Question 1

Which of the following people is within a group that would have the highest chance of experiencing PTSD after witnessing the attacks on the twin towers of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001?

Accepted Answer

Esther, having recently moved to New York City with few family members or friends, is likely to have a smaller support network. This lack of social support can increase the risk of PTSD after traumatic events.

Question 2

Body dysmorphic disorder shows a significant influence of

Accepted Answer

The answer of Body dysmorphic disorder shows a significant influence...

Question 3

What kind of obsessions are involved in obsessive-compulsive disorder?

Accepted Answer

The obsessions in obsessive-compulsive disorder are characterized by distressing and intrusive thoughts. While disgusting, frightening, and violent thoughts may be included in obsessions, they do not encompass the entirety of obsessions experienced in OCD.

Question 4

Shanice works in a crowded downtown neighborhood. She constantly worries that she left her headlights on after she parked her car in the office building parking ramp, and repeatedly goes back and checks to see that the headlights are turned off before finally arriving at the office, frequently late. Her therapist explains that returning to check whether the car's headlights are turned off so often is a way to reduce the anxiety created by her obsessive thoughts. This is a(n)

Accepted Answer

This is a learning explanation based on operant conditioning, where Shanice's behavior of checking the headlights is reinforced by reducing her anxiety, leading her to check repeatedly as a way of reducing her anxiety.

Question 5

Twin studies have found concordance rates of 63% to 87% between identical twins for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). What does this suggest?

Accepted Answer

The high concordance rates between identical twins suggest a strong genetic vulnerability for OCD.

Question 6

Generalized anxiety disorder is a condition characterized by excessive anxiety and worry that

Accepted Answer

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by excessive anxiety and worry that is not focused on or triggered by specific objects or situations, distinguishing it from disorders like phobias or panic disorder.

Question 7

Brain imaging studies consistently show that PTSD is correlated with smaller _____ volume in the brain.

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that individuals with PTSD have smaller hippocampal volume in the brain, which is responsible for memory and emotional regulation. This may contribute to symptoms such as flashbacks and hypervigilance. Other brain regions, such as the amygdala and prefrontal cortex, are also implicated in PTSD, but there is less consistent evidence regarding their size.

Question 8

People with panic disorder have larger quantities of orexins than people without the disorder, which may lead to panic attacks. Orexins play an important role in

Accepted Answer

Orexins are primarily involved in promoting wakefulness, maintaining vigilance, and regulating appetite. People with panic disorder have larger quantities of orexins, which may contribute to the development of panic attacks.

Question 9

Jake, a survivor of the devastation imposed by hurricane Harvey when it hit Rockport, Texas, witnessed his friends being severely injured or killed when the hurricane struck. He is now suffering from PTSD. Jake was not much of a drinker before the hurricane devastated his home and took his friends' lives, but now, he frequently drinks alone at night. To what might this be related?

Accepted Answer

Jake's increased alcohol consumption following a traumatic event and the development of PTSD may be related to lower levels of naturally occurring benzodiazepine activity in the frontal cortex. Benzodiazepines are known for their calming effect, and lower levels of these naturally occurring substances could lead to increased anxiety or stress, potentially leading someone to self-medicate with alcohol.

Question 10

Which brain structures are thought to be involved in generalized anxiety disorder?

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that the amygdala, which is involved in the processing of fear and anxiety, and the prefrontal cortex, which is involved in regulating emotions, may play a role in the development of generalized anxiety disorder. The hippocampus has also been implicated in anxiety disorders, but it is not as strongly associated with generalized anxiety disorder as the amygdala and prefrontal cortex. The cerebellum and hypothalamus do not play significant roles in generalized anxiety disorder. The pons is involved in regulating sleep and arousal, but its involvement in anxiety disorders is not as well-established as the amygdala and prefrontal cortex.

Question 11

Panic disorder is more common in children who have experienced parental loss or separation and in adults who have recently experienced significant, stressful life events. These are ____ explanations.

Accepted Answer

These are social explanations.

Question 12

Edvard has become so fearful of going outside of his home alone, and of being in open spaces such as parking lots, that he has difficulty holding a job. This is best described as

Accepted Answer

Edvard's fear of open spaces such as parking lots and his difficulty holding a job suggest that he may be suffering from agoraphobia. Agoraphobia is a type of anxiety disorder characterized by a fear of situations where escape or help may not be readily available, such as in open spaces, crowds, or outside of the home.

Question 13

Aishah, a resident of lower Manhattan, suffers from PTSD after witnessing the attack on the twin towers of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. A certain acrid burning smell can trigger intense feelings of jitteriness and distress for her. This is an example of

Accepted Answer

This scenario is an example of classical conditioning. The smell of the burning debris from the twin towers became associated with the traumatic event, and now triggers a fear response in Aishah. This is a classic example of how a neutral stimulus (the smell) becomes a conditioned stimulus that elicits a conditioned response (fear and distress).

Question 14

What of the following is not a characteristic of PTSD?

Accepted Answer

An attraction toward stimuli surrounding a traumatic event is not a characteristic of PTSD. PTSD symptoms typically include avoidance of reminders or triggers of the trauma, rather than an attraction to them.

Question 15

Compulsions appear to be

Accepted Answer

Compulsions are behaviors or mental acts that a person feels driven to perform in response to an obsession or in order to prevent or alleviate distress caused by the obsession. They are aimed at reducing anxiety or preventing a feared event from occurring.

Question 16

What is a weakness of the theory that the interpretation of body symptoms, such as an increased heart rate, could lead to increasing anxiety and, ultimately, to panic?

Accepted Answer

The weakness of the theory is that it is inconsistent with research findings that have shown that panic does, in fact, increase levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Therefore, choice B is the best answer. Choices A, C, and D are not related to the weakness of the theory.

Question 17

As a child, Kim was always highly reactive to new situations. In addition, her mother was a worrier, so Kim learned to view the world as a place requiring vigilance. When her father died, Kim's doctor attributed her stress levels to general anxiety disorder (GAD). The source of her GAD is best described by using a(n)

Accepted Answer

Kim's GAD can be best understood through an integrated perspective, which considers the combination of her learned behaviors from a worrier mother (social explanation) and her inherent high reactivity to new situations (potentially a biological predisposition), illustrating how both environmental and biological factors contribute to her condition.

Question 18

What is one of the primary characteristics of panic disorder?

Accepted Answer

One of the primary characteristics of panic disorder is the fear of future attacks. People with panic disorder often worry about when their next attack will occur and may avoid places or situations where they believe an attack is more likely to happen. Panic disorder can also lead to agoraphobia, but it is not a defining characteristic of the disorder. Panic disorder is not more common in males than females, and while chronic anxiety can be a symptom of panic disorder, it is not the primary characteristic.

Question 19

Of the following, who is demonstrating a compulsion?

Accepted Answer

A compulsion is a repetitive behavior or mental act that a person feels driven to perform in response to an obsession or according to rules that must be applied rigidly. Dan's precise, daily coffee-making routine that cannot be disrupted is an example of a compulsion.

Question 20

Which of the following scenarios presents a cognitive explanation for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)?

Accepted Answer

Jada's belief that worrying prevents bad things from happening is a cognitive explanation for GAD, as it reflects a thought process or belief system that contributes to the maintenance of anxiety. Cognitive theories of anxiety disorders often focus on how maladaptive beliefs and thought patterns can perpetuate feelings of anxiety and worry.

Quiz 14: The Troubled Mind Psychological Disorders