Deck 14: From Stress to Health and Well-Being

Question 1

Survivors of the recent tsunami who are unable to fully comprehend what has happened would be said to have experienced

A) psychic numbness.
B) automatic action.
C) the emergency phase.
D) inhibition.
E) burnout.

Answer 1

psychic numbness.

Question 2

A(n) ________ would be considered a societal stressor.

A) flood
B) broken shoelace
C) irritable boss
D) loss of a loved one
E) move to a new country

Answer 2

irritable boss

Question 3

When visiting your Aunt Jane in California last year, an earthquake struck the area. The earthquake would qualify as a

A) false criticism.
B) mortal attack.
C) traumatic stressor.
D) catastrophic stressor.
E) mild stressor.

Answer 3

traumatic stressor.

Question 4

________ is the term used to describe the physical and mental responses to events that are threatening or challenging.

A) Stress
B) Burnout
C) Dysphoria
D) Distress
E) Eustress

Question 5

A loud noise at the front door of your apartment at 3

A) external motivator; an internal motivator
B) coping catalyst; a poor coping strategy
C) pressure; burnout
D) eustress; GAS
E)stressor; stress

Question 6

Hachi is working against a deadline. She must have a term paper written by 8 am tomorrow. The deadline is an example of a

A) stress.
B) stressor.
C) stress response.
D) stress reaction.
E) stress coping mechanism.

Question 7

Shortly after Louisa learned that her mother had been killed in an automobile accident, she walked around her hometown for hours not knowing where she was. She was probably exhibiting

A) anticipatory coping.
B) burnout.
C) chronic stress.
D) psychic numbness.
E) disinhibition.

Question 8

Events that cause a stress reaction are referred to as

A) hassles.
B) catastrophies.
C) eustresses.
D) stressors.
E) MLEs.

Question 9

________ refers to the physical and mental response to a challenging or threatening situation.

A) Appraisal
B) Stress
C) Strain
D) Burnout
E) Lability

Question 10

Following a disaster, those in the automatic action phase

A) cannot fully comprehend what has happened.
B) experience psychic numbness.
C) may behave with little awareness of their actions.
D) use up their reserves of energy and collapse.
E) may feel weary.

Question 11

After suffering a sexual assault, Kathy feels a psychic numbness, she has some memory and sleep problems, and she has difficulty concentrating. Kathy is most likely suffering from

A) general adaptation syndrome.
B) posttraumatic stress disorder.
C) Stockholm Syndrome.
D) learned helplessness.
E) denial.

Question 12

A danger posed by watching repeated news broadcasts of a tragedy is that a person will

A) not understand the nature of the tragedy.
B) experience vicarious traumatization.
C) develop a serious case of cynicism.
D) become emotionally numb.
E) C and D are

Question 13

An external event that causes internal stress responses is called a(n)

A) strain.
B) stressor.
C) moderator variable.
D) inhibitor.
E) immunosuppression.

Question 14

When thinking about GREs, applying to graduate school, and studying for mid-terms, Nichole starts to have sweaty palms and a racing heart. It is MOST probable that Nichole is responding to

A) T cells.
B) the pressure.
C) stressors.
D) lymphocytes.
E) cytokines.

Question 15

A person who is in the communal effort phase after a disaster

A) cannot fully comprehend what has happened.
B) experiences psychic numbness.
C) may behave with little awareness of their actions.
D) experiences a depletion of their energy.
E) may feel weary.

Question 16

Which of the following is most likely to result in severe depression?

A) Losing your spouse to a natural disaster.
B) Losing more than one significant other.
C) Having your partner reject you by leaving.
D) Experiencing the death of your spouse.
E) A and D are

Question 17

When those who underwent a severe ordeal are now recalling and reliving the event and having associated physical symptoms, they are experiencing

A) unresolved mild stress.
B) posttraumatic stress disorder.
C) hardiness.
D) learned helplessness.
E) immunosuppression.

Question 18

The life event with the most associated stress is

A) being fired.
B) going to jail.
C) the death of a spouse.
D) a severe personal injury.
E) divorce.

Question 19

Which of the following is the term used to describe unpredictable, large-scale events that create a great deal of stress and feelings of threat?

A) major life changes
B) catastrophic events
C) hassles
D) eustress
E) life change units

Question 20

________ occurs when people experience external stressors.

A) Acute stress
B) Eustress
C) Distress
D) Catastrophic stress
E) Chronic stress

Question 21

________ occurs when a person is blocked or prevented from achieving a desired goal or fulfilling a perceived need.

A) Uncontrollability
B) Conflict
C) Pressure
D) Frustration
E) Avoidance

Question 22

________ is defined as a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, physical fatigue, and cognitive weariness that is often related to work.

A) Recidivism
B) Posttraumatic stress disorder
C) Stockholm syndrome
D) Burnout
E) Automatism

Question 23

Burning your toast, having trouble opening an e-mail attachment, breaking a glass, and running late for an appointment are all examples of

A) uplifts.
B) hassles.
C) downturns.
D) distress.
E) major life events.

Question 24

The Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS) measures stress related to

A) positive and negative life events.
B) only negative life events.
C) only positive life events.
D) internal stressors.
E) hassles.

Question 25

The term hassles refers to

A) minor health problems that cause a person to miss at least one day of work.
B) personal limitations that make it impossible for someone to pursue a desired goal.
C) the necessity to interact with persons we dislike in order to obtain our goals.
D) minor annoyances of everyday life.
E) external stressors that have a positive health effect on an individual.

Question 26

Studies using the Social Readjustment Rating Scale have found that

A) stress causes illness.
B) being married leads to more stress in one's life.
C) having few LCUs almost always leads to health problems.
D) students score lower than most people.
E) there is a relationship between life changes and health changes.

Question 27

Holmes and Rahe created the ________ to rate the stress associated with various life changes.

A) Burnout Assessment Scale
B) Severity of Hassles Scale
C) Social Readjustment Rating Scale
D) Life-Change Unit Scale
E) Stress in Your Life Scale

Question 28

This is a state of exhaustion experienced by medical and psychological professionals, as well as caregivers, which leaves the individual feeling stressed, numb, or indifferent.

A) compassion non-adherence
B) compassion fatigue
C) a Type-A behavior pattern
D) burnout
E) a catastrophic stressor

Question 29

Researchers found that the ________ of daily hassles was a better predictor of health problems than were scores on a life-events scale.

A) duration
B) type
C) negative quality
D) perceived severity
E) quantity

Question 30

A formerly dedicated physician who has lost her sense of caring and concern for her patients would be experiencing

A) patient non-adherence.
B) posttraumatic stress disorder.
C) a Type-A behavior pattern.
D) burnout.
E) a catastrophic stressor.

Question 31

An assessment that measures the amount of stress in a person's life resulting from major life changes over one year is called the

A) secondary appraisal.
B) primary appraisal.
C) Social Readjustment Rating Scale.
D) College Undergraduate Stress Scale.
E) Stress Response Evaluation Scale.

Question 32

Small frustrations and minor irritations are called

A) residual stress patterns.
B) stress moderator variables.
C) life events.
D) hassles.
E) reaction formations.

Question 33

Sasha is experiencing stress in her workplace that is causing her to feel dissatisfied and pessimistic. As a result, she has a desire to quit her job. Sasha is experiencing

A) road rage.
B) eustress.
C) poverty-related stress.
D) burnout.
E) distress.

Question 34

Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe developed the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS) to measure change due to

A) natural disasters.
B) major life events.
C) social difficulties.
D) negative life events.
E) stressors.

Question 35

This is a sense of appreciation felt by a caregiver, medical or psychological professional from the work he or she does.

A) compassion non-adherence
B) compassion fatigue
C) a Type-A behavior pattern
D) compassion satisfaction
E) a catastrophic stressor

Question 36

A score on the Social Readjustment Rating Scale represents the sum total of recent

A) hassles.
B) social events.
C) overall arousal.
D) change difficulty.
E) life-change units.

Question 37

On your way to the airport for a 6

A) a show off.
B) hassles.
C) burnout.
D) resistance.
E) projections.

Question 38

Which of the following life events is not found in the list of major life changes that cause a significant amount of stress according to the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS)?

A) pregnancy
B) getting a new job
C) the death of a spouse
D) getting a traffic ticket
E) All of the above are found on the SRRS.

Question 39

The ________ measures the amount of stress in a college student's life over a one-year period resulting from major life changes.

A) University Students Stress Assessment (USSA)
B) College Students New Experiences Assessment Scale (CSNEAS)
C) Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS)
D) Undergraduate Stress Questionnaire
E) Student Assessment of Stressors Scale (SASS)

Question 40

The negative changes in thoughts, emotions, and behavior as a result of prolonged stress or frustration, often related to one's work, are called

A) eustress.
B) burnout.
C) dysphoria.
D) epidemiology.
E) immunosupression.

Question 41

The response of your body to stress includes all BUT

A) a decrease in sweating.
B) a relaxed bladder.
C) goose pimples.
D) heart rate increases.
E) secretion of digestive fluids decrease.

Question 42

Stress has been shown to put people at a higher risk for

A) unplanned pregnancy.
B) heart attack and stroke.
C) promotions at work.
D) schizophrenia.
E) constructive decision-making.

Question 43

During the alarm stage of the general adaptation syndrome,

A) the central and somatic systems are activated.
B) synaptic activity and the somatic nervous system activate to send messages from the CNS to muscles.
C) the sympathetic nervous system is activated and adrenal glands release hormones.
D) neurotransmitter levels and the central nervous system are activated.
E) the neurons in the autonomic nervous system revers their resting and active polarity.

Question 44

The dual-stress response known as ________ was coined by Walter Cannon.

A) fight-or-flight
B) the general adaptation syndrome
C) residual stress pattern
D) fixed action pattern
E) reaction formation

Question 45

________ is the first stage by which the body attempts to cope with a stressor.

A) The alarm phase
B) Reaction formation
C) Resistance
D) Reaction
E) Relaxation

Question 46

Which parts of the nervous system are associated with the general adaptation syndrome?

A) somatic and parasympathetic
B) autonomic and sympathetic
C) sympathetic and parasympathetic
D) central and somatic
E) autonomic and somatic

Question 47

Adelaida hears a rattling sound as she hikes through the desert. Her muscles tense and her blood pressure rises. According to Hans Selye, she is in the

A) chronic stress phase.
B) alarm phase.
C) exhaustion phase.
D) resistance phase.
E) eustressful phase.

Question 48

After our body's initial arousal response to a stressor, next comes

A) a response of exhaustion to the stressor.
B) a reduction in the effectiveness of our immune system.
C) an automatic shutdown of our autonomic nervous system.
D) our attempt to change our current way of thinking.
E) a "fight-or-flight" response.

Question 49

The release of steroid hormones into the blood in response to a serious stressor will act to

A) support strength and endurance.
B) relax the heart muscle.
C) stimulate the lungs.
D) further increase the release of steroid hormones.
E) shut down digestion.

Question 50

The correct sequence of the general adaptation syndrome stages are

A) alarm, resistance, and exhaustion.
B) challenge, commitment, and control.
C) primary appraisal, secondary appraisal, and adaptation.
D) emergency response, inhibition, and adaptation.
E) excitement, stress, and coping.

Question 51

Saadat is walking to the front of the classroom in preparation for his class presentation. He notices his heart starting to beat fast, his palms are sweaty, and has a general sense of increase in energy. According to the general adaptation syndrome, which phase of the stress response is he in?

A) alarm phase
B) adaptation phase
C) reactive phase
D) muscle preparation phase
E) eustressful phase

Question 52

The term general adaptation syndrome was coined by

A) Carol Gilligan.
B) Hans Selye.
C) Walter Cannon.
D) Richard Lazarus.
E) John Watson.

Question 53

According to Hans Selye, resistance to stress is lowest at the ________ stage of the general adaptation syndrome.

A) alarm
B) resistance
C) exhaustion
D) collapse
E) automatic

Question 54

Activation of the sympathetic nervous system causes

A) heart rate to increase.
B) blood pressure to increase.
C) blood sugar level to rise.
D) increased perspiration.
E) All of the above are

Question 55

Which of the following is the essential source of stress for college students?

A) loss of privacy
B) the threat of terrorist attacks
C) spring break planning
D) liberal faculty and conservative parents
E) the lack of structure associated with the freedom of college

Question 56

________ refers to a temporary stress-related pattern of arousal with a clear onset and endpoint.

A) A residual stress pattern
B) Primary stress appraisal
C) Acute stress
D) Biarousal
E) A "fight-or-flight" stressor

Question 57

Which part of the nervous system reacts when the human body is subjected to stress?

A) parasympathetic
B) somatic
C) sympathetic
D) central
E) endocrine

Question 58

Which psychologist is credited with proposing the general adaptation syndrome?

A) Hans Selye
B) Berkowitz
C) Holmes and Rahe
D) Lazarus
E) Folkman

Question 59

Selye proposed the ________ to account for the basic pattern of physical responses that occur regardless of which severe stressor is present.

A) alarm reaction
B) general adaptation syndrome
C) SRRS
D) fight-or-flight syndrome
E) Stockholm Syndrome

Question 60

During the alarm reaction to a stressor, the hypothalamus triggers an emergency response in the

A) forebrain.
B) adrenal glands.
C) amygdala.
D) immune system.
E) parasympathetic nervous system.

Question 61

The stress endured by a person whose relationship is ended by death or divorce can produce

A) immunosuppression.
B) decreased blood pressure.
C) depression.
D) mania.
E) A and C are

Question 62

After Cecilia's husband died, she has been feeling very depressed. Her depression is likely caused by

A) a Type-B personality.
B) learned helplessness.
C) acute stress.
D) immunosuppression.
E) burnout.

Question 63

The ________ is characterized by a pattern of intense, angry, competitive, or hostile behavior.

A) residual stress pattern
B) Type A pattern
C) Type D personality
D) fight-and-flight syndrome
E) psychopathic personality

Question 64

The "tend-and-befriend" model was proposed by ________ to account for ________.

A) Carol Gilligan; male behavior
B) Hans Selye; hormonal changes in females
C) Walter Cannon; problems with the James-Lange theory
D) Shelly Taylor; female behavior
E) James Lange; behavioral responses

Question 65

Octavious is under a lot of stress. He is always tired and feels overwhelmed by his work load. Which phase of the general adaptation syndrome is he most likely in?

A) alarm phase
B) resistance phase
C) exhaustion phase
D) persistence phase
E) burnout phase

Question 66

Which of the following statements best encapsulates the relationship between stress and physical illness according to psycho-neuroimmunologists?

A) Stress compromises the body's immune system, leaving a person vulnerable to illness.
B) Stress increases the production of natural killer cells, which causes cell death and leads to illness.
C) Stress causes high blood pressure, heart disease, and cancer.
D) Stress has no direct relationship to physical illness, though physicians tell us that these things are related so that we will be more willing to take unnecessary medications.
E) Stress is the single biggest cause of cancer, and research has repeatedly confirmed this.

Question 67

Prolonged stress has been shown to ________ cancer.

A) decrease vulnerability to
B) be unrelated to one's vulnerability to
C) increase vulnerability to
D) cause
E) increase the metastasis of

Question 68

The field of ________ would be interested in the effects of psychological factors such as stress, emotions, thinking, and behavior on the immune system.

A) social psychology
B) organic medicine
C) psycho-neuroimmunology
D) interactive psychology
E) preventative medicine

Question 69

People living under stressful conditions tend to get sick more often than they would otherwise. How do researchers in psychoneuroimmunology explain this phenomenon?

A) The stress response reduces immune system functioning, thus making us more vulnerable to diseases.
B) The stress response in the long run leads to a lowering of the heart rate, which makes the heart inefficient.
C) The stress response makes muscles stronger, which places a greater burden on the heart and respiratory systems.
D) The body tends to adapt to the constant call for the stress response and, thus, future responses are not as strong as before.
E) This phenomenon has eluded explanation in the clinical research to date.

Question 70

________ is the study of how mental processes influence the immune system.

A) Stress and coping
B) Health psychology
C) Psycho-neuroimmunology
D) Hardiness
E) Reappraisal

Question 71

In which stage of the general adaptation syndrome has the body reached the limits of its ability to adapt to stress, which may result in the development of stress-related diseases?

A) alarm
B) collapse
C) exhaustion
D) resistance
E) automaticity

Question 72

A person who is impatient, competitive, aggressive, and hostile is said to be exhibiting a ________ personality.

A) Type A
B) Type S
C) Type B
D) Type C
E) Type Delta

Question 73

For the past six months, Dahlia's job has been extremely stressful, but she doesn't feel that she can quit because she needs the money for tuition. Dahlia has been having chronic headaches and is behind in all of her classes. According to Hans Selye, Dahlia is in the ________ stage of the general adaptation syndrome.

A) alarm
B) collapse
C) exhaustion
D) resistance
E) helplessness

Question 74

Several processes may contribute to the physical and mental deterioration seen in the exhaustion phase EXCEPT

A) depleted energy.
B) risk of stroke
C) bleeding ulcers.
D) fat deposits in the bloodstream.
E) increased blood pressure.

Question 75

A person who has been battling cancer and is now in the stage of resistance should be aware that

A) their body is likely to be weakening.
B) they are increasingly becoming able to overcome the stress.
C) their body is just starting to be activated to fight it.
D) a flood of steroid-like hormones has just entered their bloodstream.
E) they may have great trouble handling new stressors.

Question 76

________ is a hormone produced by the body in response to a stressor.

A) Testosterone
B) Progesterone
C) Estrogen
D) Cortisol
E) Oxytocin

Question 77

The "straw that broke the camel's back" is most likely to occur during the

A) stage of resistance.
B) alarm reaction.
C) stage of exhaustion.
D) stage of reaction.
E) suppression stage.

Question 78

________ is a steroid produced by the fight-or-flight response.

A) Testosterone
B) Progesterone
C) Estrogen
D) Cortisol
E) Oxytocin

Question 79

According to Selye, some people may develop illnesses such as coronary heart disease or stroke during the ________ stage of the general adaptation syndrome.

A) alarm
B) collapse
C) exhaustion
D) resistance
E) adaptive

Question 80

________ refers to the diminished effectiveness of the immune response.

A) Immunosuppression
B) Psychoneuroimmunology
C) Analgesia
D) Reduced hardiness
E) Hedonic capacity