Question 1

Rita had to drop all of her classes because she could no longer concentrate. All she could think about was the possibility of her heart stopping. Rita is experiencing a(n):

Accepted Answer

Rita is experiencing an obsession, which is characterized by persistent and intrusive thoughts, such as the fear of her heart stopping.

Question 2

Because he feels he must check each of his answers six times before he turns in his test, John always runs out of time and tends to get very low grades. John's behavior is an example of:

Accepted Answer

John's behavior is an example of a compulsion, which involves repetitive behaviors or mental acts that a person feels driven to perform in response to an obsession or according to rules that must be applied rigidly.

Question 3

Compulsive behavior is executed and repeated because it:

Accepted Answer

Compulsive behavior is often repeated because it provides immediate relief from anxiety, which reinforces the behavior.

Question 4

Because of an early childhood experience, Julia begins to get really anxious every time she sees a teddy bear. Julia is experiencing a(n):

Accepted Answer

Julia's anxiety triggered by seeing a teddy bear suggests a specific phobia, which is an irrational fear of a particular object or situation.

Question 5

Dexter cannot go to the movies because he feels that if a fire were to break out, he would not be able to get to the exit and knows no one else would be willing to help him. Dexter is suffering from:

Accepted Answer

Agoraphobia involves a fear of being in situations where escape might be difficult or help wouldn't be available if things go wrong, such as being in a crowded place like a movie theater.

Question 6

Jerry's parents and relatives will not have the pleasure of seeing him receive the volunteer of the year award. Jerry has notified the selection committee that he gets so nervous when appearing in front of groups of people, there is no way he will appear before such a big crowd of famous people to accept the award. The committee will just have to send it to him. Jerry is suffering from:

Accepted Answer

Jerry is suffering from social phobia, which is characterized by intense fear or anxiety in social situations, particularly those involving performance or being observed by others.

Question 7

Because of a negative combat experience in a tropical forest, Jay gets very anxious each time the humidity goes past 90 percent. Jay's reaction to the humidity is an example of a(n):

Accepted Answer

Jay's reaction is a simple phobia, which is an irrational fear of a specific object or situation, in this case, high humidity due to a past negative experience.

Question 8

Stu became really anxious when his wife announced that they were driving to New York to see "CATS," one of the most successful Broadway musicals ever. Apparently Stu suffers from:

Accepted Answer

Ailurophobia is the fear of cats, which is relevant to the musical "CATS."

Question 9

Although she received a multimillion-dollar contract to write a book about a group of serial killers, Jody lost the contract and the money because she became anxious each time she started to write. Jody is experiencing:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Although she received a multimillion-dollar contract to...

Question 10

When she was a little girl, Joyce was made to stand in a dark closet as a form of punishment. Although she cannot tell you why she feels this way, Joyce, to this day, has a fear of being in dark theaters. However, feeling that the fear has something to do with her childhood, her therapist is trying to get her to talk about her relationship with her parents when she was young. Such an example illustrates the _____ explanation of anxiety disorders.

Accepted Answer

The psychodynamic explanation of anxiety disorders focuses on unconscious conflicts and past experiences that contribute to the development of anxiety. In this case, Joyce's fear of being in dark theaters is thought to be related to her childhood experience of being punished by being made to stand in a dark closet.

Question 11

A spider bit Susan when she was a little girl. At age 46, she stills experiences arachnophobia and can recall vividly the time the spider bit her when she was a girl. Such an example illustrates the _____ explanation of anxiety disorders.

Accepted Answer

The learning explanation of anxiety disorders suggests that phobias can develop through classical conditioning, where a neutral stimulus (spider) becomes associated with a traumatic event (the bite), leading to a long-lasting fear response.

Question 12

The treatment of anxiety disorders from the learning viewpoint involves:

Accepted Answer

Systematic desensitization and behavior modification are both learning-based techniques used to treat anxiety disorders.

Question 13

To help him deal with his fear of elevators, Jack's therapist has him put on a pair of goggles that create the visual simulation of being in an elevator and traveling different distances at different rates of speed, as well as experiencing unexpected stops between floors. This is an example of _________ therapy.

Accepted Answer

Virtual reality therapy involves using technology to create a simulated environment for therapeutic purposes, such as helping individuals confront and manage their fears.

Question 14

One individual with an anxiety disorders might interpret the sound of a barking dog down the street as a signal that there is a pack of dangerous dogs running loose while another individual with an anxiety disorder might assume this means that if she goes outside, she will not be able to concentrate enough to think of a strategy to avoid being attacked by the dog. Such beliefs are characteristics of anxiety disorders based on the _____ viewpoint.

Accepted Answer

The cognitive viewpoint focuses on how individuals perceive and interpret events, often leading to distorted thinking patterns that contribute to anxiety disorders.

Question 15

Dr. Phil is working with a client who has developed an anxiety disorder that is expressed in the form of an irrational fear of eating at restaurants because he believes that he will catch a virus while dining out. Dr. Phil tells the client that instead of thinking about getting sick, he should focus on all of the things that the restaurant does to make sure that the food is fresh, the dining area is clean, and the employees take the necessary health precautions when serving his food. In this case, Dr. Phil is employing _____ to help his client deal with his anxiety disorder.

Accepted Answer

Dr. Phil is using cognitive therapy, which involves changing the client's irrational thoughts and beliefs to more rational and positive ones.

Question 16

The overreacting of neurons in the brain that creates intense feelings of anxiety can be attributed to a lack of the neurotransmitter of:

Accepted Answer

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain that helps to reduce neuronal excitability. A lack of GABA can lead to increased neuronal activity, which can contribute to anxiety.

Question 17

_____ is a category of drugs, which includes Xanax, used to help in the treatment of anxiety disorders.

Accepted Answer

Benzodiazepines are a class of drugs that includes Xanax, which is used to treat anxiety disorders.

Question 18

A condom manufacturer develops an ad that shows the last stages of someone dying from AIDS. The ad is supposed to raise people's level of anxiety about having sex without the use of a condom. This ad is an example of a(n):

Accepted Answer

The ad uses fear of contracting AIDS to motivate people to use condoms, which is a classic example of a fear appeal.

Question 19

The role of anxiety in the two-step advertising process is to:

Accepted Answer

Anxiety in advertising is used to create a sense of urgency or concern, prompting consumers to seek a solution, which is then provided by the advertised product or service.

Question 20

Encouraging individuals to buy a self-help book on assertiveness so they will not be bullied by their coworkers is an example of a(n) _____ appeal.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Encouraging individuals to buy a self-help book...

Quiz 13: Anxiety: An All-Encompassing Intrapersonal Process of Personality

Rita had to drop all of her classes because she could no longer concentrate. All she could think about was the possibility of her heart stopping. Rita is experiencing a(n) :