Question 1

A disorder in which excessive anxiety and worry occur more days than not for at least six months is called:

Accepted Answer

Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by excessive and persistent worry and anxiety about everyday events or activities, which occurs more days than not for at least six months. Panic disorder involves recurrent unexpected panic attacks, and phobic disorder involves strong, persistent fear and avoidance of a specific object or situation. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) involves intrusive, unwanted thoughts and repetitive behaviors or mental acts to reduce anxiety.

Question 2

What did Freud believe about somatoform disorders?

Accepted Answer

Freud believed that somatoform disorders were caused by the repression of disturbing thoughts, conflicts, or memories, leading to physical symptoms in the body. He believed that these symptoms were a manifestation of the patient's inner conflicts and unconscious desires.

Question 3

Dr.Garcia is treating a patient who has a fear of knives.He believes his patient's fear is a kind of displacement,in which the phobic object is a symbol of whatever his patient has buried deep inside her unconscious mind.Dr.Garcia's view is consistent with that of:

Accepted Answer

Dr. Garcia's view that the patient's fear is related to unconscious thoughts and symbolism is consistent with the psychoanalytic model, which emphasizes the role of the unconscious mind and the importance of symbols in understanding human behavior.

Question 4

Sandy has the tendency to make everything seem so much worse than it actually is.Beck would say that Sandy has a tendency to engage in:

Accepted Answer

Magnification is the cognitive distortion that involves exaggerating the significance, importance, or likelihood of negative events or experiences. In this case, Sandy is making everything seem worse than it actually is, which indicates a tendency towards magnification.

Question 5

Ann constantly complains of physical symptoms such as nausea and trouble catching her breath although she is not particularly worried about her symptoms.After finding no medical explanation for her symptoms,a physician suspects Ann suffers from:

Accepted Answer

Somatization disorder involves experiencing multiple physical symptoms without a medical cause, and the person is not excessively worried about them, which fits Ann's situation.

Question 6

A person who is preoccupied with every sensation of her body,worries excessively about getting ill,and continuously goes to doctors who never find anything physically wrong with her is likely to be diagnosed with:

Accepted Answer

Hypochondriasis is characterized by an excessive preoccupation with the fear of having a serious illness despite medical reassurance that no illness is present. The individual may constantly check their body for signs of illness and have a heightened awareness of bodily sensations.

Question 7

The psychoanalytic model views anxiety as:

Accepted Answer

According to the psychoanalytic model, anxiety is seen as a danger signal that repressed conflicts are threatening to surface. These repressed conflicts are often unconscious, and the anxiety is a way for the individual to protect themselves from experiencing these conflicts directly.

Question 8

Which of the following is a disorder that takes the form of a bodily ailment that has no physical cause?

Accepted Answer

Somatoform disorders are characterized by physical symptoms that have no known physical cause. Anxiety disorders may have physical symptoms, but they are typically related to the body's response to stress and anxiety. Dissociative disorders involve disruptions in perceptions of identity, consciousness, or memory. Psychophysiological disorders involve physical symptoms that are caused or worsened by psychological factors such as stress or anxiety, but there is a known physical cause.

Question 9

Karin's mother takes her into a restroom at Disney World.The loud and powerful flushing causes Karin to cry.When they return home,Karin will not go near the potty chair they are using for toilet training.Karin's mother concludes that Karin has developed a phobia as a result of:

Accepted Answer

Karin's crying in response to the loud and powerful flushing is an example of classical conditioning. She has associated the sound of the flushing with fear or discomfort, and this could potentially lead to a phobia or fear response in the future.

Question 10

When Bob noticed a pain in his thigh,he was convinced it was a sign of bone cancer.Although X-rays revealed no sign of cancer,Bob sought the opinions of a dozen other physicians who agreed with the original opinion.What psychological disorder might Bob's behaviour indicate?

Accepted Answer

Bob's behavior may indicate hypochondriasis, which is a psychological disorder characterized by excessive fear of having a serious illness, despite not having any or having mild symptoms. Bob's insistence on seeking the opinions of multiple physicians even after X-rays revealed no sign of cancer indicates his excessive fear and preoccupation with his health.

Question 11

A person who dramatically complains of a specific symptom such as nausea,difficulty swallowing,or pain for which there is no physical cause has a disorder called:

Accepted Answer

Somatization disorder involves experiencing physical symptoms, such as nausea or pain, without a physical cause, often due to psychological factors.

Question 12

According to the biological perspective,generalized anxiety disorder is:

Accepted Answer

The biological perspective views generalized anxiety disorder as being linked to an imbalance in several neurotransmitters in the nervous system, such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). This perspective suggests that medication targeting these neurotransmitters can be effective in treating the disorder.

Question 13

According to cognitive psychologists,somatoform disorders are:

Accepted Answer

Cognitive psychologists believe that somatoform disorders are a result of magnifying physical symptoms and allowing false beliefs about the symptoms to dominate one's thinking. This can lead to the development of a persistent illness narrative and avoidance of activities that may trigger the symptoms. In other words, it is a cognitive and behavioral issue rather than a repression of disturbing thoughts or an imbalance of neurotransmitters.

Question 14

Liza has an anxiety disorder.She is currently seeing a therapist who believes that anxiety disorders are a result of illogical,irrational thought processes.Liza is probably seeking treatment from a:

Accepted Answer

Liza's therapist's belief that anxiety disorders are caused by irrational thought processes suggests a cognitive perspective, which focuses on how an individual's thoughts and perceptions can influence their behavior and emotions. Therefore, Liza is most likely seeking treatment from a cognitive psychologist.

Question 15

In the last six months Shelly has visited her physician 10 times to complain of numerous physical symptoms.The physician has been unable to find a physical cause for her symptoms.What category of psychological disorders is the physician likely to suspect Shelly exhibits?

Accepted Answer

Shelly's physical symptoms without a physical cause suggest the possibility of a somatoform disorder, in which a person experiences physical symptoms that are not fully explained by a medical condition but have a psychological origin. Anxiety and dissociative disorders may also involve physical symptoms, but these would need to be differentiated by further assessment. Psychophysiological disorders typically involve a clear link between psychological and physical factors, which does not appear to be the case in this scenario.

Question 16

After witnessing an accident that killed his daughter,George reports he is blind.Although he bumps into objects at home and elsewhere,he shows lack of concern about his blindness.Specialists have found nothing wrong with the structure or function of his eyes and an MRI reveals no evidence of brain damage.After holding a case conference,a team of professionals suggests that George be evaluated for:

Accepted Answer

The symptoms described suggest that George may be experiencing conversion disorder, characterized by physical symptoms (in this case, blindness) that cannot be fully explained by a medical condition or dysfunction. The lack of concern about his blindness may be another indication of conversion disorder, as individuals with this disorder may lack insight into the psychological causes of their physical symptoms.

Question 17

Leo worries all of the time.He worries about his money,his children,and his dog.His muscles are always tense and sore,he has trouble sleeping,is often irritable,and has difficulty concentrating.Leo's symptoms sound most like:

Accepted Answer

Leo's symptoms fit the criteria for generalized anxiety disorder, as he is experiencing chronic worry and physical symptoms such as muscle tension and fatigue. Panic disorder involves sudden and intense panic attacks, while conversion disorder involves physical symptoms without a clear medical explanation. Dissociative disorders involve disruptions in one's sense of identity or consciousness.

Question 18

A person who experiences rather dramatic and specific symptoms such as blindness,paralysis,deafness,or numbness of certain body parts,none of which have real physical causes,and exhibits lack of concern about the symptom will probably be diagnosed with:

Accepted Answer

Conversion disorder involves the experience of physical symptoms without any apparent organic cause. These symptoms are often dramatic and specific, such as blindness, paralysis, deafness, or numbness of certain body parts. However, the person experiencing these symptoms shows a lack of concern about them and may even seem indifferent.

Question 19

The behavioural perspective views anxiety as:

Accepted Answer

The behavioural perspective views anxiety as a learned reaction, meaning that it is acquired through experience and reinforced through rewarding or punishing consequences. This view suggests that anxiety can be unlearned through therapeutic interventions such as systematic desensitization or exposure therapy.

Question 20

Luke is diagnosed with a somatoform disorder.His therapist believes that his disorder is reinforced by his family,his doctors,and his ability to avoid stressful situations that are associated with his disorder.Luke's therapist is probably a:

Accepted Answer

Luke's therapist believes that his disorder is reinforced by environmental factors such as his family and doctors, and his avoidance behavior. This suggests a behaviorist perspective, as behaviorists focus on how the environment reinforces or punishes behavior. Psychoanalysts focus on unresolved unconscious conflicts, cognitive psychologists investigate thoughts and beliefs, and biological psychologists focus on biological factors.

Quiz 13: Psychological Disorders