Deck 18: The Psychology of Health and Illness

Question 1

Jamal is receiving biofeedback.Which of the following physiological functions will biofeedback enable him to monitor?

A)digestion
B)EEG rhythms ("brain waves")
C)sweating of the hands
D)blood pressure

Answer 1

EEG rhythms ("brain waves")

Question 2

What does research suggest is a common characteristic of both mental disorders and physical disorders?

A)Both types of disorders are primarily biological in nature.
B)Most mental and physical disorders involve the perception of pain.
C)Psychological, biological, and social factors all are implicated in the cause and maintenance of each type of disorder.
D)Both types of disorders are best treated with biological interventions.

Answer 2

Psychological, biological, and social factors all are implicated in the cause and maintenance of each type of disorder.

Question 3

Meyer and colleagues (1980) conducted a community study in California to reduce the risk factors for coronary heart disease.What did the results indicate as the most effective aspect of intervention?

A)hiring research assistants to monitor each participant's daily behaviours
B)launching a media education campaign aimed at the children of parents at risk for heart disease
C)paying individuals to change their risky behaviours
D)undertaking individual counselling in addition to a media campaign about heart disease

Answer 3

undertaking individual counselling in addition to a media campaign about heart disease

Question 4

If an individual died at the age of six, what is the most likely cause of death?

A)cancer
B)injury
C)genetic defect
D)infectious disease

Question 5

Every year during the week of final exams in December, Judy came down with a severe cold.It was the only cold she would get each year.What is the most likely explanation for this pattern of colds?

A)Cold viruses are most prevalent in December.
B)The stress of final exams left Judy more susceptible to colds.
C)Judy's roommate caught a cold every December and gave it to Judy.
D)It is just a random pattern of colds.

Question 6

What are the two branches of the immune system?

A)suppressing and producing
B)macrophage and immunoglobual
C)cellular and humoral
D)antibody and trigger

Question 7

Changes in the sensory cortex of the brain are thought to contribute to phantom limb pain, in which people who have lost an arm or leg feel excruciating pain in the limb that is no longer there.Which of the following is most likely an additional factor in the intensity of pain and distress experienced?

A)the avoidance of activity that leads to muscular atrophy
B)the chronic experience of negative emotions
C)the belief that pain is disastrous, uncontrollable, or reflective of personal failure
D)the fear of additional injury or disease

Question 8

How many causes of death in children in Canada are more common than injuries?

A)0
B)1
C)3
D)5

Question 9

In the phenomenon known as "operant control" of pain, what determines the pain behaviours manifested by an individual?

A)the patient's reaction to treatment
B)the association of pain with a conditioned stimulus
C)social consequences
D)a sense of uncontrollability

Question 10

Mr.Tam is a pain catastrophizer.Which of the following would he NOT likely report when he is experiencing pain?

A)"There's nothing I can do to stop this pain."
B)"I can't stop thinking of how much it hurts."
C)"I'm worried that something serious might happen."
D)"If I can't deal with this, I'm not strong enough to deal with anything else in my life either."

Question 11

Justin has been under a lot of stress.His body is beginning to show signs of having too much cortisol.Which of the following symptoms is Justin most likely showing?

A)impaired immune system functioning
B)muscle tension
C)damage to the amygdala
D)low blood pressure in the cardiovascular system

Question 12

Hans Selye described the sequence of stages the body goes through in response to sustained stress called the general adaptation syndrome.Which of the following is NOT one of these stages?

A)alarm
B)resistance
C)exhaustion
D)mobilization

Question 13

Dr.Frode is studying how nerve endings may be involved in the immune system.What type of tissue is Dr.Frode most likely studying?

A)blood vessels
B)mucous membranes
C)hair follicles
D)bone marrow

Question 14

In the behavioural change program to address the high rate of smoking in China, what was the most innovative aspect of that program?

A)It was the parents of smokers who intervened with their children to stop smoking.
B)It was the spouses of smokers who intervened with their partners to stop smoking.
C)It was the children of smokers who intervened with their fathers to stop smoking.
D)The government paid people to stop smoking.

Question 15

Dr.Kwok runs a pain clinic.He notes that men are much more likely than women to visit his clinic because of which condition?

A)arthritis
B)backache
C)migraine headaches
D)carpal-tunnel syndrome

Question 16

In the 1960s, Neal Miller produced the first experimental evidence suggesting physiological functions were subject to voluntary control.What did he use?

A)obedience training with animals
B)operant conditioning with animals
C)physical retraining with animals
D)classical conditioning with animals

Question 17

Females may have an "extra" pain-regulating pathway focused on relieving pain associated with the reproductive system.What is one implication of this biological gender difference?

A)The psychological experience of pain is different for men and women.
B)Men need more pain relief than women following surgical procedures.
C)Males and females may benefit from different kinds of medications and different kinds of pain management.
D)Men experience more generalized pain than women do.

Question 18

Using the word "psychosomatic" to describe a disorder that has an obvious physical component is considered misleading.Why is this so?

A)It gives the impression that biological disorders are not influenced by psychological factors.
B)It emphasizes the physical symptoms of a disorder instead of the psychological symptoms.
C)It gives the impression that psychological disorders like anxiety or depression do not have a biological component.
D)It emphasizes the psychological symptoms of a disorder instead of the physical symptoms.

Question 19

In keeping daily records of the stressful events in their lives, patients in pain management programs are taught to be very specific about certain issues.Which of the following is one of these issues?

A)how they attempted to control the stress
B)how others reacted to the stress
C)body temperature changes as a result of the stress
D)what seems to trigger the stress

Question 20

In transcendental meditation, what is attention focused on?

A)the breath
B)muscle tension
C)the mantra
D)external stimuli

Question 21

Dr.Beilfus is a researcher specializing in psycho-oncology.What is her area of interest?

A)the psychosocial causes of cancer
B)the psychosocial characteristics of cancer patients
C)the psychosocial treatments for cancer
D)the psychosocial influences on different varieties of cancer

Question 22

In 1936, Canadian researcher Hans Selye discovered that giving injections to laboratory rats caused them to develop ulcers.His finding led to a new area of study.What is it called?

A)psychosomatic pathology
B)stress physiology
C)animal psychology
D)stress psychology

Question 23

Psychologist Kim Lavoie and her colleagues (2004) noted that coronary heart disease (CHD) and another disorder often co-occur, and CHD patients with this additional disorder suffer greater morbidity and mortality rates than do CHD patients without it.What is the other disorder?

A)obsessive-compulsive personality disorder
B)generalized anxiety disorder
C)paranoid delusional disorder
D)panic disorder

Question 24

What change in public health led to the shift being referred to as the second revolution?

A)the focus from infectious disease shifted to life-threatening illnesses such as cancer
B)the focus from infectious disease shifted to sexually transmitted infections
C)the focus from infectious disease shifted to psychological and behavioural factors affecting health
D)the focus from infectious disease shifted to the cultural and political context of health issues

Question 25

In 1989, health professionals in China began a massive antismoking effort in several cities, which involved children whose fathers smoked.Which of the following did NOT occur as part of this effort?

A)Children wrote letters to their fathers asking them to quit smoking.
B)Children submitted monthly reports on their fathers' smoking habits to their schools.
C)Photos of the fathers who continued smoking were published in the school newspapers.
D)Schoolchildren were given antismoking literature and questionnaires to take home to their fathers.

Question 26

Which of the following relationships is NOT reflected in the new medical specialty called "psychoneuroimmunology"?

A)the cardiovascular system
B)the nervous system
C)psychological factors including stress
D)the immune system

Question 27

What is the final process in the activation of the HPA axis?

A)stimulation of the pituitary gland by corticotropin releasing factor (CRF)
B)secretion of corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) by the hypothalamus
C)secretion of cortisol by the adrenal gland
D)activation of the adrenal gland by the pituitary gland

Question 28

What do we call the physiological response of an individual to a stressor?

A)stress
B)fight-or-flight reaction
C)resistance
D)adaptation

Question 29

One of the ways in which the immune system is weakened in AIDS patients is that the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) directly attacks certain lymphocytes.Which lymphocytes are these?

A)T4 (helper cells)
B)killer T cells
C)suppressor T cells
D)B cells

Question 30

Which treatment has shown the greatest efficacy in treating chronic fatigue syndrome?

A)pharmacological
B)cognitive-behavioural therapy
C)relaxation training
D)cortisol supplements

Question 31

Which of the following is one of the important items in the comprehensive pain management programs' daily stress record?

A)parasympathetic reactions
B)empathetic reactions
C)angry reactions
D)triggers

Question 32

In trying to determine if the type A/type B classifications are reliable and valid as predictors of heart disease, which of the following becomes apparent?

A)Interviews to assess people's personality characteristics are more reliable than questionnaires.
B)Medical tests remain the most valid predictors of heart disease.
C)Not every individual shows distinctively type A or type B characteristics.
D)Women are usually type A, and men are usually type B.

Question 33

Why do clinicians use physiological monitoring equipment in biofeedback procedures?

A)to help the clinicians track changes in muscular tension
B)to make the responses visible and/or audible to the patient
C)to make the responses tactile to the patient
D)to ensure patients properly interpret the clinician's instructions

Question 34

Dr.Thick is observing a troop of baboons and taking regular blood samples from them.The dominant male baboon Dr.Thick calls "Rafiki" has just shown a much greater increase in cortisol than any of the other males in the troop.Dr.Thick is not surprised because of something that happened about half an hour earlier.What might Dr.Thick have seen?

A)Rafiki was challenged.
B)The troop was given less food at their regular feeding that usual.
C)Lightning struck a tree in the habitat and one baboon was injured.
D)Rafiki was bullied by a group of subordinate males.

Question 35

A patient has a stress-related physical disorder.How should a health psychologist who uses behaviour modification procedures begin when treating the patient?

A)by helping the patient enhance motivation to change unhealthy behaviours
B)by relieving the patient's depression enough that the patient can fully attend to the therapy
C)by medicating the patient to relieve immediate symptoms
D)by educating the patient about the causes of the disorder and the factors that maintain it

Question 36

Von Bayer and colleagues (2006) compared the effectiveness of two different strategies to help children manage pain.They found that for younger children, a strategy in which children were prompted to direct their attention toward their internal sensations was less effective than another strategy.What was this other strategy?

A)being directed to engage in progressive relaxation exercises
B)being directed to talk about their pain to a supportive adult
C)being directed to distract themselves and focus their attention externally
D)being directed to engage in slow, deep breathing

Question 37

According to your textbook, stressful events can make us feel irritable, excited, anxious, or depressed.Why are so many different reactions possible?

A)Responses to cortisol varies from person to person.
B)They are associated with distinct physiological characteristics.
C)They share a similar underlying physiology.
D)The response to stress depends on the emotional state before the stressful event.

Question 38

When is an HIV-infected person most likely to receive an AIDS diagnosis?

A)after the infection is discovered
B)upon the development of AIDS-related complex
C)only after the development of one of several serious diseases (e.g., wasting syndrome)
D)when the physician decides that they are psychologically prepared for the diagnosis

Question 39

Ping lives in China and recently helped with a massive antismoking campaign.What did she likely do?

A)Threatened to divorce her husband if he didn't stop smoking.
B)Made an agreement with her spouse to stop smoking.
C)Received a bonus at work because she quit smoking.
D)Reported her father's smoking habits to her school principal.

Question 40

Which of the following is an example of the phenomenon known as "operant control" of pain behaviour?

A)Kim is recovering from a broken leg.Although she is walking on crutches, she has been trying to be as independent as possible.
B)Janet had to have a finger amputated after it was partially severed in a slicing accident.Since she feels discomfort in the missing finger, she has been diagnosed with phantom limb pain.
C)Kate's family has always been critical and demanding.However, since her accident, family members have become caring and sympathetic.
D)Mary suffers from chronic back pain.However, she rarely complains to others about the pain and tries to keep her facial expressions from showing that she is in pain.Recently, her doctor reduced her pain medication.

Question 41

What did a longitudinal research study of 200 men (Vaillant, 1979) discover about individuals who developed psychological disorders or who were highly stressed?

A)They suffered a significantly higher incidence of strokes than those who remained relatively well adjusted.
B)They did not become chronically ill, despite their psychological disorder, if they had a sense of control in their life.
C)They suffered a significantly higher incidence of heart attacks than those who remained relatively well adjusted.
D)They became chronically ill at a higher rate than those who remained relatively well adjusted.

Question 42

Regarding the epidemic of AIDS in Africa, when is an individual most likely to become HIV positive?

A)following homosexual intercourse with an infected partner
B)following repeated injections with unsterilized needles
C)following heterosexual intercourse with an infected partner
D)following close nonsexual contact with an infected person

Question 43

Endogenous opioids have been implicated in a variety of psychopathological conditions.Which of the following is one of these conditions?

A)eating disorders
B)personality disorders
C)obsessive-compulsive disorder
D)phobias

Question 44

Jason's blood pressure is 140/90.What category would he fall under, based on the new guidelines?

A)normal
B)prehypertension
C)stage 1 hypertension
D)stage 2 hypertension

Question 45

What did a review of the literature on the effectiveness of group therapy for HIV-positive individuals conclude?

A)Although further study is needed, psychosocial interventions are helpful for enhancing psychosocial functioning but have no effect on physical functioning such as immune system activity.
B)Although further study is needed, there seem to be positive effects in patients with advanced-stage disease, but no effects have been observed in those in a very early, asymptomatic stage of the disease.
C)Although further study is needed, group interventions have produced no noticeable improvements in either physical or psychological functioning of these patients.
D)Although further study is needed, there seem to be positive changes in immune and endocrine activity associated with structured group interventions.

Question 46

It has been suggested that biofeedback relieves the pain of tension headaches because it "teaches people to relax." What is the more likely reason?

A)The apparent relief of the patient's pain is the result of the sensory adaptation process occurring in the therapeutic session.
B)The biofeedback training gives patients a sense of control over their headache pain.
C)Biofeedback has a "numbing effect" because it affects the nerve endings in the somatic nervous system.
D)Patients experience a placebo effect because the headache pain returns once the biofeedback sessions are completed.

Question 47

Jim is asked to volunteer for a study to determine whether he is a "type A personality." He is a keen academic.Based on his knowledge regarding personality types, he already knows he is the least likely man to be classified as type A.Which of the following profiles most likely describes Jim?

A)He is a European man living in North America and practising the profession he has academically pursued for seven years.
B)He is a North American Japanese man, who speaks Japanese at home and retains traditional Japanese values and behaviours.
C)He is a North American man, well established in his professional job and university education.
D)He is a married North American man, well established in his professional job and university education.

Question 48

Which term refers to the foreign materials that are identified and eliminated by the immune system?

A)antigens
B)suppressor cells
C)killer T cells
D)T4 (helper cells)

Question 49

In the 1989 massive antismoking campaign in China, the results indicated that 12 percent of the 10 000 fathers in the intervention group quit smoking for at least six months.In a control group of 10 000, how many quit smoking?

A)0.1 percent
B)0.2 percent
C)2.2 percent
D)4.0 percent

Question 50

According to the principles of health psychology, what is the best protection against acquiring AIDS?

A)choosing sexual abstinence even after years of being sexually active
B)being treated for HIV before it develops into AIDS
C)changing risky behaviours that can lead to disease acquisition
D)getting an injection of the AIDS vaccine

Question 51

Studies that have examined neurobiological causes of hypertension have focused on two factors that are central to the regulation of blood pressure.What are these factors?

A)autonomic nervous system activity and the cardiovascular response to stress
B)the cerebellum and the flight-or-flight response of the sympathetic nervous system
C)the limbic system and the fight-or-flight response of the sympathetic nervous system
D)autonomic nervous system activity and mechanisms regulating sodium in the kidneys

Question 52

In Sharpe's chronic fatigue syndrome model, key lifestyle attributes were identified.Which of the following was an identified lifestyle?

A)asks for help
B)achievement oriented
C)puts on a brave face
D)poor work ethic

Question 53

What occurrence suggests that the placebo effect is not all in our heads?

A)decreased autonomic activation
B)activation of the endogenous opioid system
C)distraction tasks decrease pain
D)the same brain circuits are activated

Question 54

What is biofeedback?

A)a process by which a person is helped to become aware of his or her negative thoughts
B)a process by which a person is helped to become aware of his or her physiological functions
C)a process by which a person is helped to become aware of his or her physiological and psychological states
D)a process by which a person is helped to become aware of his or her psychological states

Question 55

Alan is undergoing cancer treatment and is experiencing pain.Which treatment is Alan likely receiving?

A)more painkillers than can be safely taken
B)the safe dose of painkillers
C)insufficient amounts of painkillers to eliminate the pain
D)the safe dose of painkillers and mindfulness training

Question 56

Fisher and colleagues (2002) conducted and assessed three school-based HIV prevention interventions with high school students, which focused on knowledge, motivation, behavioural skills, and actual behaviour.What did they determine to be of great importance in preventing HIV in youth?

A)presence of positive role models
B)interventions that emphasized total abstention from sex
C)purely educational interventions as opposed to psychologically oriented interventions
D)adding psychological techniques to educational efforts

Question 57

Some studies indicate that the value of denial as a coping mechanism for illness may depend on one thing more than anything else.What is it?

A)the gender of the patient
B)the type of illness
C)the severity of the illness
D)timing

Question 58

According to Bongaarts and Over (2010), when did adult and child deaths from AIDS begin to level off because of aggressive treatment and prevention efforts in some parts of the world?

A)2000
B)2004
C)2006
D)2008

Question 59

Which of the following is NOT likely to bring about changes in "risky" behaviours for individuals who are at risk for HIV/AIDS?

A)distribution of educational and informational pamphlets about the disease
B)cognitive-behavioural self-management training
C)the development of an effective social support network
D)a comprehensive behaviour change program

Question 60

You and your friend Bob are both in your late 30s.Bob informs you that he has been diagnosed with the silent killer.What health-related issue does he have?

A)HIV
B)lung cancer
C)diabetes
D)hypertension

Question 61

Which of the following may occur because of increased cortisol levels in response to chronic stress?

A)liver damage
B)decreased susceptibility to infectious disease
C)compromised hippocampal activity
D)a rise in humoral levels

Question 62

What is the focus of psychoneuroimmunology?

A)the study of methods in which damaged or severed neurons can be stimulated to regrow
B)the study of the relationships among stressors, the endocrine system, the nervous system, and the immune system
C)the study of various biochemical approaches to protecting the central nervous system from the ravages of deterioration disorders
D)the study of the psychological side effects of physical illnesses

Question 63

According to Antoni and colleagues (1991), when men who thought they might be HIV positive became involved in a stress-reduction program, what was the result?

A)no change in the progression of the disease
B)a significantly lower death rate as compared to those in the control group
C)an increase in immune system functioning
D)an increase in antibodies to herpes viruses

Question 64

Which type of pain is more common in men?

A)migraine headaches
B)arthritic pain
C)wrist and hand pain
D)back pain

Question 65

What new field of study reflects the shift in focus from infectious disease to psychological/behavioural factors as causes of illness and death?

A)behavioural medicine
B)medical psychology
C)epidemiology
D)community psychology

Question 66

What happens when the HPA axis is activated?

A)The adrenal glands secrete the stress hormone cortisol.
B)The hippocampus secretes corticotropin releasing factor (CRF).
C)The pituitary gland (via the parasympathetic nervous system) activates the adrenal glands.
D)CRF stimulates the thyroid gland.

Question 67

Cognitive therapy is used in stress management programs to help clients learn several techniques.Which of the following is one of these techniques?

A)develop realistic appraisals and attitudes
B)developing subjective descriptions of experiences
C)recording nonstressful situations
D)identifying unrealistic positive thoughts

Question 68

Jacobson developed the procedure of progressive muscle relaxation in 1938.Compared to today, what is the difference in the time frame for a patient to acquire the skills to master the art of relaxation?

A)Jacobson's original procedure took weeks; today the procedure is taught in a matter of weeks.
B)Jacobson's original procedure took a matter of weeks; today the procedure takes months or even years.
C)Jacobson's original procedure took months or even years; today the procedure is taught in a matter of weeks.
D)Jacobson's original procedure took months or even years; today the procedure is taught in roughly the same time frame.

Question 69

What type of stress may be more problematic for the immune system than acute stress, because the effects are longer lasting?

A)chronic stress
B)work-related stress
C)psychological stress
D)relationship stress

Question 70

According to Spielberger and Frank (1992), what is crucial criterion in mediating virtually all factors that lead to injury?

A)making the home environment safer
B)making the workplace safer
C)acknowledging and limiting risky activities
D)addressing psychological variables

Question 71

Various psychological factors have been implicated in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).For example, in examining the role of cognitive factors in the psychological adjustment to the illness of patients with CFS, researchers found that feelings of helplessness and depression were associated with another factor.What is this other factor?

A)perceiving the cause of CFS as external and believing that there is no cure for CFS
B)believing that CFS is just "in one's head" and believing that there is no cure for CFS
C)perceiving the cause of CFS as external and believing that one has no control over the disorder
D)perceiving the cause of CFS as internal and believing that one has no control over the illness

Question 72

Which of the following factors would make a person feel more pain according to the gate control theory of pain?

A)anxiety
B)drug use
C)relaxation
D)a type A personality

Question 73

Marek's parents have high blood pressure.How does Marek's risk of developing high blood pressure compare to that of children whose parents don't have high blood pressure?

A)his risk is marginally higher
B)he has twice the risk
C)he has three times the risk
D)he has four times the risk

Question 74

Paula has chronic pain and does not want to rely on analgesics.Based on current research, what can Paula combine with biofeedback to effectively treat her pain?

A)medication
B)psychotherapy
C)a placebo
D)relaxation procedures

Question 75

Which of the following was NOT a feature of the HIV prevention intervention program implemented by Fisher and colleagues (2002) for high school students?

A)recommending sexual abstinence as the only way to prevent HIV transmission
B)changing students' attitudes and social norms about HIV risk and prevention
C)factual information about HIV transmission and prevention
D)training in effectively communicating about safer sex

Question 76

One of the most successful efforts to reduce risk factors for a medical condition involved three entire communities in California, in which residents received one of three different types of interventions or no intervention at all.What was the targeted condition in this effort?

A)heart disease
B)cancer
C)obesity
D)diabetes

Question 77

Hannah just had a rush of endorphins.What are the endorphins doing in her body?

A)They are shutting down the sensation of pain.
B)They are closing the "gate" of the spinal column, inhibiting the transmission of painful stimuli to the brain.
C)They are increasing positive feelings that make the pain seem less important.
D)They are causing a "natural" addiction to pain.

Question 78

Jess is working hard on some informational pamphlets about reducing risks of acquiring HIV.She has studied the demographics at risk and has a flashy, appealing design to her pamphlet.What impact will her pamphlets likely have?

A)They will not cause a reduction in high-risk behaviours.
B)They will cause her target audience to abstain from unprotected sex.
C)They will cause a change in high-risk behaviours.
D)They will make it more likely for HIV-positive individuals to notify previous sex partners of their HIV condition.

Question 79

What appears to be the only effective prevention strategy currently available for reducing the spread of AIDS?

A)a vaccine
B)educating people about the risk of the disease
C)medications
D)changing high-risk behaviour

Question 80

In the mid-19th century, which disorder was thought to cause symptoms of fatigue, vague aches and pains, low-grade fever, and lack of energy?

A)somatic syndrome
B)neurasthenia
C)neurosis
D)hysteria