Question 1

Low levels of anxiety are most characteristic of

Accepted Answer

Antisocial personality disorder is characterized by a lack of regard for the moral or legal standards in the local culture, a marked inability to get along with others or abide by societal rules, and low levels of anxiety. Individuals with this disorder often do not experience anxiety in the same way others do, which can contribute to their antisocial behaviors.

Question 2

Jason has been in and out of prison for various crimes in which he scammed people out of their money.He feels no guilt or remorse for his behavior;in fact,he blames his victims for being "suckers." Jason illustrates

Accepted Answer

Jason's lack of empathy or remorse for his actions and his tendency to blame others for his behavior are hallmarks of antisocial personality disorder, also known as sociopathy.

Question 3

Mental health workers are most likely to consider socially unusual behavior as disordered if it is

Accepted Answer

The DSM-5, which is a manual used by mental health workers to diagnose disorders, includes a criterion that the behavior or symptoms must cause significant distress or impairment in functioning in order to be considered a disorder. Therefore, socially unusual behavior is more likely to be considered disordered if it is personally distressful for the individual.

Question 4

Mrs.Higgins believes that aliens from another planet have removed her stomach and are watching her to see how long it takes her to grow another one.Mrs.Higgins is most likely suffering from

Accepted Answer

Mrs. Higgins is experiencing delusions and paranoid thoughts, which are common symptoms of schizophrenia. Delusions are fixed beliefs that are not grounded in reality, and can often involve beliefs about being controlled or monitored by external sources such as aliens.

Question 5

The suggestion that dissociative identity disorder symptoms are created as defenses against the anxiety caused by one's own unacceptable impulses best illustrates the

Accepted Answer

The suggestion that dissociative identity disorder symptoms are created as defenses against the anxiety caused by one's own unacceptable impulses aligns with the psychodynamic perspective, which focuses on unconscious conflicts and defense mechanisms. This perspective posits that mental disorders stem from unresolved conflicts and that symptoms serve as a way of warding off anxiety.

Question 6

Michael complains that threatening voices are constantly telling him that he is so evil he should drown himself.Michael is experiencing

Accepted Answer

Michael is experiencing auditory hallucinations, as he is hearing threatening voices that are not actually present.

Question 7

Kyle has been diagnosed with schizophrenia.He hears voices and believes the government is plotting to steal his internal organs and sell them to foreign governments.Kyle is demonstrating the ________ symptoms of schizophrenia.

Accepted Answer

Kyle is exhibiting positive symptoms of schizophrenia, which include hallucinations (hearing voices) and delusions (believing in a government conspiracy to steal his organs). Negative symptoms, on the other hand, refer to a lack of typical behaviors or emotions, such as flat affect or withdrawal. Acute and reactive are not descriptive of the type of symptoms exhibited, but rather refer to the onset and potential triggers of the illness.

Question 8

Jamie has schizophrenia and is currently pregnant with her first child.What are the odds that her child will also develop schizophrenia?

Accepted Answer

The chances of a child developing schizophrenia when one parent has the disorder is approximately 10%, or 1 in 10.

Question 9

Which type of schizophrenia develops slowly and is less responsive to treatment?

Accepted Answer

Chronic schizophrenia develops slowly over time and is less responsive to treatment. Reactive schizophrenia refers to symptoms that develop suddenly in response to a triggering event, while acute schizophrenia refers to a sudden onset of symptoms that may require hospitalization but can be treated effectively with medication. Paranoia is a symptom that can be present in different types of schizophrenia but does not indicate a specific type.

Question 10

If you overthink about your perceived problems and their potential causes,you are engaged in

Accepted Answer

Rumination is the act of obsessively thinking about negative experiences or problems and their potential causes. This can lead to a cycle of negative thinking, worry, and anxiety that can contribute to depression and other mental health issues.

Question 11

________ is an eating disorder in which a normal-weight person engages in binge eating and then purges the excessive food consumption by self-induced vomiting or by the misuse of laxatives or enemas.

Accepted Answer

The description matches the symptoms of bulimia nervosa, which is characterized by episodes of binge eating followed by purging behaviors such as vomiting, laxative or diuretic use, or excessive exercise. Borderline personality disorder is a mental health condition that affects a person's emotions, self-image, and behavior. Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by a severely restricted intake of food leading to a significantly low body weight. Binge-eating disorder is an eating disorder characterized by frequent episodes of overeating without purging behaviors.

Question 12

An intense fear of heights is NOT considered to be a psychological disorder unless it

Accepted Answer

Intense fear of heights is only considered to be a psychological disorder if it interferes with effective functioning, such as avoiding certain activities (e.g. travel, work, social events) or causing significant anxiety or distress. The other options (A, B, and D) do not necessarily determine whether a fear of heights is a psychological disorder.

Question 13

________ are a group of disorders marked by irrationality,distorted perceptions,and a lost contact with reality.

Accepted Answer

Psychotic disorders are characterized by irrationality, distorted perceptions, and a loss of contact with reality. Schizophrenia is a type of psychotic disorder that can cause delusions, hallucinations, disordered thinking and behavior, and impaired social functioning. Hallucinations can occur as a symptom of psychotic disorders, but they are not the defining characteristic of this group of disorders. Selective attention disorders do not involve a loss of contact with reality or distorted perceptions.

Question 14

Ongoing patterns of behavior that interfere with normal day-to-day life are best characterized as

Accepted Answer

Ongoing patterns of behavior that interfere with normal day-to-day life are best characterized as dysfunctional because they are hindering an individual's ability to function in their daily life. Deviant refers to behavior that goes against social norms, while antisocial refers to a disregard for the rights of others. Epigenetic refers to changes in gene expression caused by environmental factors.

Question 15

Amanda's therapist suggests that her depression results from mistakenly blaming herself rather than a slumping economy for her recent job loss.Her therapist's suggestion best illustrates

Accepted Answer

The therapist's suggestion that Amanda's depression may result from her thinking patterns and cognitive distortions is consistent with the social-cognitive perspective, which emphasizes the importance of how individuals interpret and respond to their experiences. Specifically, Amanda's tendency to blame herself for her job loss rather than considering external factors may be contributing to her depression. The other options are not applicable to the scenario described.

Question 16

Personally distressing thoughts,feelings,and behaviors are considered to be symptoms of a psychological disorder if they are

Accepted Answer

Symptoms of a psychological disorder are considered dysfunctional if they interfere with a person's ability to function in everyday life. Unusual thoughts or behavior alone are not enough to diagnose a disorder. Biologically influenced and unusually motivated are not defining factors for symptoms of a psychological disorder.

Question 17

Many researchers believe that several of the symptoms of schizophrenia result from an overabundance of receptors for the neurotransmitter

Accepted Answer

Many researchers believe that an overactivity of dopamine in certain brain regions is associated with the positive symptoms of schizophrenia, such as delusions and hallucinations. There is evidence suggesting that individuals with schizophrenia may have an overabundance of dopamine receptors, leading to an excessive release and binding of dopamine, ultimately resulting in these symptoms.

Question 18

Lindsey is extremely afraid of becoming obese even though she is underweight.She often checks her body in the mirror for any signs of fat and refuses to eat most foods because she insists they are fatty or high in calories.Lindsey most clearly demonstrates symptoms of

Accepted Answer

Lindsey exhibits symptoms of anorexia nervosa, including an extreme fear of weight gain, body checking, and restriction of food intake. Her underweight status is a common characteristic of anorexia nervosa.

Question 19

Two or more distinct identities appear to alternately control the behavior of those with

Accepted Answer

Two or more distinct identities that alternate controlling behavior is a hallmark symptom of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), previously known as multiple personality disorder. A fugue state is a subtype of dissociative amnesia where the individual may not remember aspects of their identity or life. Hypnosis is a mental state induced by a hypnotist, where the individual is more suggestible to certain behaviors or experiences. Duplicate personalities is not a recognized psychological term.

Question 20

The brain of a person who suffers from depression tends to have low levels of

Accepted Answer

Studies have found that individuals with depression have lower levels of serotonin in their brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that regulates mood, appetite, and sleep, and is often targeted by antidepressant medications. Glutamate and GABA are other neurotransmitters involved in mood regulation, but their levels are not consistently found to be low in individuals with depression. Electrical activity can vary depending on the specific brain region being measured and is not directly linked to depression.

Quiz 14: Psychological Disorders