Deck 17: The Final Challenge: Death and Dying

Question 1

Some doctors will prescribe painkillers or sleeping pills for terminally ill patients, knowing that the patient may very well deliberately take a lethal overdose. This is an example of

A) active euthanasia.
B) passive euthanasia.
C) fratricide.
D) assisted suicide.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Active euthanasia is also called

A) mercy killing.
B) assisted suicide.
C) physician-assisted suicide.
D) passive euthanasia.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Total brain death involves

A) irreversible loss in only the higher centers of the cerebral cortex.
B) reversible loss in only the lower centers of the brain.
C) irreversible loss in both the higher and lower centers of the brain.
D) reversible loss in both the higher and lower centers of the brain.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

How many of the following (active euthanasia, passive euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide) result in a terminally ill individual dying of natural causes?

A) 0
B) 1
C) 2
D) 3

Question 5

Despite being in an irreversible coma, Karen Ann Quinlan was not considered to be totally brain dead because

A) it was likely that she would regain consciousness at some time in the future.
B) she continued to show significant activity in her cerebral cortex.
C) her condition was due to an environmental accident (drug use), not a natural biological process (e.g., cancer).
D) her brain stem was still functioning enough to support breathing and some other body functions.

Question 6

Who is engaging in active euthanasia?

A) Adam, who is withholding pain-killing drugs
B) Sandler, who is removing a feed-tube from a patient who cannot feed him/herself
C) Will, who is injecting a terminally ill patient with a lethal dose of drugs
D) Farrell, who is removing a respirator from a patient who is totally brain dead

Question 7

Which of the following is an example of passive euthanasia?

A) Giving a terminally ill patient a lethal dose of drugs
B) Permitting a terminally ill patient to give him/herself a lethal dose of drugs
C) Removing a patient who is brain dead and in an irreversible coma from a respirator
D) Smothering a terminally ill patient to death at his request

Question 8

The main purpose of a living will is to

A) make provisions for the division of property among loved ones after one's own death.
B) specify how much medical care you wish to receive if you become terminally ill.
C) appoint guardians to care for all living minor offspring upon one's death.
D) make active euthanasia legal for one's self.

Question 9

Vaughn says, "I believe that everyone has the right to tell other people what they want done in case they are severely injured. For example, if I am ever in an accident and go into a coma, I do not want anyone hooking me up to any machines to keep me alive. That's why I have a piece of paper that says that they cannot do that to me!" This statement indicates that Vaughn is a strong proponent of

A) assisted suicide.
B) physician-assisted suicide.
C) active euthanasia.
D) living wills.

Question 10

In the United States, there is overwhelming support among members of the general public for

A) passive euthanasia.
B) assisted suicide.
C) active euthanasia.
D) measures to prevent euthanasia and assisted suicide.

Question 11

A Harvard group definition of biological death includes the criteria of

A) the failure to move for one hour and breathe for three minutes after removal from a ventilator.
B) having reflexive eye blink as the only eye response.
C) a heart-beat rate of 0 per minute for 10 consecutive minutes.
D) a lack of electrical activity throughout the entire brain and spinal cord.

Question 12

Total brain death includes all of the following components EXCEPT that

A) the person is totally unresponsive to stimuli (including a lack of pain).
B) there is a lack of reflexes.
C) there is a failure to breathe for 36 hours.
D) there is no electrical activity in the cortex of the brain.

Question 13

Deanna is dying of cancer and her feeding tube was just removed by a nurse. If the goal of this action would be to have her eventually die, it is best considered

A) passive euthanasia.
B) active euthanasia.
C) physician-assisted suicide.
D) self-inflicted suicide.

Question 14

Euthanasia is best defined as "_____" death.

A) quick
B) good
C) painless
D) natural

Question 15

Which of the following is an example of assisted suicide?

A) Instructing a terminally ill patient on what household chemicals to mix together to create a deadly gas
B) Injecting someone with a lethal dose of a drug that he or she is already taking
C) Withholding medical treatment for a chronic disorder
D) Removing someone from a respirator when brain activity is nonexistent

Question 16

_____ was the first state to legalize physician-assisted suicide.

A) California
B) Massachusetts
C) Oregon
D) Florida

Question 17

What did Karen Ann Quinlan and Terri Schaivo have in common?

A) Their situations demonstrated that there is only one legitimate definition of death.
B) They both demonstrated that once machines used to keep an individual alive are terminated, death is swift.
C) Their situations were the basis for two of the most famous right-to-life cases in the past few decades.
D) They both regained consciousness and lived normal lives after having been in comas for over 10 years.

Question 18

Owen and colleagues (2006) conducted research on a young woman who had been in a vegetative state for five months. When she was asked to imagine visiting rooms of her house, she

A) awakened from the vegetative state.
B) remained in the state, but spoke aloud stating which rooms she was visiting.
C) had a brain that responded in the same manner as a healthy brain would respond.
D) showed no measurable neurological reaction to the stimulation.

Question 19

Comas are most likely to be reversible when the coma is due to

A) massive external head trauma.
B) an abnormally low body temperature.
C) heart failure.
D) HIV/AIDS.

Question 20

It is most accurate to say that biological death

A) is a single event with a clear-cut end point.
B) occurs when a person stops breathing.
C) is a process consisting of multiple events, with a blurry line between life and death.
D) officially occurs when the heart stops beating.

Question 21

The notion of "stages of dying" is best associated with

A) Freud.
B) Kübler-Ross.
C) Hayflick.
D) Parkes.

Question 22

Olga is a right-to-die activist. As such, she is most likely to agree with the statement that

A) death needs to be seen as a medical failure.
B) the hospice movement is a move in the wrong direction.
C) death needs to be experienced and shared within the family.
D) it is the quantity of life that matters, not the quality of life.

Question 23

Cross-cultural research on death-hastening practices among frail older adults has shown that these practices include all of the following EXCEPT

A) not sharing food.
B) stabbing upon request.
C) driving them from their home.
D) injecting them with poison made from local plants.

Question 24

Which is the best definition of average life expectancy to birth?

A) The average number of years the average newborn in a population will live.
B) The maximum number of years the average newborn in a population will live.
C) The average number of years a member of an entire species can live.
D) The maximum number of years a member of an entire species can live.

Question 25

In which culture would you expect the loudest celebration following someone's death?

A) Irish
B) Jewish
C) Japanese
D) Puerto Rican

Question 26

In the United States, an eight-year-old child would be most likely to die

A) from cancer.
B) from some congenital abnormalities.
C) as the result of a car accident.
D) from child abuse.

Question 27

Based on statistics, which United States resident would you expect to have the longest lifespan?

A) Lenny, an African-American male
B) Lacy, an African-American female
C) Larry, a European-American male
D) Lucy, a European-American female

Question 28

In the United States, the average life expectancy to birth is currently about _____ years.

A) 72
B) 79
C) 84
D) 90

Question 29

Jen's 70-year-old Uncle Ben, who lives in the United States, just died. As a knowledgeable individual, Jen would realize that statistically, the most likely cause of his death was

A) heart disease.
B) suicide.
C) cancer .
D) cerebrovascular disease.

Question 30

Despite the fact that Davis knows his friend Alice is dying of cancer, the next time they meet, Davis says, "Don't worry about it, we all know that you are going to be fine." According to Kübler-Ross, Davis's statement exemplifies the dying-related coping device of

A) denial.
B) anger.
C) bargaining.
D) depression.

Question 31

Compared to modern people in the United States, Europeans in the Middle Ages were more likely to

A) fear death.
B) go off and die alone.
C) care for their dying relatives at home.
D) die in a medical setting.

Question 32

When the doctor tells him that he is dying of cancer, Harley refuses to believe the doctor and insists that the laboratory results must be inaccurate. Harley is likely in the _____ stage of dying.

A) denial
B) anger
C) bargaining
D) depression

Question 33

Based on statistics, which United States resident would you expect to have the shortest lifespan?

A) Tyler, an African-American male
B) Tonya, an African-American female
C) Taylor, an European-American male
D) Teri, an European-American female

Question 34

Statistically, an individual born in _____ would have the shortest life expectancy.

A) Sweden
B) Japan
C) China
D) Chad

Question 35

Denial is a defense mechanism in which

A) anxiety-producing thoughts are forced into conscious awareness.
B) anxiety-producing thoughts are isolated from conscious awareness.
C) pleasurable thoughts are forced into conscious awareness.
D) pleasurable thoughts are isolated from conscious awareness.

Question 36

Kübler-Ross suggested that upon initially being told that they are going to die, most people respond with

A) denial.
B) anger.
C) bargaining.
D) depression.

Question 37

As a right-to-life advocate, Ophelia is most likely to state that,

A) "Everyone has the right to decide they should die."
B) "Cutting short a life under any circumstance, even if it is requested, is murder."
C) "People against active euthanasia are idiots."
D) "I plan to do everything I can to legalize physician-assisted suicide."

Question 38

_____ families may engage in Shivah, in which they withdraw from normal activities and mourn for a week immediately after death.

A) Irish
B) Jewish
C) Japanese
D) Puerto Rican

Question 39

Which is true with regard to life expectancies in the United States today?

A) Life expectancy for all people, regardless of race and gender, is very similar.
B) Males are generally expected to outlive females by about five years.
C) Hormonal difference may account for sex differences in life expectancy.
D) Life expectancy is based on biological factors and does not vary by socioeconomic level (e.g., poverty versus wealth).

Question 40

You see an obituary in the local newspaper for a 15-year-old. If you live in the United States, what would be the more likely cause of the individual's death?

A) Overdose
B) Cardiovascular disease
C) Unintentional injury 
D) Cancer

Question 41

With regard to Kübler-Ross's theory, subsequent research on death and dying has

A) provided substantial support for her theory.
B) found that anger is not a typical reaction to death.
C) determined that the dying process does not unfold in the manner she suggested.
D) found that her theory holds in the United States, but not in other cultures.

Question 42

The major problem with the Kübler-Ross model of dying is that

A) there are specific stages, but she had them in the incorrect order.
B) the dying process is simply not stage-like.
C) there appears to be several missing stages in the process.
D) the emotional responses she describes don't typically occur.

Question 43

Kübler-Ross's depression stage of dying is characterized by a sense of

A) anger.
B) hopelessness.
C) calm.
D) opposing joy.

Question 44

All of the following are valid criticisms of Kübler-Ross's theory of dying EXCEPT that

A) there is no standard order to the stages of dying.
B) it does not describe any of the emotions experienced by people facing death.
C) it does not really take the course of the illness into account.
D) it does not account for how individual differences in personality affect reactions to death.

Question 45

Nine-year-old Sarah died from cancer. Her teacher and her classmates made black armbands to wear for a month following her death. Due to the fact that in Sarah's culture, the wearing of black is common following a death, wearing the armbands best illustrates the concept of

A) bargaining.
B) depression.
C) grief.
D) mourning.

Question 46

According to Kübler-Ross, a sense of _____ permeates through all five stages of the dying process.

A) resentment
B) uncertainty
C) hope
D) fear

Question 47

A hope for less pain, more time, or provisions for children are most common during the _____ stage of dying.

A) isolation
B) denial
C) bargaining
D) acceptance

Question 48

Venus' sister has just died. How could Venus demonstrate the concept of grief?

A) She could wear a black dress.
B) She could by a nice coffin.
C) She could feel guilt over not being a better sister.
D) She could have a party after the funeral.

Question 49

Sylvia has terminal cancer. After years of very irregular church attendance, Sylvia begins to go to church every Sunday. She asks of God, "Please let me live to see my daughter graduate from college. I'll be a good Christian. I'll mend my ways. Just let me live..." This description indicates that Sylvia is in the _____ stage of dying.

A) anger
B) bargaining
C) denial
D) depression

Question 50

Clint has just found out that his friend Eastwood is terminally ill. This has made him feel sad and lonely at the thought of living life without his pal. Clint's feelings best represent the concept of

A) bargaining.
B) anticipatory grief.
C) denial and isolation.
D) maturational grief.

Question 51

Anticipatory grief involves grieving

A) without the expression of emotions.
B) that violates cultural standards.
C) before death occurs.
D) in stages.

Question 52

In her original model, Kübler-Ross's last stage of dying involved

A) anguish over unfinished business that must be left behind.
B) depression and feelings of hopelessness.
C) anger and resentment directed toward those who will go on living.
D) peaceful acceptance of the inevitable.

Question 53

Kübler-Ross viewed the _____ stage of development as characterized by a feeling that, "the pain is gone," "the struggle is over," and "a time of rest before the journey."

A) bargaining
B) isolation
C) acceptance
D) depression

Question 54

_____ is defined as a state of loss.

A) Grief
B) Bereavement
C) Mourning
D) Internment

Question 55

The Parkes/Bowlby model of bereavement suggests that

A) a grieving adult is much like an infant who is experiencing separation anxiety.
B) there is a series of clear-cut stages one passes through in mourning one's loss.
C) grief that lasts much longer than six months is maladaptive.
D) longing to have the loved one return becomes most intense about one year following death.

Question 56

_____ is defined as a "culturally prescribed way of reacting to death."

A) Bereavement
B) Grieving
C) Anticipatory grief
D) Mourning

Question 57

In Kübler-Ross's original model, the reaction of denial and isolation is followed by the reaction of

A) acceptance.
B) anger.
C) bargaining.
D) depression.

Question 58

Shneidman's work in the area of death and dying suggests that

A) it is more normal to remain depressed than to reach acceptance toward the end of the dying process.
B) there is a distinct sequence of stages that people pass through with regard to the acceptance of death.
C) dying people experience myriad emotional responses, with many unpredictable ups and downs.
D) the cause of death has little impact on one's reaction to the dying process.

Question 59

Grief is best defined as

A) the emotional response to loss.
B) culturally accepted ways of displaying one's reactions to loss.
C) a decision concerning how to deal with the corpse.
D) a status of being without.

Question 60

Frieda has been told she is going to die due to an inoperable brain tumor. Her children are young, and she cannot stand the thought of leaving them behind. All day long, she thinks over and over again, "I hate those doctors for not finding this sooner." Frieda appears to be in the _____ stage of dying.

A) denial
B) bargaining
C) anger
D) depression

Question 61

What can we conclude regarding an infant's experience of death?

A) Infants who have developed an understanding of here vs. all gone may show some of the same reactions that adults do in response to loss of an attachment figure.
B) Most infants understand that death means that life processes stop, but they believe that it can be undone or reversed.
C) Infants are biologically programmed to show grief responses to the loss of a caretaker, regardless of the age of the infant.
D) Infants who show separation protest and depression-like symptoms have clearly demonstrated that they have an accurate cognitive understanding of death.

Question 62

Which best exemplifies loss-oriented coping?

A) Needing to reconcile oneself with the loss following the death of a spouse
B) Starting to date following the death of a spouse
C) Taking over the checking account following the death of a spouse
D) Learning to cook following the death of a spouse

Question 63

Allen's wife died almost one year ago. For a long period, he experienced overwhelming emotional turmoil. In the past few weeks, however, he seems to have pulled himself together and started to make the transition into being a widower. According to the Parkes/Bowlby model, Allen is best classified as now being in a state of

A) yearning.
B) numbness.
C) reorganization.
D) disorganization and despair.

Question 64

After her husband dies, Hannah finds herself unable to sleep and very preoccupied with thoughts of her husband and the events surrounding his death. Hannah is best described as experiencing what Parkes/Bowlby referred to as

A) yearning.
B) numbness.
C) reorganization.
D) disorganization and despair.

Question 65

After her husband died, Talat focused a great deal of her attention on learning how to take care of the garden, a task formerly performed by her deceased husband. Her actions represent _____ coping.

A) anticipatory
B) restoration-oriented
C) complicated
D) loss-oriented

Question 66

Three months after her mother died, 13-month-old Jessica, who initially searched everywhere for her mom and then appeared very sad, has now taken a renewed interest in playing with her toys and interaction with new people. Bowlby would suggest that Jessica is in the _____ phase of bereavement.

A) protest
B) detachment
C) despair
D) complicated

Question 67

Who is best demonstrating an understanding of the universality of death?

A) James, who says, "My grandpa died and never came back."
B) West, who says, "You can die from cancer that is inside of you."
C) Artie, who says, "Everything that lives dies."
D) Gorden, who says, "Machines cannot die."

Question 68

According to the dual-process model, the bereaved

A) is typically both happy and sad.
B) oscillates between coping and taking a break from coping.
C) experiences physical stress but not emotional stress.
D) can be in a state of acceptance and denial at the same time.

Question 69

The only thing that Gabe understands about death is that if it stops moving and thinking, it's dead. This most indicates an understanding of

A) finality.
B) irreversibility.
C) universality.
D) biological causality.

Question 70

The phrase "once dead, always dead" best matches the death concept of

A) finality.
B) irreversibility.
C) continuing bonds.
D) biological causality.

Question 71

Amber was not that upset at her grandfather's funeral because, as she puts it, "It's okay. We can see him when he gets better tomorrow." Amber's statement indicates that she lacks an understanding of both the _____ aspects of death.

A) finality and irreversibility
B) irreversibility and universality
C) universality and biological causality
D) biological and psychological causality

Question 72

The sense of separation anxiety described in the Parkes/Bowlby attachment model of bereavement is most closely associated with the _____ reaction.

A) reorganization
B) numbness
C) yearning
D) disorganization/despair

Question 73

Research on the Parkes/Bowlby model demonstrated that _____ was the strongest reaction 24 months after a time of loss.

A) depression
B) disbelief
C) anger
D) acceptance

Question 74

While dealing with his wife's death, Chuck says, "I will deal with the financial issues this week, probably cry next week, and then tackle the issues of dealing with her parents the following week." This statement provides a great example of the _____ model of coping.

A) complicated
B) assisted
C) dual-process
D) engagement

Question 75

Bowlby suggested that the order of infant bereavement is

A) protest to despair to detachment.
B) protest to detachment to despair.
C) despair to protest to detachment.
D) despair to detachment to protest.

Question 76

According to the Parkes/Bowlby model of bereavement, the feelings of apathy and defeat felt in response to knowing that you will never be reunited with the deceased are most likely to initially occur during the _____ stage of bereavement.

A) yearning
B) numbness
C) reorganization
D) disorganization and despair

Question 77

Lawrence just found out that his best friend was killed in a car accident. Lawrence's emotional state would best be described as one of shock, and he feels like his emotions will burst out of him at any moment. Parkes/Bowlby would most likely describe his grief state in terms of

A) reorganization.
B) numbness.
C) yearning.
D) disorganization/despair.

Question 78

When dealing with a bereaved individual who is depressed or irritable, the typical pattern of response is that, early we

A) sympathize, and later, we grow weary.
B) sympathize, and later, we become more attached to the bereaved.
C) are unsympathetic, and later, become more attached to the bereaved.
D) are unsympathetic, and later, we sympathize.

Question 79

Which statement represents an understanding of the most cognitively challenging aspect of death?

A) "You cannot come back from the dead."
B) "Once dead, always dead."
C) "Everyone eventually dies."
D) "You can die because of something inside of you that you cannot see."

Question 80

When the family dog dies at home, Cory does not understand how this could happen. He doesn't see any marks on the dog, and without any physical signs, Cory doesn't believe the dog could actually be dead. This suggests that Cory does not understand the _____ of death.

A) finality
B) irreversibility
C) universality
D) biological causality