Question 1

Nielsen et al. (2008) conducted a large-scale prospective study of the link between stress and colorectal cancer among both men and women. The researchers found that stress:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Nielsen et al. (2008) conducted a large-scale...

Question 2

The textbook suggests that people smoke cigarettes to ease stress and to improve their mood. In the language of operant conditioning, stress relief maintains smoking through _____. An improved mood maintains smoking through _____.

Accepted Answer

Negative reinforcement is when a behavior occurs in order to remove or avoid an unpleasant consequence. Smoking to relieve stress is an example of negative reinforcement. Positive reinforcement, on the other hand, is when a behavior occurs in order to receive a pleasant consequence. Smoking to improve mood is an example of positive reinforcement. Therefore, the correct answer is B, where stress relief maintains smoking through negative reinforcement, and an improved mood maintains smoking through positive reinforcement.

Question 3

An elevated risk of heart disease is associated with:

Accepted Answer

Both job stress and social-evaluative threat have been shown to be associated with an elevated risk of heart disease. Job stress can lead to chronic activation of the body's stress response systems, including the release of cortisol and other hormones, which can contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease. Social-evaluative threat, such as the stress of public speaking or performing in front of others, has also been shown to increase cardiovascular risk through similar mechanisms.

Question 4

Joseph et al. (2013) found that unemployment following Hurricane Katrina increased the likelihood of "cardiometabolic events" by a factor of:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Joseph et al. (2013) found that unemployment...

Question 5

This morning, Barb must not only finish a research paper due this afternoon but also prepare a presentation for her evening class tonight. Today's short-term stressors should _____ the number of NK cells, thereby _____ immune system functioning.

Accepted Answer

The answer of This morning, Barb must not only finish...

Question 6

Job stress is _____ associated with the risk of coronary heart disease.

Accepted Answer

Research has found a positive association between job stress and the risk of coronary heart disease, meaning that higher levels of job stress are linked with an increased likelihood of developing heart disease.

Question 7

An increase of fatty deposits, inflammation, and scar tissue within artery walls is called:

Accepted Answer

Atherosclerosis involves the accumulation of fatty deposits, inflammation, and scar tissue within arterial walls. Neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaque are related to Alzheimer's disease, and multiple sclerosis is a condition that affects the nervous system.

Question 8

The relationship between smoking cigarettes and improved mood is:

Accepted Answer

The answer of The relationship between smoking cigarettes and improved...

Question 9

The textbook states that researchers "found evidence that the bacterium H. pylori plays an important role" in ulcers. However, "some people who carry the bacteria never get ulcers, while others develop ulcers in its absence." Based on this discussion, it is probably MOST reasonable to conclude that the correlation between H pylori and ulcers is:

Accepted Answer

The fact that some people who carry the bacteria never get ulcers and others develop ulcers in its absence suggests that there is a moderate positive correlation between H. pylori and ulcers. This means that while H. pylori may increase the likelihood of developing ulcers, it is not the only factor involved and other factors may also play a role.

Question 10

According to the text, ____ of research articles have linked stress and heart disease.

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to the text, ____ of research...

Question 11

Stress has been linked to the suppression of NK cells. This means that stress may inhibit the body's ability to:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Stress has been linked to the suppression...

Question 12

Nielsen and colleagues (2008) found that among men, stress intensity was _____ associated with the likelihood of colorectal cancer.

Accepted Answer

Nielsen and colleagues (2008) found that stress intensity was positively, but not strongly, associated with the likelihood of colorectal cancer among men.

Question 13

Candice says that she smokes cigarettes to "calm her nerves." Samuel says that smoking a cigarette "helps him focus." In the language of operant conditioning, stress relief maintains smoking through _____. An improvement in focus maintains smoking through _____.

Accepted Answer

Stress relief is considered negative reinforcement because it removes the unpleasant state of stress, thus reinforcing the behavior (smoking) that removed it. Improvement in focus is considered positive reinforcement because it adds a desirable outcome (better focus), thus reinforcing the behavior.

Question 14

Stress has been linked to the suppression of both _____ and _____ in the immune system.

Accepted Answer

The suppression of both T lymphocytes and NK cells has been linked to stress, according to research.

Question 15

Mrs. Jones has been caring for her terminally ill mother for a year now. She has continued to work at a demanding job, and she has three active teenagers. These long-term stressors should _____ the number of NK cells, thereby _____ immune system functioning.

Accepted Answer

Long-term stressors like caring for a terminally ill family member and managing a demanding job and family can decrease the number of natural killer (NK) cells, impairing immune system functioning. This is because chronic stress can lead to the dysregulation of the immune system, including a decrease in NK cell activity.

Question 16

The textbook states that "smokers report that they smoke more cigarettes in response to stressors." This result MOST likely derives from _____ research.

Accepted Answer

Surveys involve asking individuals about their attitudes, behaviors, or experiences. In this case, smokers were asked about the relationship between their smoking behavior and stressors, which is consistent with survey research. Case studies involve in-depth analysis of a single individual, so it is unlikely to provide generalizable results on smoking behavior. Experimental research involves manipulating variables to measure their effects on behavior, but it may not be ethical or practical to purposely induce stressors in participants. Naturalistic observation involves observing behavior in its natural context, but it may be difficult to control or measure stressors that occur outside the research setting.

Question 17

A study examining the link between life events and breast cancer found that:

Accepted Answer

The study found that the death of a spouse was modestly associated with breast cancer, but did not indicate that most major life events were strongly associated with breast cancer. Therefore, options B and D can be eliminated. Option C is partially correct in that most major life events were associated with breast cancer, but the study did not indicate that the association was modest or strong, so it cannot be chosen as the best answer. Therefore, the best choice is A.

Question 18

Compared to women, men are more susceptible to _____ when they try to quit smoking.

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that men are more likely to experience stronger cigarette cravings when trying to quit smoking compared to women. This could be due to differences in brain chemistry or nicotine metabolism between genders. Other withdrawal symptoms including anxiety, perceived stress, and depression are similar between men and women.

Question 19

Nielsen and colleagues (2008) found that among women, stress intensity was _____ associated with the likelihood of colorectal cancer.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Nielsen and colleagues (2008) found that among...

Question 20

As compared to short-term stress, long-term stress has _____ effect on the number of NK cells.

Accepted Answer

The answer of As compared to short-term stress, long-term stress...

Quiz 12: Social Psychology