Deck 14: Social Psychology in the Clinic

Question 1

Some physicians take credit when things go well but not take blame for failure.This is indicative of _____ in research.

A)their self-serving bias
B)the testing effect
C)their impact bias
D)the context effect

Answer 1

their self-serving bias

Question 2

Following the suicide of a friend or family member,feelings of guilt are often magnified by:

A)illusory thinking.
B)the fundamental attribution error.
C)hindsight bias.
D)obscurantism.

Answer 2

hindsight bias.

Question 3

Vanessa is a mildly depressed college student.In the context of depressive realism,she would probably:

A)be inaccurate in estimating her degree of control in comparison with those not depressed.
B)have more distorted judgments than those nondepressed.
C)demonstrate the sadder-but-wiser effect.
D)be below average in intelligence.

Answer 3

demonstrate the sadder-but-wiser effect.

Question 4

Compared to depressed people,nondepressed people:

A)exaggerate their control of events around them.
B)have realistic perceptions of the good and bad things that the future holds.
C)readily accept responsibility for both successes and failures.
D)make more accurate judgments.

Question 5

According to Renaud and Estess (1961),therapists who expect to find evidence of early childhood traumas are likely to uncover such experiences among:

A)clients who are males.
B)clients who are real victims of childhood sex abuse.
C)clients who are healthy,successful adults.
D)all clients.

Question 6

When researchers pit statistical prediction-such as predicting graduate school success using a formula that includes grades and aptitude scores-against interviewers' intuitive prediction:

A)statistical prediction is usually superior to expert intuition.
B)expert intuition is usually superior to statistical intuition.
C)statistical prediction and expert intuition do equally well.
D)both methods usually fare no better than chance.

Question 7

Research indicates that when interviewers are instructed to test for a trait,they tend to ask questions that show evidence of:

A)self-confirming diagnoses.
B)the illusion of control.
C)egocentric bias.
D)illusory correlations.

Question 8

When David Rosenhan and his research associates (1973),as part of their research study,reported to different mental hospital admissions offices and complained of "hearing voices," most were:

A)diagnosed with schizophrenia and hospitalized for two to three weeks.
B)diagnosed with a lifestyle disorder,since they did not have any mental illnesses.
C)diagnosed with schizophrenia initially but never hospitalized.
D)hospitalized initially when diagnosed with schizophrenia,but later released when the test results revealed that they were normal.

Question 9

In the context of implications for better clinical practice,one important effect of hindsight is that it can:

A)eliminate the tendency to see relationships that you expect to see.
B)lead to increased cautiousness and decreased confidence.
C)lead to both overconfidence and the tendency to judge yourself too harshly.
D)be very helpful in developing hypotheses about personality traits.

Question 10

According to James Maddux,professional clinicians are NOT likely to:

A)be the victims of illusory correlation.
B)suffer from confirmation bias.
C)be invulnerable to insidious errors and biases.
D)overestimate their clinical intuition.

Question 11

Research suggests that a person's future academic success can be better predicted with:

A)statistics.
B)intuitions.
C)self reports.
D)peer reviews.

Question 12

Lauren Alloy and Lyn Abramson (1979)had either mildly depressed and not depressed students observe whether pressing a button was linked with a light blinking and found that depressed students:

A)were too self-focused to complete the task.
B)were quite accurate at assessing their control.
C)exaggerated the extent of their control of the light.
D)underestimated the extent of their control of the light.

Question 13

The work of Lauren Alloy and Lyn Abramson (1979)examined how depressed individuals tend to make accurate rather than self-serving judgments,attributions,and predictions.This phenomenon is known as:

A)depressive optimism.
B)pessimistic exaggeration.
C)depressive realism.
D)defensive pessimism.

Question 14

Yvonne,a college senior,is mildly depressed.Asked to describe herself,she notes both her positive and negative qualities.She recalls both past successes and failures and takes personal responsibility for both.This behavioral trait of Yvonne clearly illustrates the _____ effect.

A)self-presentation
B)sadder-but-wiser
C)false consensus
D)pseudocentricity

Question 15

As part of a research study,David Rosenhan and his colleagues (1973)faked schizophrenic symptoms to infiltrate mental hospitals.Once they had been admitted and no longer complained of any fake symptoms:

A)the clinicians quickly distinguished them from the real patients and released them from the hospital.
B)the clinicians sought and found evidence in their histories and behavior to confirm their admitting diagnoses.
C)the pseudopatients were abandoned by the hospital's real patients.
D)the pseudopatients absorbed their "sick" roles and developed additional symptoms in the course of their treatment.

Question 16

Which of the following is true about illusory correlations?

A)Illusory thinking occurs not just among clinicians but also among other professionals.
B)Psychological science does not offer a method to discover when a perception is an illusory correlation.
C)Professional clinicians are able to avoid illusory correlations.
D)Clinical judgments are free from illusory correlations.

Question 17

Researchers suggest that we can avoid self-confirming diagnoses by:

A)looking for illusory correlations.
B)carefully monitoring the information that is consistent with our ideas.
C)considering opposing ideas and then testing them.
D)confirming our intuitions.

Question 18

In Rosenhan's study (1973),clinicians who dealt with pseudopatients who had faked symptoms to get into mental hospitals demonstrated the error of:

A)projection bias.
B)hindsight bias.
C)self-handicapping.
D)impact bias.

Question 19

The study,assessment,and treatment of people with psychological difficulties is known as:

A)developmental psychology.
B)comparative psychology.
C)biopsychology.
D)clinical psychology.

Question 20

Snyder and Swann (1984)gave students some hypotheses to test concerning individuals' traits and found that people often tested for a trait by:

A)asking questions related to childhood experiences.
B)looking for information that would contradict it.
C)looking for information that would confirm it.
D)asking very specific questions to disprove it.

Question 21

Explaining failures and setbacks in terms of factors that are stable,global,and internal is a _____ explanatory style.

A)negative
B)positive
C)realistic
D)repressive

Question 22

Who among the following is more likely to exhibit a negative explanatory style?

A)a teenager
B)a nondepressed person
C)an elderly person
D)a depressed person

Question 23

Explanatory style refers to:

A)the complexity of one's persuasive arguments.
B)one's habitual way of describing life events.
C)the pitch and speed at which one communicates.
D)whether one relies primarily on reason or emotion when debating an issue.

Question 24

Which of the following statements is true about the impact of mood on human behavior and cognition?

A)Moods do not modify memories.
B)Depressed moods do not cause negative thinking.
C)Moods are a result of physical causes rather than psychological causes.
D)Depressed moods affect behavior.

Question 25

According to Peter Lewinsohn and his colleagues (1985),which of the following does NOT belong in the vicious circle of depression?

A)negative experiences
B)self-blame
C)depressed mood
D)defensive pessimism

Question 26

Compared to nondepressed people,depressed people are more likely to attribute their failures and setbacks to causes that are:

A)external.
B)specific.
C)internal.
D)situational.

Question 27

When faced with a difficult situation,short-term depression protects one by:

A)increasing one's ability to think faster.
B)making one more anxious.
C)increasing one's memory.
D)redirecting one's energy.

Question 28

Which of the following attributions regarding a failure or setback specifically illustrates the stable quality of a depressed person's explanatory style?

A)"It's all my fault."
B)"It's going to last forever."
C)"The whole world is against me."
D)"It's going to affect everything I do."

Question 29

In the context of the negative explanatory style,which of the following best illustrates an internal attribution for a failure or setback?

A)"It's a temporary setback."
B)"This ruins everything."
C)"It's my fault."
D)"The whole world is against me."

Question 30

Which of the following is true about depression in non-Western cultures?

A)Major depression is more dependent on the failure to achieve material and capitalist goals.
B)Major depression is more tied to failure in achieving success in personal ventures and ambitions.
C)Major depression is less tied to close-knit relationships.
D)Major depression is less tied to guilt and self-blame over perceived personal failure.

Question 31

Studies show that college students who have depressed roommates tend to become:

A)somewhat depressed themselves.
B)more accepting of people suffering from psychological disorders.
C)more optimistic about their own lives.
D)more studious and committed to achieving academic success.

Question 32

In comparison to those in Western cultures,depressed people in Japan are more likely to report feeling:

A)guilt and self-blame over personal failure.
B)shame over letting down their family or co-workers.
C)sad about social problems such as poverty and discrimination.
D)hopeless and helpless when things don't go well for them.

Question 33

The vicious circle of depression is usually triggered by negative experiences that lead directly to:

A)self-focused rumination and self-blame.
B)depressed moods.
C)further negative experiences.
D)blaming others for the negative experiences.

Question 34

Maxwell,a college junior,suffers from chronic depression.After learning that he has performed poorly on his chemistry test,he is most likely to say:

A)"The test was not a fair assessment of what I actually know."
B)"My chemistry professor does not grade his tests fairly."
C)"I'm incompetent and probably always will be."
D)"I am sure most people did poorly on the test."

Question 35

Your roommate Joel is depressed.As a result,you will tend to become:

A)somewhat depressed yourself.
B)more accepting of people suffering from psychological disorders.
C)more optimistic about your own life.
D)more studious and committed to achieving academic success.

Question 36

According to Martin Seligman (1991,1998,2002),the high levels of depression in today's Western world,ironically,can be blamed in part on the promotion of attitudes that say:

A)"Everybody needs somebody sometime."
B)"You can make it on your own."
C)"You're unique and special."
D)"Eat,drink,and be merry,for tomorrow we die."

Question 37

Which of the following attributions regarding a failure or setback specifically illustrates the stable quality of a depressed person's explanatory style?

A)"It's all my fault."
B)"It's going to last forever."
C)"The whole world is against me."
D)"It's going to affect everything I do."

Question 38

Carver et al.(1994)and Strack and Coyne (1983)found that depressed people were realistic in thinking that other people:

A)possessed more accurate self-concepts than they did.
B)did not appreciate their pessimism.
C)would welcome their friendship and trust.
D)were less influenced by fear of social disapproval than they were.

Question 39

Which of the following explains the relationship between depression and negative thinking?

A)Depressed moods do not cause negative thinking.
B)Negative thinking always causes major depression.
C)Depression and negative thinking are unrelated in laboratory experiments.
D)Depressed moods can cause negative thinking and vice versa.

Question 40

Compared to nondepressed people,depressed people are more likely to attribute their failures and setbacks to causes that are:

A)external.
B)specific.
C)internal.
D)situational.

Question 41

In the context of health and illness,which of the following statements is FALSE?

A)Men have higher rates of hypertension and ulcers.
B)Women are more often sick.
C)Women are more likely than men to visit a physician.
D)Men use fewer prescription and nonprescription drugs.

Question 42

Which of the following theories assumes that we feel social anxiety when we are motivated to impress others but have self-doubts?

A)the social learning theory
B)the self-presentation theory
C)the cognitive dissonance theory

Question 43

Which is NOT an example of how emotions are linked with illness?

A)Heart disease has been linked with a competitive,anger-prone personality.
B)Depression is linked with heart disease.
C)Anger,depression,and stress are heartfelt emotions.
D)Stress decreases the production of inflammation-producing proteins.

Question 44

Which of the following is an example of an unconscious strategic ploy used by shy people to explain away negative outcomes?

A)"Because of my inability to study,I got low grades in school."
B)"I will not be shy after I undergo therapy."
C)"Because I'm shy,I tend to make grammatical errors when talking."
D)"I will be able to do well in sports if I am able to control my anxiety."

Question 45

Identify a true statement about loneliness.

A)Loneliness is not genetically influenced.
B)People affected by loneliness see most things within their control.
C)Lonely individuals perceive their interactions as making a poor impression.
D)Loneliness signals people to avoid social connections.

Question 46

The similarity between chronically lonely people and depressed people with a negative explanatory style is that:

A)both blame others for poor social relationships.
B)both perceive their interactions as making the best impression.
C)both perceive others in a positive way.
D)both see most things as beyond their control.

Question 47

Loneliness is best described as a state created by the awareness that you:

A)are alone most of the time.
B)have lost a significant relationship.
C)have fewer meaningful social relationships than you desire.
D)are not really respected even though you have many acquaintances.

Question 48

Psychology's contribution to the interdisciplinary field of behavioral medicine is:

A)parapsychology.
B)psychiatry.
C)behavioral analysis.
D)health psychology.

Question 49

For most people,the tendency to be cautious and self-protective in some social situations can result in all of the following EXCEPT:

A)talking less.
B)being agreeable and smiling.
C)being guarded about ourselves.
D)being assertive.

Question 50

Shy people tend to:

A)make a good first impression.
B)depersonalize social situations.
C)become disliked over time.
D)be self-conscious.

Question 51

Susan Brodt and Philip Zimbardo (1981)found that shy women who were exposed to loud noise and told that it would leave them _____ were subsequently _____ when interacting with a handsome male.

A)with a pounding heart;no longer so shy
B)unaffected;not at all shy
C)with a pounding heart;even more shy
D)unaffected;unaffected

Question 52

Which of the following is an example of the spotlight effect?

A)Sasha turns to alcohol to overcome her social anxiety.
B)Alisha feels she is unattractive and no one notices her presence.
C)Fernando tries to attract the attention of all his classmates when he enters the class.
D)John feels everyone would notice that his shoes are untidy and hence judge him.

Question 53

When people notice a symptom and interpret it as possibly serious,they more often seek treatment if they:

A)feel embarrassed about their illness.
B)want to avoid a possibly devastating diagnosis.
C)think the likely benefits of medical attention would not justify the cost and inconvenience.
D)believe their symptoms have a physical rather than a psychological cause.

Question 54

Chronically lonely people tend to blame _____ for their poor social relationships.

A)their parents and early childhood experiences
B)the uncaring attitudes of those present around them
C)themselves
D)cultural changes

Question 55

According to the self-presentation theory,we will feel social anxiety when we are:

A)motivated to impress others but have self-doubts.
B)motivated and able to impress others,but they ignore us.
C)in any circumstance in which we can be observed.
D)deeply depressed about being alone.

Question 56

Which of the following is true about loneliness?

A)Loneliness is more emotionally painful in later life than in earlier adulthood.
B)Loneliness affects stress hormones,immune activity,and inflammation.
C)Loneliness is caused by a physiological disorder.
D)Loneliness is prevalent only in old age.

Question 57

Susan Brodt and Philip Zimbardo (1981)found that shy women were no longer shy when they:

A)were provided an alternative explanation for their social anxiety.
B)were provided with cognitive behavioral therapy before interacting with others.
C)were told that most people feel shy.
D)were taught to blame their failures on circumstances beyond their control.

Question 58

People are more likely to use sunscreen or get an HIV test when the message is:

A)framed attractively.
B)threatening.
C)short.
D)focused on the details of their ill effects.

Question 59

Which of the following is an example of the use of a negative explanatory style?

A)"This is not my fault at all."
B)"I've learned my lesson."
C)"This is going to ruin everything I've done."
D)"Things are going to be dependent on me."

Question 60

Most shy,self-conscious people tend to:

A)overpersonalize situations.
B)be unaware of their anxiety.
C)see incidental events as irrelevant to themselves.
D)be assertive and disapproving.

Question 61

Which of the following is true about the research studies on the relation between stress and illness?

A)Stress reduces the severity of respiratory infections.
B)Stress increases the production of inflammation-producing proteins.
C)Newlywed couples who became angry while discussing problems suffered lesser immune system suppression the next day.
D)Children reared in abusive families are less prone to inflammation responses.

Question 62

The placebo effect refers to:

A)the healing power of believing that one is getting an effective treatment.
B)the interpretation of negative events as being stable,global,and internally caused.
C)the breakdown of negative,self-defeating thoughts.
D)the overestimation of the extent to which other people are watching oneself.

Question 63

In the context of psychological approaches to treatment,the vicious circles that maintain depression,loneliness,and shyness can be broken by all of the following EXCEPT:

A)positive experiences that alter self-perceptions.
B)social skills training.
C)changing negative thought patterns.
D)believing that they will go away.

Question 64

Research has reported that newlywed couples who become angry while discussing problems:

A)experience catharsis and have better long-term relationships with their spouses.
B)are less susceptible to the problems of depression and loneliness.
C)suffer more immune system suppression the next day.
D)are more prone to develop colon cancer in the subsequent six months.

Question 65

Haemmerlie and Montgomery (1986)concluded that the success of their social skills training with shy men may have occurred because their program:

A)employed skilled counselors who took responsibility for inspiring the men to feel confident and competent.
B)included no counseling,so the participants made internal attributions for their success.
C)trained the participants in specific communication skills and mentored them throughout the program.
D)paved the way for conversational success by providing many external reasons for initiating conversation.

Question 66

The _____ style people use to explain bad events makes illness _____ likely.

A)eccentric;less
B)pessimistic;more
C)pessimistic;less
D)optimistic;more

Question 67

A growing body of evidence reveals that people who undergo highly stressful experiences become:

A)more resistant to low-level illnesses like colds and flu.
B)more vulnerable to disease.
C)less self-disclosing and more socially isolated.
D)stronger and more socially skilled than less stressed people.

Question 68

In the context of relationships and health,a common conclusion reached by several studies involving thousands of people is that:

A)close relationships predict health.
B)close relationships promote stress and some forms of illness.
C)lonely people are better equipped to deal with stress than those with close relationships.
D)physical health is not linked to social support or the presence of relationships.

Question 69

Maria's therapist instructed her to monitor her attributions for successes and failures.Maria is probably participating in:

A)a rescue style therapy.
B)an explanatory style therapy.
C)salvage therapy.
D)group therapy.

Question 70

Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman (1987)analyzed the press quotations of 94 members of baseball's Hall of Fame and found that those who routinely offered pessimistic explanations for bad events,like losing big games,were more likely to:

A)earn lower salaries.
B)experience divorce.
C)play more aggressively.
D)die at younger ages.

Question 71

Mendonca and Brehm (1983)found that overweight children were more likely to lose weight both at the end of the eight-week program and three months later if they:

A)felt responsible for choosing their weight-loss program.
B)were regularly monitored and penalized for breaking rules.
C)were praised and rewarded for even minor weight loss.
D)had been assigned to their "least preferred" treatment program.

Question 72

Which is NOT true about the process of therapy?

A)Psychologists believe that social influence is an insignificant part of therapy.
B)Therapists begin with establishing credibility and trust.
C)A key component in therapy is helping clients think differently.
D)Change in therapy is best maintained when people attribute their improvement to internal rather than external factors.

Question 73

Frances Haemmerlie and Robert Montgomery (1986)demonstrated that shy college men who participated in their laboratory exercises to enhance social competence:

A)were better at communication in general.
B)had better grades in college.
C)delivered self-laudatory speeches to strangers.
D)had several successful conversations with women.

Question 74

Research by Haemmerlie and Montgomery (1986)supported the notion that social skills training can lead shy men to:

A)become dependent on their therapist.
B)reduce their social anxiety.
C)increase their level of nervousness.
D)become more shy six months after treatment.

Question 75

Identify a true statement about health risks and loneliness.

A)Health risks are the lowest among lonely people.
B)People who are lonely sleep less in comparison to those who are not lonely.
C)Lonely people are less likely to commit suicide.
D)Lonely people experience less stress in comparison to those who are not lonely.

Question 76

Improvements achieved through changing thought or behavior patterns are most likely to endure if people:

A)redesign their behavioral contexts.
B)report back to their therapist every week.
C)attribute such changes to factors under their own control.
D)tie its success to the treatment programs.

Question 77

Which of the following is NOT a therapy that utilizes the "attitudes-follow-behavior" principle?

A)assertiveness training
B)rational-emotive therapy
C)self-help groups
D)psychoanalysis

Question 78

Identify a true statement about health risks and people with close relationships.

A)They are less likely to die prematurely than lonely people.
B)They are more likely to have less sleep than people who are lonely.
C)They are more likely to experience stress.
D)They are less likely to be satisfied with their personal health.

Question 79

A counselor is helping a shy person cope with his anxiety when he has to speak up in a group discussion in class.The counselor asks the person to rehearse by talking in front of a mirror a day before the class discussion.This therapy method is called:

A)foot-in-the-door training.
B)rational-emotive therapy.
C)social skills training.
D)explanatory style therapy.

Question 80

As a result of participating in a program to help her quit smoking,Anne has not had a cigarette for three weeks.She is least likely to return to smoking if she attributes her success in quitting the habit to:

A)her own motivation.
B)the therapist who helped her quit.
C)the support of her friends.
D)the unique nature of the therapeutic program.