Question 1

Among the conclusions we can draw from research on emotional affectivity,which of the following has been clearly demonstrated?

Accepted Answer

Research has consistently shown that negative affect is related to psychological stress, while the other options are not supported by empirical evidence. People with positive affect have been found to report better physical and mental health outcomes, and negative affect has been associated with less social activity.

Question 2

Researchers find that people high in negative affect also tend to have a higher number of health complaints. This is probably because

Accepted Answer

The statement mentions that people high in negative affect have a higher number of health complaints, which suggests that they do have more health problems than most people. Additionally, the statement also suggests that they complain more than most people. Therefore, both options (A) and (B) are partially correct. Lastly, the statement does not provide any information suggesting that these individuals are low in positive affect, so (D) can be eliminated as a choice. Overall, the best choice is (C) as it incorporates both possible explanations provided in the statement.

Question 3

Researchers have found relatively stable individual differences in each of the following except one. Which one?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Researchers have found relatively stable individual differences...

Question 4

Compared to the average person,people high in emotional expressiveness tend to have

Accepted Answer

The answer of Compared to the average person,people high in...

Question 5

Research has found that women going through surgery for breast cancer experience less __________ during the year following surgery if they were optimistic rather than pessimistic individuals.

Accepted Answer

The question is asking which factor (out of fatigue, family support, recurrence, and distress) is impacted by a patient's level of optimism after breast cancer surgery. The research found that optimistic individuals experienced less distress in the year following surgery. This means that the best choice is D, "distress."

Question 6

Research finds that a person who is high in ________ typically does better than the average person when coping with traumatic experiences.

Accepted Answer

Dispositional optimism, which is the tendency to expect positive outcomes, has been found to be a protective factor in coping with traumatic experiences. High levels of dispositional optimism have been linked to better mental and physical health outcomes following traumatic events.

Question 7

Becky thinks about all the things that can go wrong before she takes any test. She says that this helps motivate her to do well. Becky is probably

Accepted Answer

Becky's tendency to think about all the things that can go wrong before taking a test suggests that she is a defensive pessimist. Defensive pessimists tend to have negative thoughts and worry about potential problems or failures in order to prepare for them and manage anxiety, which motivates them to do well.

Question 8

Drake is dealing with the stress associated with some health problems. If we know that he is a dispositional optimist,which of the following coping strategies is Drake most likely to use?

Accepted Answer

Dispositional optimists are more likely to use proactive coping strategies such as seeking advice and support from friends when dealing with stress and adversity. This aligns with choice C as the best option. Avoiding thinking about the problem or withdrawing socially are not proactive strategies, while wishful thinking is a passive coping strategy that dispositional optimists are less likely to use.

Question 9

Researchers studying positive and negative affect sometimes disagree on whether

Accepted Answer

The answer of Researchers studying positive and negative affect sometimes...

Question 10

Jeff is an actor. He tends to worry and fret about all the things that might go wrong before each performance. If Jeff is a defensive pessimist who is too distracted to worry before the performance,he will probably

Accepted Answer

Defensive pessimists use their anxiety to prepare and perform better. If Jeff is too distracted to worry, he may not prepare adequately, leading to worse performance.

Question 11

Researchers have found an association between health and each of the following personality variables except one. Which one?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Researchers have found an association between health...

Question 12

Researchers find each of the following statements is true about defensive pessimists except one. Which one?

Accepted Answer

Defensive pessimists do not want to fail, but rather they use a strategy of anticipating and planning for potential difficulties in order to manage their anxiety and improve their performance.

Question 13

Researchers have found an association between achievement behavior and each of the following personality variables except one. Which one?

Accepted Answer

The other three variables, dispositional optimism, defensive pessimism, and Type A, have been found to be associated with achievement behavior. Social anxiety is not directly related to achievement behavior.

Question 14

Suppose your roommate is a defensive pessimist and has a major test coming up. If you let your roommate worry about the test,the likely results is that your friend will _________ than people not allowed to worry.

Accepted Answer

Defensive pessimists use worry as a strategy to manage anxiety and prepare for challenges. By allowing them to worry, they can channel their anxiety into productive preparation, which can lead to feeling better about their readiness for the test.

Question 15

Compared to people with low affect intensity,those with high affect intensity are more likely to

Accepted Answer

People with high affect intensity react more strongly to both positive and negative experiences, meaning they experience emotions more intensely overall. They may feel more joy and excitement in response to positive events, but also experience greater distress and sadness in response to negative events.

Question 16

One reason dispositional optimists handle stressful situations better than pessimists is that optimists

Accepted Answer

Dispositional optimists are more likely to use active coping strategies, such as problem-solving and seeking social support, which have been found to be more effective in reducing stress compared to avoidant coping strategies used by pessimists. Having more successes in life or friends may be helpful, but the key factor is how someone copes with stress.

Question 17

Eric tends to have higher emotional highs than most people and lower emotional lows. He is probably high in

Accepted Answer

Affect intensity refers to the degree to which emotions are experienced and expressed. Eric's tendency towards higher emotional highs and lower emotional lows suggests a high affect intensity.

Question 18

Darlene's emotions are easy to read: she smiles broadly when happy and looks down when sad. Researchers would say that Darlene is high in

Accepted Answer

Darlene's behavior indicates high emotional expressiveness, as she easily displays her emotions through her facial expressions.

Question 19

Researchers find that people who are high in _______ typically achieve more than the average person.

Accepted Answer

Dispositional optimism, which refers to the tendency to believe that good things will happen in the future, has been linked to higher achievement in various domains such as academic performance, sports, and career success.

Question 20

Which of the following is correct about the relation between affect intensity and well-being?

Accepted Answer

People with high affect intensity have stronger emotional reactions to stimuli, both positive and negative. This means that they may experience higher levels of happiness during positive events and lower levels of happiness during negative events compared to those with low affect intensity. However, this does not necessarily mean that they are overall happier than those with low affect intensity. Studies have shown that people with high and low affect intensity tend to experience happiness differently, with those with high affect intensity experiencing more intense and fluctuating emotions, while those with low affect intensity tend to have more stable emotional experiences.

Quiz 8: The Trait Approach: Relevant Research