Question 1

Which of the following is NOT a means of reducing the harmful effects of stress?

Accepted Answer

Concentrating on the stressful event can actually increase the harmful effects of stress. The other options listed (previous experience, predictability, illusions of control) are all potential ways to reduce the harmful effects of stress.

Question 2

Why does the police department ask new trainees to practice their skills under difficult and unpleasant conditions?

Accepted Answer

Training under difficult and unpleasant conditions helps trainees to build resilience and develop coping mechanisms that are valuable in high-pressure situations. It helps trainees to remain calm, composed, and focused in real-life conflicts or emergencies, reducing the likelihood of panic or making the wrong decisions.

Question 3

Reinterpreting a situation to make it seem less threatening describes the coping style called

Accepted Answer

Reinterpreting a situation to make it seem less threatening is an example of reappraisal coping. This involves changing the way we think about a situation to reduce its emotional impact. Secondary coping, inoculation coping, and emotion-focused coping are different types of coping strategies.

Question 4

Reinterpreting a situation to find a different meaning

Accepted Answer

Reinterpreting a situation to find a different meaning is an example of an emotion-based strategy of coping, as it involves changing one's emotional reaction to the situation by altering the way it is perceived. It can be effective in reducing negative emotions and improving well-being. It is not associated with an increased risk of PTSD, and it can be both a problem-based and emotion-based strategy depending on the situation.

Question 5

In general,unpleasant events produce more stress if they are

Accepted Answer

Unpredictable events are more stressful because they leave people feeling helpless and out of control. When a person cannot anticipate or prepare for difficult situations, their stress levels are likely to be higher. Control and predictability can provide a sense of security and lessen the perceived threat of a stressful event. Rare events are also likely to be stressful, but not as consistently as unpredictable events.

Question 6

Having taken a job as a high-school teacher,you want to decrease the stress that your students have to face.Which of the following steps would be helpful?

Accepted Answer

By announcing the schedule of tests and assignments at the start of the semester, students will know when to expect major assignments and can plan accordingly. This reduces their stress by eliminating the fear of the unknown. Making classes unpredictable (D) or not saying anything about upcoming tests (C) can increase stress levels. Basing grades mostly on class participation (B) may also cause stress for students who are shy or introverted.

Question 7

What effect,if any,does exercise have on stress?

Accepted Answer

Exercise has been shown to reduce stress by promoting the release of endorphins, which can improve mood and promote feelings of relaxation. Additionally, physical activity can help to work off excess energy and tension that can contribute to feelings of stress.

Question 8

Listening to music during a painful experience

Accepted Answer

Listening to music during a painful experience can sometimes reduce the intensity of the perceived pain. Studies have shown that music can act as a distraction from the pain and trigger the release of endorphins, which are natural painkillers in the body. However, this may not be the case for all individuals and the effectiveness of music as a pain reliever may vary.

Question 9

Considering relaxation techniques and exercise,which,if either,has been shown to effectively reduce stress?

Accepted Answer

Both relaxation techniques (such as meditation, deep breathing, and yoga) and exercise (such as aerobic activity or strength training) have been shown to effectively reduce stress. They both have different mechanisms of action but can lead to reduced stress and improved overall well-being.

Question 10

If you expect to face a stressful experience,what can you do to make it less stressful?

Accepted Answer

Getting experience with a milder degree of the stressor can help you build resilience and cope better when faced with a more stressful experience. It can also help you identify effective coping strategies that you can use in the more stressful situation. The other choices (A, B, and D) are not effective ways to make a stressful experience less stressful, and may even make it more difficult to cope.

Question 11

Medical patients who are distracted from thinking about their pain

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that distraction techniques, such as listening to music or watching TV, can lead to a reduction in pain perception for some individuals. Therefore, medical patients who are distracted from thinking about their pain may experience a reduction in some types of pain.

Question 12

One of the most effective ways to cope with stress is to

Accepted Answer

Increasing your perceived ability to predict or control the situation is an effective way to cope with stress. This can be done by identifying the aspects of the situation that are within your control and taking action to manage or solve the problem. It can also involve changing your perspective on the situation and reframing it in a more positive light. Isolating yourself, relying on harmful coping mechanisms, or focusing on negative outcomes will only increase your stress levels and make the situation worse.

Question 13

In one experiment,subjects listened to either music or no music while holding their fingers in ice water.Under which conditions did subjects tolerate the pain most successfully?

Accepted Answer

This experiment suggests that listening to music can help to relieve pain, but only if the subjects believe it will. Therefore, the subjects who listened to music and were told that it would relieve their pain likely tolerated the pain most successfully. The other conditions did not provide the same suggestion or expectation of pain relief through music.

Question 14

Music or a similar distraction from a painful stimulus

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that music or other similar distractions can increase pain tolerance, especially when people expect the distraction to be effective. This suggests a placebo effect, where the belief that the distraction will reduce pain can actually lead to a reduction in pain perception. Therefore, choice D is the best answer.

Question 15

How do relaxation and exercise affect stress?

Accepted Answer

Both relaxation and exercise are effective in reducing stress. Relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation, and yoga can help reduce stress levels by calming the mind and body. Exercise releases endorphins, which are natural mood boosters, and can also help reduce stress levels by providing an outlet for tension and anxiety. Therefore, both relaxation and exercise can be helpful in managing stress levels.

Question 16

One way to cope with stress is to do something to control the situation.This method of coping is called

Accepted Answer

Problem-focused coping involves taking action to directly address and manage the sources of stress, which can include attempting to control or change the situation that is causing the stress. This approach can be effective in reducing stress and promoting feelings of mastery and control.

Question 17

A person who fears dental work is given a series of mild shocks to the teeth before going to the dentist to help her in coping with the stress associated with dental work.The technique being used here is

Accepted Answer

The technique being used here is inoculation, which involves giving a person a mild form of a stressor to help them build up resistance and cope better with future, more intense stressors. In this case, the person is being exposed to mild shocks to the teeth as a way to help them cope with the stress associated with dental work. This is a form of psychological preparation that can improve the person's ability to handle the stress associated with dental work.

Question 18

Which of the following is NOT an emotion-based (or blunting)strategy for coping with stress?

Accepted Answer

Relaxation, exercise, and distraction are all examples of emotion-based strategies for coping with stress because they aim to manage or reduce the emotional response to stressors. Inoculation, on the other hand, is a cognitive-based strategy that involves strengthening one's beliefs or attitudes in order to better handle a stressful situation in the future.

Question 19

Under which of the following circumstances would the effects of stress on a person be most severe?

Accepted Answer

When a stressful event occurs at unpredictable times, it can be more difficult for the person to prepare themselves and cope with the stress. This can lead to a lack of control and a feeling of helplessness, which amplifies the effects of stress.

Question 20

You have impulsively volunteered for an experiment on the effects of electric shock on performance.You now have a choice among three schedules for receiving exactly twenty shocks.Which of these schedules,if any,would probably prove to be the most stressful?

Accepted Answer

The most stressful schedule would be one with an unpredictable and uncontrollable element, which is option C. The lack of warning signals means that the participant cannot mentally prepare for the shocks, leading to a greater sense of unease and anxiety. The unpredictability of the shocks means that the participant has no control over when the shocks will occur, which can increase feelings of helplessness and stress. Option A may be predictable, but the constant reminder of the shocks every minute could increase anxiety. Option B provides warning signals which may reduce some of the stress, but the irregularity of the shocks means that the participant cannot fully prepare for them, leading to increased stress.

Quiz 12: Emotional Behaviors,stress,and Health