Question 1

When a person is under stress, the brain's hypothalamus sends messages to the endocrine glands along two major pathways, one of which activates the:

Accepted Answer

The sympathetic nervous system is activated during times of stress or when a person perceives a threat. This activation causes the release of adrenaline and other stress hormones, increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration, preparing the body for fight or flight response. This is one of the major pathways activated in response to stress.

Question 2

In order to maintain health, a person should aim for:

Accepted Answer

Minimizing the wear and tear of stress on the body is the best option as complete avoidance of stress is impossible and stress is a natural part of life. Therefore, focusing on managing stress and minimizing its negative effects on the body is the most realistic and effective approach to maintain health.

Question 3

________ is the study of the relationships among psychology, the nervous and endocrine systems, and the immune system.

Accepted Answer

The study of the relationships among psychology, the nervous and endocrine systems, and the immune system is called psychoneuroimmunology. Choice A (sociocultural psychology) refers to the study of how culture and society affect behavior and mental processes, choice B (psychodynamic psychology) refers to the study of unconscious drives and conflicts that influence behavior, and choice C (neurology) is the branch of medicine that deals with disorders of the nervous system.

Question 4

According to Selye, in the general activating syndrome (GAS), the phase in which the ongoing resistance to stressors is greatly diminished, depleting the body of energy potentially resulting in increased vulnerability to illness is:

Accepted Answer

According to Selye, the phase in which the ongoing resistance to stressors is greatly diminished, depleting the body of energy, potentially resulting in increased vulnerability to illness is exhaustion. Therefore, the correct choice is D.

Question 5

Markesia's body is mobilized to fight off the flu and she is annoyed by minor frustrations that she can usually shake off. According to Hans Selye, she is in the:

Accepted Answer

According to Hans Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome, the resistance phase is when the body is actively fighting off a stressor, such as an illness, and the person may become more irritable or annoyed by minor frustrations.

Question 6

Dahlia has been having chronic headaches and she is behind in all her classes. For the past six months her job has been extremely stressful, but she doesn't feel that she can quit because she needs the money for tuition. Her vulnerability to illness, such as chronic hypertension, has increased. According to Hans Selye, Dahlia is in the:

Accepted Answer

Dahlia is in the exhaustion phase of Hans Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome. This phase occurs after prolonged stress, where the body's resources are depleted, leading to increased vulnerability to illness.

Question 7

When a person is under stress, the brain's hypothalamus sends messages to the ________ along two major pathways.

Accepted Answer

The hypothalamus sends messages to the endocrine glands, particularly the pituitary gland, to release stress hormones like cortisol.

Question 8

A person is in the ________ when vulnerability to physical problems increases, and illness, such as chronic hypertension, develops.

Accepted Answer

The exhaustion phase is characterized by the body's decreased ability to cope with stressors and increased vulnerability to physical problems and illness. Chronic hypertension is an example of an illness that can develop during this phase.

Question 9

Which of the following is NOT one of the key stress hormones released by the adrenal glands?

Accepted Answer

Melatonin is not a stress hormone released by the adrenal glands. It is a hormone released by the pineal gland in response to darkness, promoting sleep and regulating the sleep-wake cycle. The other three hormones listed (cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine) are all key stress hormones released by the adrenal glands.

Question 10

Current approaches to the physiology of stress have found that:

Accepted Answer

When you are under stress, your brain's hypothalamus sends messages to the endocrine glands along two major pathways: the sympathetic nervous system, which activates "fight or flight" responses, and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which activates the release of cortisol and other stress hormones.

Question 11

PNI researchers are especially interested in the:

Accepted Answer

PNI (psychoneuroimmunology) researchers study the interactions between the psychological, neurological, and immune systems. Therefore, they are especially interested in understanding the functioning and responses of the immune system, including the role of white blood cells in fighting disease and infection. Hostility and depression (A) may be of interest to researchers studying the links between mental health and immune function, but it is not the primary focus of PNI. While cognitive strategies for coping with stress (D) may also be relevant to PNI research, it is not the central focus. Primary and secondary control (B), which refer to different types of coping techniques, may be of interest to some PNI researchers, but it is not as central as understanding the immune system.

Question 12

The HPA axis is a system activated to:

Accepted Answer

The HPA axis, which stands for hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, is a system activated in response to stressors to energize the body and help it respond appropriately. The hypothalamus releases corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), which stimulates the pituitary gland to release adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). ACTH then travels to the adrenal glands, which release cortisol, a hormone that helps the body cope with stress by increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and glucose in the bloodstream.

Question 13

Although Selye's theory about physiological stress reactions has been proven very useful, the theory is limited in that:

Accepted Answer

Selye's theory did not take into account individual differences in stress response, nor did he consider that different stressors could produce different physiological responses. Additionally, we now know that there are more than three phases in the stress response, and that the same biological changes that are adaptive in the short run can sometimes be maladaptive in the long run. Therefore, while Selye's theory has been helpful in understanding stress, it is limited in its scope.

Question 14

You have just finished a very stressful final exam period filled with late nights and high anxiety. You start to feel yourself coming down with flulike symptoms. According to Selye's GAS, you are in the ________ phase.

Accepted Answer

Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) characterizes the body's response to stress as passing through three stages: Alarm, Resistance, and Exhaustion. Alarm is the initial stage when the body recognizes and responds to the stressor. Resistance is the stage where the body attempts to cope with the stressor and maintain equilibrium. Exhaustion is the stage when the body's resources become depleted, and it is unable to maintain its defense against the stressor. Since the scenario describes the subject experiencing flu-like symptoms after a stressful period, it is likely that they have expended their resources and are in the exhaustion phase. Therefore, the correct answer is A) Exhaustion.

Question 15

In order to increase energy and protect the body's tissues in response to danger, the hypothalamus first activates the ________, ultimately causing the release of ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In order to increase energy and protect...

Question 16

When you are under stress, the brain's ________ sends messages to the endocrine glands along two major pathways.

Accepted Answer

When the body is under stress, the hypothalamus sends messages to the endocrine glands along two pathways - the sympathetic nervous system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The amygdala and hippocampus are also involved in the stress response, but their primary roles are in processing emotions and memories, respectively, and not in directly sending messages to the endocrine system. The corpus callosum is a bundle of nerve fibers that connects the two hemispheres of the brain and is not directly involved in the stress response.

Question 17

In order to engage in either a "fight or flight" response to danger, the hypothalamus first activates the ________, ultimately causing the release of ________.

Accepted Answer

The hypothalamus activates the autonomic nervous system, which then stimulates the adrenal medulla to release epinephrine and norepinephrine, preparing the body for a "fight or flight" response.

Question 18

The HPA axis is an abbreviation for:

Accepted Answer

The HPA axis refers to the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal cortex working together to regulate stress response and the release of cortisol.

Question 19

A person is in the ________ when the body becomes more vulnerable to other stressors. For example, when the body is mobilized to fight off the flu, it is easier to be annoyed by minor frustrations.

Accepted Answer

The resistance phase is characterized by the body adapting to the stressor and trying to regain its balance. However, during this time, the body is still vulnerable to other stressors, making it easier to become agitated or react negatively to minor frustrations. This is known as the "general adaptation syndrome." The exhaustion phase is when the body has depleted its resources and can no longer cope with the stressor, which can lead to physical or emotional breakdowns. The alarm phase is the initial reaction to a stressor, where the body prepares for fight or flight. Chronic stress refers to long-term stress that can have negative effects on physical and mental health.

Question 20

If cortisol and other stress hormones remain high too long, they can cause all of the following EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

The answer of If cortisol and other stress hormones remain...

Quiz 11: Emotion, Stress, and Health