Question 1

Researchers investigated the effects of rather commonplace stressors, such as the numerous exams that medical students have to take each year. They discovered that exposure to such ordinary stressors of life:

Accepted Answer

The researchers discovered that exposure to ordinary stressors, such as exams, adversely affects immune system functioning. This means that the immune system is weakened under such stressors, leaving individuals more susceptible to infections and other health issues.

Question 2

Health psychologists have found that a wide variety of stressors are associated with diminished immune system functioning, increasing the risk of health problems and slowing recovery times. Your textbook concludes that:

Accepted Answer

All of the factors listed in options A, B, and C can influence an individual's physical health and well-being. While exposure to stressors can weaken immune system functioning and increase the risk of illness, other biological and environmental factors can also play a role in determining one's health outcomes. As such, a comprehensive approach to promoting health and wellness should take into account a variety of factors, including those related to behavior, biology, and the social and physical environment.

Question 3

The Focus on Neuroscience box "The Mysterious Placebo Effect" describes a positron emission tomographic scan study of the placebo effect. Which of the following was found in the study?

Accepted Answer

The study found that both the placebo and the opiate painkiller activated a brain area known to contain many opioid receptors, indicating that the placebo effect can mimic the brain's response to actual pain relief medication.

Question 4

An enzyme called _____ has the capacity to add DNA to shortened telomeres, rebuilding and extending the length of telomeres.

Accepted Answer

Telomerase is the enzyme that has the capacity to add DNA to shortened telomeres, rebuilding and extending their length. Adrenocorticotropic hormone, adrenaline, and noradrenaline are hormones that do not have a direct role in telomere lengthening.

Question 5

The final exam period was very stressful for Maria, and at the end of the semester she got very sick with a viral infection. Her body's _____ will produce _____ to help fight against the virus.

Accepted Answer

The immune system is responsible for fighting against infections, and specifically, lymphocytes are the white blood cells that are involved in the immune response. Therefore, choice C is the best option. The endocrine and sympathetic nervous systems are not directly involved in the body's immune response, and telomerase is an enzyme that is involved in cell division and does not directly relate to fighting infections.

Question 6

Mrs. Prouli has been taking care of her husband, who has Alzheimer's disease, for a number of years. The prolonged stress involved in caring for her husband may:

Accepted Answer

The prolonged stress of caring for her husband with Alzheimer's disease may result in reduced immune system functioning due to chronic activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the HPA axis, leading to the release of cortisol, which can suppress immune system functioning.

Question 7

_____ is an interdisciplinary field that studies the interconnections among psychological processes, nervous and endocrine system functions, and the immune system.

Accepted Answer

Psychoneuroimmunology studies the connections between psychological processes, nervous and endocrine system functions, and the immune system. Biopsychosocial psychology studies the interactions among biological, psychological, and social factors in health and illness. Evolutionary psychology is focused on the evolution of behavior and cognition. Health psychology is concerned with how each person reacts to stressful events and the effects of others on this reaction.

Question 8

The body system that produces specialized white blood cells to defend the body from viruses, bacteria, and tumor cells is called the _____ system.

Accepted Answer

The immune system is responsible for producing specialized white blood cells, such as T cells and B cells, that defend the body from viruses, bacteria, and tumor cells. The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems control involuntary functions such as heart rate and digestion, and the endocrine system produces hormones to regulate bodily functions.

Question 9

Most psychoneuroimmunologists are likely to share the view that:

Accepted Answer

Psychoneuroimmunologists study the interactions and interconnections between psychological processes, nervous and endocrine system functions, and the immune system. Therefore, it is unlikely that they would believe the immune system works completely independently of other body systems (A), or that the endocrine system works completely independently of other body systems (C). Additionally, research has shown that there are direct connections between the brain and immune system, so choice D is also incorrect.

Question 10

Psychologist Sheldon Cohen and his colleagues conducted a carefully controlled study examining the relationship between stress and susceptibility to the common cold. What were the results of this study?

Accepted Answer

The study found that higher levels of stress were strongly related to increased susceptibility to the common cold virus.

Question 11

The Focus on Neuroscience box "The Mysterious Placebo Effect" describes a positron emission tomographic scan study of the placebo effect. How did the two groups of participants in the study differ?

Accepted Answer

The two groups of participants in the study differed in terms of the injection they received. One group was injected with an opiate painkiller, while the other group was injected with saline solution (a placebo).

Question 12

According to research by Elissa Epel and colleagues, acute short-term stress produces a(n) _____ effect on telomerase activity, and chronic stress has a(n) _____ effect on telomerase activity.

Accepted Answer

Research by Elissa Epel and colleagues found that acute short-term stress produces an adaptive effect on telomerase activity, meaning it increases telomerase activity. On the other hand, chronic stress has a maladaptive effect on telomerase activity, meaning it decreases telomerase activity. Therefore, the best choice is B, as it correctly identifies the effects of acute and chronic stress on telomerase activity.

Question 13

In one study on the effects of stress, dental students received one small puncture wound on the roofs of their mouths during their summer vacation and a second wound three days before their first major exam during the fall term. What were the findings of this study?

Accepted Answer

The study found that wounds inflicted just before the major exam took 3 days longer to heal than wounds inflicted during summer vacation. This suggests that the stress of the upcoming exam had a negative impact on the students' immune systems and ability to heal. The other options about telomeres and telomerase activity are not mentioned in the study and are not relevant to the findings.

Question 14

Researchers have discovered that people who are under chronic stress tend to have _____ telomeres.

Accepted Answer

Telomeres are the protective caps on the end of chromosomes, and they naturally shorten with age. However, chronic stress can accelerate this shortening process, leading to shorter telomeres in individuals experiencing chronic stress.

Question 15

The Focus on Neuroscience box "The Mysterious Placebo Effect" describes a positron emission tomographic scan study of the placebo effect. One possible implication of the study's results is that placebos:

Accepted Answer

The study revealed that placebos work by activating the brain's natural opioid network, which can reduce pain. Option A is incorrect because the study showed that placebos can be effective pain relievers, at least in the short term. Option B is incorrect because the study did not investigate the effect of placebos on telomerase activity. Option D is incorrect because the study showed that placebos reduce pain, not increase it.

Question 16

Psychoneuroimmunology is defined as:

Accepted Answer

Psychoneuroimmunology is the interdisciplinary field that studies how psychological processes, nervous and endocrine system functions, and the immune system interconnect.

Question 17

The Focus on Neuroscience box "The Mysterious Placebo Effect" describes a positron emission tomographic scan study of the placebo effect. What was the main finding of the study?

Accepted Answer

Both the genuine painkiller and the placebo activated the same brain area and both relieved pain, indicating that the placebo effect can mimic the brain's response to actual pain relief.

Question 18

Brandon came down with viral pneumonia. His body's immune system will produce _____ to defend him against the infection.

Accepted Answer

Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell that play a key role in the body's immune response. They help to identify and destroy pathogens, like the virus that is causing Brandon's pneumonia. Adrenaline, noradrenaline, corticosteroids, and catecholamines are not directly involved in the immune response to viral infections.

Question 19

Minor everyday stressors, such as taking an exam:

Accepted Answer

Minor everyday stressors, such as taking an exam, can temporarily alter immune system functioning. Research has shown that acute stressors can increase certain immune system responses, but chronic stress can have a negative impact on immune system functioning. Additionally, it has been suggested that chronic stress may shorten telomeres, which can have negative health consequences. However, this is not directly related to the effect of minor everyday stressors on immune system functioning.

Question 20

Andy suffered from chronic back pain. After weeks of unsuccessful treatment, Andy's doctor gave him some pill samples, describing them as a new experimental medication for back pain. In reality, the pills were just sugar pills and contained no medication at all. After a few days, Andy's backache was much better. Andy's response to the sugar pills is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Andy's response to the sugar pills is an example of the placebo effect, which is the phenomenon in which a person experiences a positive result from a treatment that has no known therapeutic effect. This suggests that the improvement in Andy's back pain was due to his belief in the effectiveness of the pills, rather than their actual medicinal properties.

Quiz 12: Stress, Health, and Coping