B) disease-prone patterns; disease-resistant patterns
C) emotion-focused coping; problem-focused coping
D) a fight-or-flight response; a tend-and-befriend response

Question 71

Dr.Freeman works in the field of psychoneuroimmunology,which is the study of ____.

A) patterns of thinking and behaving that are maladaptive, disruptive, or uncomfortable
B) the interaction of psychological and physiological processes that affect the body's ability to defend itself against disease
C) the relationship between the physical characteristics of environmental stimuli and the psychological experience those stimuli produce
D) psychoactive drugs and their effects

Question 72

Neil is nervous about an upcoming presentation he has to give at a conference.To cheer him on,Neil's wife and brother decide to sit in the audience during his talk.Upon seeing them in the audience,Neil becomes even more stressed with the added concern that he will mess up in front of his loved ones.This example demonstrates ____.

A) the resistance stage of the general adaptation syndrome
B) that social support is not always positive
C) that emotion-focused coping has its limits
D) that conscientiousness does not always predict dispositional optimism

Question 73

Benjamin is a researcher studying ways to decrease the negative impact of stress on patients who have tested HIV-positive.Benjamin is probably in the field of ____.

A) psychobiology
B) neurological psychology
C) cognitive psychology
D) psychoneuroimmunology

Question 74

Your friend has been stressed recently,and you are concerned that if it continues,he will become depressed.Which factor will be most helpful to him in reducing stress and preventing depression during stressful periods?

A) low self-efficacy
B) strong social support
C) an overprotective family
D) isolation from others

Question 75

Nelson experiences a lot of chronic stress at work,and his wife has asked for a divorce.Surprisingly,Nelson seems to be exhibiting very few stress reactions.He has a large network of friends who help him deal with his stressors.The support his friends provide is a ____.

A) general adaptation syndrome
B) stress resistor
C) stress mediator
D) cognitive stress strategy

Question 76

The field of psychoneuroimmunology traces its roots back to the research on bacteria and stress conducted by ____.

A) Hans Selye
B) Robert Gallo
C) Louis Pasteur
D) Sigmund Freud

Question 77

Evelyn's husband recently died and she is supporting her two children.In addition,she is struggling to keep her job and has taken an increased workload.Based on what you know about stress,Evelyn is most likely to ____.

A) have more colds and other respiratory infections
B) show enhanced immune system activity
C) show an increase in natural killer cell activity
D) have decreased cortisol secretion

Question 78

A person with a disease-resistant personality is one who ____.

A) is very angry and resentful
B) handles stress effectively
C) has an external locus of control
D) is high on all big five characteristics

Question 79

People with disease-prone personalities are least likely to ____.

A) avoid thinking about stressors
B) perceive stressors as catastrophic and brought on by themselves
C) think pessimistically about their ability to overcome stressors
D) rely mainly on problem-focused coping strategies

Question 80

Greg and Peter is talking about their brother Bobby."I don't see how he does it," states Peter."If I were in his situation,I'd be so stressed that I would make myself sick! And Bobby seems to be just fine!" Greg responds,"Well,Peter,I believe that Bobby has a disease-resistant personality,which means he possesses ____.

A) a sense of denial about the challenges he faces."
B) a lower alarm reaction threshold."
C) dispositional optimism and sociability."
D) more natural killer and B cells than most people."