Deck 6: The Fundamental Attribution Error

Question 1

An incapacitating and highly distressing fear about being embarrassed in the presence of others is most characteristic of
•panic disorder.
•social phobia.
•antisocial personality disorder.
•obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Answer 1

•social phobia

Question 2

In comparison to generalized anxiety disorder,panic disorder is characterized by periods of distress that are
•more intense and more prolonged.
•less intense and less prolonged.
•more intense and less prolonged.
•less intense and more prolonged.

Answer 2

•more intense and less prolonged

Question 3

Incapacitating efforts to avoid specific anxiety-producing situations is most indicative of certain
•delusions.
•hallucinations.
•phobias.
•obsessions.

Answer 3

•phobias

Question 4

Anxiety about being in places or situations from which escape might be difficult is indicative of
•obsessive-compulsive disorder.
•post-traumatic stress.
•agoraphobia.
•somatoform disorder.

Question 5

The billionaire aviator Howard Hughes insisted that his assistants carry out elaborate hand-washing rituals and wear white gloves when handling any document he would later touch. His behavior best illustrated the symptoms of
•antisocial personality disorder.
•obsessive-compulsive disorder.
•generalized anxiety disorder.
•social phobia.

Question 6

A generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by
•offensive and unwanted thoughts that persistently preoccupy a person.
•a continuous state of tension,apprehension,and autonomic nervous system arousal.
•hyperactive,wildly optimistic states of emotion.
•alternations between extreme hopelessness and unrealistic optimism.

Question 7

Freud suggested that for those suffering a generalized anxiety disorder,the anxiety is
•cyclical.
•free-floating.
•narcissistic.
•completely outside of conscious awareness.

Question 8

Maladaptive behaviors that reduce worry and fear are most indicative of
•somatoform disorder.
•an anxiety disorder.
•a dissociative disorder.
•antisocial personality.

Question 9

Which of the following disorders is characterized by the most sudden and unpredictable episodes of distress?
•social phobia
•panic disorder
•specific phobia
•alcohol dependence

Question 10

Obsessions are
•persistent,irrational fears of specific objects or situations.
•false beliefs of persecution or grandeur.
•periodic episodes of intense dread accompanied by frightening physical sensations.
•offensive and unwanted thoughts that persistently preoccupy a person.

Question 11

Sadie is so fearful of being overwhelmed by anxiety that she rarely steps outside her apartment. The thought of going shopping and getting lost in a crowd terrifies her,so she has her groceries delivered. Because of her fear,she earns her living as a freelance writer,working at home. Sadie's behavior is most characteristic of
•agoraphobia.
•generalized anxiety disorder.
•somatoform disorder.
•obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Question 12

Rishi,a college student,complains that he feels apprehensive and fearful most of the time but doesn't know why. Without warning,his heart begins to pound,his hands get icy,and he breaks out in a cold sweat. Rishi most likely suffers from
•post-traumatic stress disorder.
•obsessive-compulsive disorder.
•generalized anxiety disorder.
•a phobia.

Question 13

Mrs. Swift is alarmed by her own intrusive and irrational thoughts that her house is contaminated by germs. Her experience best illustrates the agitating effects of
•a specific phobia.
•an obsession.
•agoraphobia.
•panic disorder.

Question 14

While he was studying,Matthew was suddenly overwhelmed by feelings of intense apprehension. For several minutes he felt so agitated that he could not catch his breath. Matthew was most likely suffering from
•post-traumatic stress disorder.
•a panic attack.
•obsessive-compulsive disorder.
•a phobia.

Question 15

The social withdrawal and haunting nightmares of battle-scarred war veterans best illustrate symptoms of
•DID.
•GAD.
•OCD.
•PTSD.

Question 16

Kaylee is so afraid of spiders and insects that she avoids most outdoor activities and even refuses to go to the basement of her own house alone. Kaylee appears to suffer from
•obsessive-compulsive disorder.
•histrionic personality disorder.
•generalized anxiety disorder.
•a phobia.

Question 17

The incidence of OCD is greatest among
•pre-adolescent children.
•teens and young adults.
•middle-aged adults.
•older retired persons.

Question 18

Repeatedly thinking about your own death is to ________ as repeatedly washing your hands is to ________.
•paranoia; dissociation
•narcissism; agoraphobia
•delusion; phobia
•obsession; compulsion

Question 19

Cecil is preoccupied with thoughts of jumping out the window of his tenth-floor apartment. To reduce his anxiety,he frequently counts his heartbeats aloud. Cecil would most likely be diagnosed as experiencing
•panic disorder.
•hypochondriasis.
•generalized anxiety disorder.
•obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Question 20

An immediate and irrational anxiety response to the mere sight of blood is indicative of
•post-traumatic stress disorder.
•generalized anxiety disorder.
•a specific phobia.
•a dissociative disorder.

Question 21

Some people are more vulnerable to PTSD because they have a sensitive ________,which floods the body with stress hormones.
•motor cortex
•cerebellum
•limbic system
•frontal lobe

Question 22

Julius is obsessed with avoiding germs and feels compelled to bathe at least 10 times a day. His therapist suggests that Julius continues his maladaptive bathing because this behavior temporarily reduced his anxiety on many past occasions. The therapist's suggestion most directly reflects a ________ perspective.
•biological
•learning
•psychoanalytic
•humanistic

Question 23

Luke suffers from acrophobia,a fear of high places. Luke's therapist suggests that his reaction to heights is a generalization of the fear triggered by a childhood playground accident in which he fell off a jungle gym. The therapist's suggestion reflects a ________ perspective.
•learning
•psychoanalytic
•humanistic
•biological

Question 24

A psychological disorder in which the symptoms take a bodily form without apparent physical cause is a
•personality disorder.
•somatoform disorder.
•anxiety disorder.
•dissociative disorder.

Question 25

A person attacked by a fierce dog develops a fear of all dogs. This best illustrates
•a conversion disorder.
•agoraphobia.
•stimulus generalization.
•survivor resiliency.

Question 26

A traumatic experience may trigger a lasting phobia in a child with a sensitive,high-strung temperament. The same experience,however,may have no long-term impact on a child with a more relaxed temperament. This best illustrates the role of ________ in the development of phobias.
•explanatory style
•the anterior cingulate cortex
•genetic predispositions
•neurotransmitters

Question 27

Positive psychological changes that result from struggling with extremely challenging life crises demonstrate
•dissociation.
•observational learning.
•post-traumatic growth.
•natural selection.

Question 28

We can more easily extinguish a fear of driving a car than a fear of holding snakes. This is best explained from a ________ perspective.
•learning
•biological
•psychoanalytic
•humanistic

Question 29

Two years after being brutally beaten and raped,Brianna still experiences jumpy anxiety and has trouble sleeping and vivid flashbacks of her assault. Brianna is most clearly showing signs of
•panic disorder.
•post-traumatic stress disorder.
•generalized anxiety disorder.
•conversion disorder.

Question 30

Some psychologists believe that due partly to a broader definition of trauma,mental health professionals have been overdiagnosing
•panic disorder.
•PTSD.
•OCD.
•GAD.

Question 31

The anterior cingulate cortex,a brain region that monitors our actions,seems especially likely to be hyperactive in those with
•generalized anxiety disorder.
•a dissociative disorder.
•obsessive-compulsive disorder.
•antisocial personality disorder.

Question 32

Obsessive thoughts typically ________ anxiety and compulsive behaviors typically ________ anxiety.
•increase; increase
•decrease; decrease
•increase; decrease
•decrease; increase

Question 33

Rats that received unpredictable electric shocks in a laboratory experiment subsequently became apprehensive when returned to that same laboratory setting. This best illustrates that anxiety disorders may result from
•stimulus generalization.
•observational learning.
•reinforcement.
•classical conditioning.

Question 34

According to the ________ perspective,anxiety is sometimes produced by the submerged mental energy associated with repressed impulses.
•biological
•learning
•psychoanalytic
•social-cognitive

Question 35

Most political dissidents who survive dozens of episodes of torture do not later exhibit PTSD. This best illustrates survivor
•temperaments.
•symptoms.
•dissociation.
•resiliency.

Question 36

It has been suggested that compulsive acts typically exaggerate behaviors that contributed to the survival of the human species. This idea best illustrates the ________ perspective.
•humanistic
•learning
•psychoanalytic
•biological

Question 37

Melissa is fearful of men and refuses to go out on dates. Her therapist suggests that she is fearful because she was sexually abused by her father when she was young. The therapist's suggestion most clearly reflects a ________ perspective.
•humanistic
•learning
•biological
•psychoanalytic

Question 38

Some studies suggest that an anxiety gene affects the brain's level of the neurotransmitter
•dopamine.
•serotonin.
•epinephrine.
•acetylcholine.

Question 39

As Jordan watches,his brother receives an electric shock from touching the frayed toaster cord. Jordan is now intensely afraid of toasters. This best illustrates that fear can be learned through
•stimulus generalization.
•observational learning.
•habit.
•reinforcement.

Question 40

Compulsive hand washing often increases in frequency because it relieves feelings of anxiety. This best illustrates the impact of ________ on compulsive behaviors.
•reinforcement
•natural selection
•observational learning
•stimulus generalization

Question 41

Disruptions in conscious awareness and sense of identity are most characteristic of ________ disorders.
•somatoform
•obsessive-compulsive
•generalized anxiety
•dissociative

Question 42

Skeptics have suggested that the role-playing of fantasy-prone patients in response to the leading questions of therapists has often contributed to
•obsessive-compulsive disorder.
•dissociative identity disorder.
•post-traumatic disorder.
•agoraphobia.

Question 43

Rachel is convinced that her occasional headaches are caused by a malignant brain tumor. Although several physicians have assured her that she has no serious physical problem,Rachel continues to seek medical attention for a brain tumor. Her behavior provides an example of
•dissociative disorder.
•generalized anxiety disorder.
•hypochondriasis.
•obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Question 44

William,an airplane pilot,is unable to remember anything of a bombing raid in which his plane was severely damaged and two crew members were killed. Because he himself suffered no physical injuries,psychologists suspect that William probably suffers from
•panic disorder.
•a dissociative disorder.
•a phobia.
•schizoid disorder.

Question 45

The distinctive features used to identify the three clusters of personality disorders are
•obsessions,compulsions,and delusions.
•genetics,culture,and self-awareness.
•optimism,pessimism,and perfectionism.
•anxiety,eccentricity,and impulsivity.

Question 46

The experience of multiple personalities is most likely to be characterized by
•a massive dissociation of self from ordinary consciousness.
•offensive and unwanted thoughts that persistently preoccupy a person.
•delusions of persecution and grandiosity.
•a lack of guilt feelings.

Question 47

A conversion disorder is most likely to be characterized by
•alternations between extreme hopelessness and unrealistic optimism.
•a continuous state of tensions,apprehension,and autonomic nervous system arousal.
•offensive and unwanted thoughts that persistently preoccupy a person.
•very specific physical symptoms that have no apparent physiological basis.

Question 48

College students were asked to pretend that they were accused murderers. Under hypnosis,they typically expressed a second personality when prompted to do so by the examining psychiatrist. This most strongly suggests that dissociative identity disorder may involve
•low self-esteem.
•unconscious fear.
•a negative explanatory style.
•role-playing.

Question 49

Evidence that many DID patients have suffered abuse as children leads some psychologists to include dissociative disorders under the umbrella of
•panic disorder.
•social phobia.
•generalized anxiety disorder.
•post-traumatic stress disorder.

Question 50

Compared with people in many Western countries,people in China more often
•experience post-traumatic stress disorder.
•suffer from personality disorders.
•report the physical symptoms of their psychological distress.
•exhibit dissociative identity disorder.

Question 51

During a heated argument with his father,Mike was suddenly unable to move his right arm. Medical examinations are unable to detect a physiological basis for the paralysis. It is likely that Mike suffers from
•agoraphobia.
•hypochondriasis.
•a dissociative disorder.
•a conversion disorder.

Question 52

Psychological disorders characterized by inflexible,enduring,and socially maladaptive behavior patterns are called ________ disorders.
•acute
•free-floating
•reactive
•personality

Question 53

A sense of being separated from your body and watching yourself with a sense of detachment is a symptom of
•obsessive-compulsive disorder.
•generalized anxiety disorder.
•agoraphobia.
•dissociation.

Question 54

Connie exhibits multiple personalities. Evidence that information learned by her secondary personality influences the moods and behaviors of her primary personality would most clearly rule out the contribution of ________ to her symptoms.
•role-playing
•sexual trauma
•dissociation
•motivational conflict

Question 55

Which of the following disorders was more common in Freud's day than it is today?
•depression
•anorexia nervosa
•conversion disorder
•dissociative identity disorder

Question 56

Exhibiting two or more distinct and alternating personalities is a symptom of a(n)
•conversion disorder.
•dissociative disorder.
•obsessive-compulsive disorder.
•antisocial personality disorder.

Question 57

Those with an avoidant personality disorder are most likely to display
•a lack of guilt feelings.
•a sense of self-importance.
•shallow,attention-getting emotions.
•a fear of social rejection.

Question 58

Noah's therapist suggests that Noah developed a dissociative identity disorder in order to misbehave without feeling a strong sense of personal shame. The therapist's suggestion most directly reflects a ________ perspective.
•humanistic
•social-cognitive
•psychoanalytic
•biological

Question 59

One cluster of personality disorders marked by dramatic or impulsive behaviors is exemplified by the ________ personality disorder.
•avoidant
•schizoid
•catatonic
•histrionic

Question 60

Misinterpreting normal physical sensations as symptoms of a dreaded disease is indicative of
•obsessive-compulsive disorder.
•dissociative disorder.
•hypochondriasis.
•avoidant personality disorder.

Question 61

Kyle is extremely manipulative and can look anyone in the eye and lie convincingly. His deceit often endangers the safety and well-being of those around him,but he is indifferent to any suffering they might experience as a result of his actions. His behavior best illustrates
•schizophrenia.
•conversion disorder.
•obsessive-compulsive disorder.
•antisocial personality disorder.

Question 62

A sudden loss of memory is a symptom of
•bipolar disorder.
•a dissociative disorder.
•panic disorder.
•obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Question 63

There is some evidence that a relatively low level of autonomic nervous system arousal may contribute to
•post-traumatic stress disorder.
•antisocial personality disorder.
•dissociative disorders.
•generalized anxiety disorder.

Question 64

Those with narcissistic personality disorder are likely to be preoccupied with
•an irrational fear of people.
•delusions of persecution.
•physical symptoms of distress.
•their own self-importance.

Question 65

Differentiate between dissociative identity disorder and schizophrenia. Compare the usefulness of a medical perspective and a biopsychosocial approach for each of these two disorders.

Question 66

Which of the following disorders is more common among men than women?
•obsessive-compulsive disorder
•antisocial personality disorder
•dissociative identity disorder
•generalized anxiety disorder

Question 67

The suggestion that dissociative identity disorder symptoms are created as defenses against the anxiety caused by one's own unacceptable impulses best illustrates the
•psychoanalytic perspective.
•biopsychosocial approach.
•medical model.
•social-cognitive perspective.

Question 68

The reduced self-control of murderers is most closely related to reduced brain activity in their ________ lobes.
•frontal
•temporal
•occipital
•parietal

Question 69

The term psychopath has been used to refer to an individual with
•somatoform disorder.
•hypochondriasis.
•dissociative identity disorder.
•antisocial personality disorder.

Question 70

Although Mark realizes that his behavior is unreasonable,he is so alarmed by high bridges or expressway overpasses that he avoids them by taking an unnecessarily lengthy route to and from work each day. Mark appears to suffer from
•obsessive-compulsive disorder.
•hypochondriasis.
•a phobia.
•generalized anxiety disorder.

Question 71

Lenore is unexplainably and continually tense and is plagued by muscle tension,sleeplessness,and an inability to concentrate. Lenore most likely suffers from
•a phobia.
•a dissociative disorder.
•obsessive-compulsive disorder.
•generalized anxiety disorder.

Question 72

Without success,Maxine spends hours each day trying to suppress intrusive thoughts that she might have forgotten to lock her house when she left for work. Her experience is most symptomatic of
•panic disorder.
•obsessive-compulsive disorder.
•generalized anxiety disorder.
•a histrionic personality disorder.

Question 73

Years after he barely survived a terrorist attack that killed his wife and two children,Mr. Puskari suffers recurring flashbacks and frequent nightmares of the event that render him incapable of holding a steady job. Mr. Puskari is most clearly showing signs of
•obsessive-compulsive disorder.
•generalized anxiety disorder.
•post-traumatic stress disorder.
•somatoform disorder.

Question 74

Andrea experiences extreme anxiety when approaching any lake. Her therapist suggests that her fear results from a traumatic boat accident she experienced as a child. The therapist's suggestion reflects a ________ perspective.
•psychoanalytic
•biological
•learning
•humanistic

Question 75

Symptoms that may be misperceived as a heart attack are most characteristic of
•obsessive-compulsive disorder.
•panic disorder.
•dissociative disorders.
•generalized anxiety disorder.

Question 76

Jeremy often misinterprets normal bodily sensations such as hunger pangs as symptoms of serious illnesses such as stomach cancer. His experience is most indicative of
•generalized anxiety disorder.
•a dissociative disorder.
•hypochondriasis.
•mania.

Question 77

Experiencing physical symptoms,such as blindness or paralysis,for which no physiological basis can be found is indicative of
•schizophrenia.
•conversion disorder.
•dissociative disorder.
•generalized anxiety disorder.

Question 78

June is so preoccupied with keeping her house absolutely spotless that she has no time to do anything but clean. After each family meal she not only washes the dishes,she also thoroughly cleans and polishes the kitchen table,chairs,floor,and cupboards. Although these cleaning rituals irritate her family,June is unable to discontinue them without experiencing intense feelings of discomfort. Use the learning and biological perspectives to explain June's behavior.

Question 79

Anthony is 32 years old,well above average in intelligence,and quite charming. He has swindled several older people out of their life savings,and he seems to have little feeling for his victims,nor does he fear the consequences of getting caught. His behavior is evidence of
•conversion disorder.
•obsessive-compulsive disorder.
•a personality disorder.
•a dissociative disorder.

Question 80

Antisocial personality disorder is most likely to be characterized by
•a persistent,irrational fear of people.
•episodes of intense autonomic nervous system arousal.
•disruptions in conscious awareness and sense of identity.
•a lack of guilt feelings.