Deck 14: Health

Question 1

Marla studies the link between psychological stress and physical health. Marla is most likely a(n)

A) forensic psychologist.
B) health psychologist.
C) industrial/organizational psychologist.
D) social worker.

Answer 1

health psychologist.

Question 2

All of the following are examples of microstressors except

A) traffic.
B) noisy neighbors.
C) natural disasters.
D) waiting in a long line.

Answer 2

natural disasters.

Question 3

According to Lazarus and Folkman (1984), the way in which stress is experienced and the particular coping strategies that are used depend primarily on

A) a person's amount of social support.
B) the health of the immune system.
C) a subjective appraisal of the situation.
D) the general adaptation syndrome.

Answer 3

a subjective appraisal of the situation.

Question 4

Which of the following research questions would a health psychologist be least likely to study?

A) How does social support affect the subjective well-being of nursing-home residents?
B) What is the efficacy of various strategies for coping with stress?
C) What is the role of attributions in discrimination against the mentally ill?
D) How can high-risk individuals be persuaded to receive testing for AIDS?

Question 5

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

A) is most likely to occur when an individual feels personally responsible for the outcome of a traumatic event.
B) is more prevalent among men versus women.
C) is observed among military personnel, but not the general citizenry.
D) often occurs 3 to 6 months after a soldier's return rather than immediately afterward.

Question 6

Nancy was already having difficulty coping with multiple challenges in her life when her home was destroyed by a flood. Compared to other people, she will probably be

A) more distressed by the flood.
B) less distressed by the flood.
C) able to ignore the flood.
D) no more or less distressed by the flood.

Question 7

Elaine is a college student. Which of the following does research suggest will be the most stressful for Elaine?

A) She and her boyfriend are constantly fighting.
B) She lives in a suite in her college dormitory.
C) It is the beginning of her junior year.
D) Her parents are selling their home.

Question 8

Paradise City was just hit by a severe hurricane. Which of the following outcomes is most likely?

A) Those who were relatively more stressed before the hurricane will be less affected by it than those who were relatively less stressed.
B) Everyone will experience primarily physical symptoms, rather than psychological ones.
C) Those who were in greater danger during the hurricane will experience greater psychological stress.
D) There will be a greater rate of suicide compared to cities hit by earthquakes.

Question 9

Imagine that an earthquake occurs in Missouri soon after a hurricane strikes Florida and a flood strikes South Dakota. Jorge, a psychiatrist with a specialty in dealing with suicidal individuals, is ready to be dispatched to one of these locations to offer assistance. Based on the suicide rates that follow major disasters, Jorge will be

A) equally needed in all locations.
B) most needed in Missouri and Florida.
C) most needed in Florida and South Dakota.
D) most needed in Missouri and South Dakota.

Question 10

Which of the following appears to be true ?

A) The stress caused by positive events can be as long-lasting as the stress caused by negative events.
B) People can experience positive and negative emotions simultaneously.
C) A positive major life event usually offsets the stress that is caused by several negative microstressors.
D) Negative events produce more antibodies than do positive events.

Question 11

By definition, stress is

A) a state of arousal.
B) anxiety-producing.
C) permanent.
D) inescapable.

Question 12

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

A) rarely afflicts people for a long time following the trauma they experienced.
B) is found exclusively in people who have been in traumatic war circumstances.
C) is more likely in people who perceive having no control over the trauma.
D) will afflict over 40% of people at some point during their lifetime.

Question 13

Compared to life in the year 1900, Americans are more likely to die from

A) infectious diseases, such as pneumonia.
B) preventable diseases, such as heart attacks and strokes.
C) natural disasters, such as hurricanes and floods.
D) All of these.

Question 14

Following a terrible car accident, Ruby is anxious, socially withdrawn, has difficulty sleeping, and experiences flashbacks of the crash. Ruby is most likely suffering from

A) the illusion of invulnerability.
B) posttraumatic stress disorder.
C) a depressive explanatory style.
D) Type A behavior.

Question 15

The distressing effects of a natural disaster are most likely to emerge among an individual who

A) was least distressed before the event.
B) is high in self-efficacy.
C) experienced the most danger during the event.
D) relies on emotion-focused coping.

Question 16

In interviews with hospital patients, Holmes and Rahe (1967) found that illness was often preceded by either a positive or negative major life event. This finding is consistent with the hypothesis that

A) stress is caused by change.
B) childhood trauma can exacerbate stress, especially among those who are ill.
C) negative events are experienced as more stressful than positive events.
D) life itself, rather than stress, produces physical illness.

Question 17

Major positive and negative life events

A) result in similar levels of distress and physical illness.
B) are a more common source of stress than everyday hassles.
C) have different effects on physical illness.
D) are related to psychological, but not physical, illness.

Question 18

The process by which we make judgments about the demands of potentially stressful events is called

A) coping.
B) subjective well-being.
C) appraisal.
D) stress-and-coping process.

Question 19

The APA conducted a nationwide survey in 2008 in which they asked men and women to indicate the sources of stress in their lives. Four out of five cited which of the following?

A) love
B) illness
C) money
D) work

Question 20

Health psychology

A) is one of the oldest subfields in all of psychology.
B) recognizes the clear distinction between biological and psychological factors.
C) is the application of psychology to the promotion of physical health.
D) focuses primarily on mental health and psychological well-being.

Question 21

Bernd gets annoyed when others criticize him, frequently mutters at the television during the news, and counts the items in the baskets of those ahead of him in the express checkout lane to be sure they are not over the limit. These behaviors are consistent with

A) high levels of hostility.
B) a competitive orientation.
C) the Type B personality.
D) high levels of neuroticism.

Question 22

Penelope tends to be hostile and angry much of the time. She recently had an argument with her best friend Daisy. Daisy, who is more easygoing, is loath to bring up the debated subject again, even after a significant period of time has elapsed. Daisy probably recognizes that

A) Penelope has a strong fight-or-flight response.
B) Penelope, because of her hostile nature, will exhibit intense reactions long after the argument by just being reminded of it.
C) people who are high in hostility are also likely to remember events in ways that minimize their feelings of anger.
D) Penelope has the three most important risk factors for coronary heart disease.

Question 23

After an extraordinarily stressful week at work, Mahmoud spends the weekend in bed with the flu. Which of the following best explains why Mahmoud became ill?

A) Mahmoud depleted his body's stress-fighting resources, thus increasing his susceptibility to illness.
B) Prolonged activity of Mahmoud's stress-fighting resources caused other bodily systems to break down, increasing his susceptibility to illness.
C) Mahmoud's natural stress-fighting resources weakened with prolonged use, making his body more susceptible to illness.
D) Mahmoud has a Type B, rather than a Type A, personality.

Question 24

High levels of hostility have been found to predict

A) decreased use of alcohol and cigarettes.
B) greater use of emotion-focused coping.
C) more intense cardiovascular responses to events.
D) risky behaviors.

Question 25

An emerging subfield that examines the link between the mind and heart is known as

A) psychoneuroimmunology.
B) psychocardiology.
C) somatic cardiology
D) thoracic psychology

Question 26

Married couples who are financially strained are more likely to experience

A) high levels of satisfaction, but low levels of commitment.
B) high levels of commitment, but low levels of satisfaction.
C) illusions of invulnerability in their relationship.
D) conflict in their relationship.

Question 27

Psychological stress has been implicated as a factor in a wide variety of illnesses. This can be explained by the fact that stress

A) can be experienced as either positive or negative.
B) compromises the body's immune system.
C) is both a cause and effect of illness.
D) promotes an illusion of invulnerability to disease.

Question 28

From an evolutionary perspective, stress is a(n)

A) "recent invention."
B) "adaptive benefit."
C) "long-term selection advantage."
D) "nuisance variable."

Question 29

Which of the following has been demonstrated in research concerning the impact of stress on the immune system?

A) Individuals deprived of sleep for long periods of time exhibit a weakened immune system.
B) Recently divorced or widowed individuals show increased functioning of their immune systems.
C) Both positive and negative events weaken the immune system.
D) Stress weakens the immune systems of rats, but not humans.

Question 30

Which of the following has been demonstrated in research concerning the impact of gender on responses to stress?

A) Men and women exhibit the fight-or-flight response to the same degree.
B) Women become more nurturing and affiliative than do men.
C) Women react more aggressively than men.
D) Men are less likely than women to suffer negative health consequences following prolonged stress.

Question 31

All of the following are characteristics associated with coronary-prone behavior except

A) time consciousness.
B) competitiveness.
C) creativity.
D) strong drive.

Question 32

Psychoneuroimmunology is the study of the relationship between psychological factors,

A) the nervous system, and the brain.
B) the heart, and the nervous system.
C) the immune system, and the brain.
D) the immune system, and the heart.

Question 33

Gurjit is easily angered when threatened and hates it when his co-workers are not prepared. In addition, he is always in a rush and feels that he has to be the best employee in the company. Gurjit's personality is most consistent with

A) optimism.
B) hardiness.
C) self-focused depression.
D) the Type A behavior pattern.

Question 34

Selye's (1936) general adaptation syndrome includes all of the following stages except

A) alarm.
B) exhaustion.
C) recovery.
D) resistance.

Question 35

Which of the following concerning personality and coronary heart disease is true ?

A) Individuals with a Type B personality are more likely to have coronary heart disease than those with Type A personalities.
B) Observations of a person's behavior are a better indicator of Type A personality than self-reports.
C) An estimated 5 million Americans suffer from coronary heart disease.
D) The most toxic personality ingredient associated with coronary heart disease is competitiveness.

Question 36

While walking home alone late at night, Winona suddenly hears footsteps behind her. She can feel her heart pounding, her breathing quicken, and the adrenaline racing through her body. Within the framework of the general adaptation syndrome, Winona is in the _______ stage.

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

Question 37

Jack learns that hostility and anger are factors in the development of high blood pressure, so he now tries to suppress his anger. How will this behavior likely affect his body over time?

A) His blood pressure will probably decrease.
B) His blood pressure will probably increase.
C) His blood pressure will remain stable at its current level.
D) His blood pressure will decrease, but only if he believes that suppression can have such an effect.

Question 38

Caleb has a Type A personality. The aspect of his behavior that is likely to place Caleb at greatest risk for coronary heart disease is his

A) mistrust of other people.
B) competitive orientation.
C) impatience.
D) workaholism.

Question 39

Bernie is about to be attacked by the class bully, and thus is under stress. According to general adaptation syndrome, Bernie can expect

A) his digestive functions to accelerate.
B) his stress to impede his ability to defend himself.
C) higher levels of adrenaline in his bloodstream.
D) local immunological defenses to be activated immediately.

Question 40

Research on burnout suggests it is more likely when workers lack

A) support from their supervisors.
B) cordial relationships with their co-workers.
C) opportunity for promotion.
D) All of these.

Question 41

Arthur takes a protein pill every day for weeks. Research suggests that the more positive events in Arthur's life, the

A) fewer antibodies his body will create in response to the pill.
B) more antibodies his body will create in response to the pill.
C) more pills he will need to take in order to achieve his desired results.
D) less resistant his body will be to the effects of the pill.

Question 42

A depressive explanatory style is marked by attributions for negative events that are

A) internal, stable, and global.
B) external, unstable, and global.
C) external, stable, specific.
D) internal, unstable, and specific.

Question 43

Lucille lives in a nursing home where she gets to choose her daily activities. Peggy Sue lives in a nursing home where the staff schedules all activities. Research suggests that compared to Peggy Sue, Lucille will be

A) happier, but not healthier.
B) healthier, but not happier.
C) happier and healthier.
D) just as happy and healthy.

Question 44

When Don passes an exam, he thinks his success is due to his hard work. When he fails an exam, he thinks his failure is due to a lack of hard work. These perceptions reflect a sense of _____ and make it _____ likely that Don will get sick.

A) self-efficacy; less
B) optimism; more
C) pessimism; more
D) control; less

Question 45

Stress may weaken the immune system in part by increasing

A) the number of lymphocytes in the bloodstream.
B) blood pressure.
C) unhealthy behaviors.
D) physical exertion and rest.

Question 46

The habitual tendency to attribute negative events to causes that are stable, global, and internal is characteristic of

A) hardiness.
B) optimism.
C) Type A behavior.
D) a depressive explanatory style.

Question 47

According to Seligman (1975), depression results primarily from

A) proactive coping.
B) learned helplessness.
C) high self-complexity.
D) specific external attributions.

Question 48

Waylon was just fired from his job. If he is depressed, then he is likely to believe that

A) his boss simply didn't recognize how hard Waylon was working.
B) his co-workers must have been plotting against him.
C) though it won't be easy to get another job, he'll find an even better one eventually.
D) his wife will leave him, the bank will repossess his car, and his life is totally ruined.

Question 49

Ralph has had a stressful month. His girlfriend dumped him, he failed three exams, and someone stole his car. According to Abramson et al.'s (1989) notion of hopelessness, Ralph's reactions to these events depend on his

A) upbringing.
B) achievements.
C) attributions.
D) self-esteem.

Question 50

In an experiment that tested the effects of negative emotions on the immune system, experimenters gave each participant a blister using a vacuum pump. Which were the participants that took the longest to heal?

A) Participants who had financial problems.
B) Participants who had recently undergone a major life stressor.
C) Participants who ate an unhealthy diet.
D) Participants who had anger-control problems.

Question 51

Monty signs up for an experiment in which he is supposed to learn a series of word pairs. When he is later tested on his memory for these words, Monty is given a shock after every answer he gives, even when he gets the answer correct. In a different memory task the following week, Monty does not even try to study the photos he is given, even though he is told that he will receive shocks for every incorrect response he makes. Monty is demonstrating

A) problem-focused coping.
B) hardiness.
C) learned helplessness.
D) self-efficacy.

Question 52

Which of the following concerning the link between stress and illness is true ?

A) Stress can increase vulnerability to short-term illnesses, like colds, but does not affect the course of more serious long-term diseases like cancer.
B) Stress can influence whether or not a person contracts a particular illness, but not the time course or outcome of that illness.
C) Stress increases susceptibility to coronary heart disease, but not colds or cancer.
D) Stress can influence both short-term and long-term illnesses, including colds, coronary heart disease, and cancer.

Question 53

Although Helloise would like to quit smoking, she is convinced that she is addicted and will never be able to stop. With respect to smoking, Helloise is

A) high in self-efficacy.
B) low in self-efficacy.
C) high in self-complexity.
D) low in self-complexity.

Question 54

Percival loses his job. As he thinks about getting laid off, he considers how he has been rejected in other areas of his life. He focuses on his previous girlfriend and remembers that she was the one to end the relationship. He begins to blame himself for getting fired and feels lousy about himself. This example illustrates how attributions to negative events that are _______ can contribute to learned helplessness.

A) stable and specific
B) unstable and external
C) specific and external
D) global and internal

Question 55

Marsha, an advertising executive, believes that her outcomes are controlled by her actions. She also perceives change as normal and life as meaningful. Marsha has the attribute of

A) externality.
B) hardiness.
C) self-complexity.
D) vulnerability.

Question 56

The expectation that our behaviors can produce satisfying outcomes is referred to as

A) self-efficacy.
B) control.
C) hardiness.
D) internal explanatory style.

Question 57

Research in Israel on resilience in the face of terrorism and violence indicates that ______ tend to be more resilient than _______ .

A) Arabs; Jews
B) women; men.
C) more educated people; less educated people.
D) single people; married people

Question 58

Based on research concerning the link between stress and illness, which of the following people is most likely to actually contract a cold if exposed to a cold virus?

A) Carrie, who has a Type B personality
B) Charlotte, who is happily married, but just had an argument with her husband
C) Samantha, who has been unemployed for two months
D) Miranda, who got a speeding ticket on her way home from work

Question 59

Which of the following best characterizes the relationship between stress and illness?

A) Stress increases the number of lymphocytes in the bloodstream, which diminishes the body's ability to fight off disease.
B) Stress increases levels of adrenaline and other hormones that suppress immune cell activity and increase susceptibility to illness.
C) Stress increases the negative attributions that people make, and negative attributions can become self-fulfilling prophecies.
D) Under high levels of stress, people tend to sleep too much which weakens the immune system and makes illness more likely.

Question 60

If Maurice has a depressive explanatory style, then he is likely to attribute his failures to

A) stable, global, and internal factors.
B) stable, global, and external factors.
C) unstable, situational, and internal factors
D) unstable, situational, and external factors.

Question 61

A 2001 study of 1,306 adult men from the Boston area found that optimism was

A) positively correlated with emotion-focused coping.
B) positively correlated with problem-focused coping.
C) negatively correlated with coronary heart disease 10 years later.
D) negatively correlated with self-serving appraisal styles.

Question 62

Upon discovering that she has lung cancer, Mary blames the illness on her stupidity and lack of willpower. The blame she assigns herself is _____ and it is likely to _____ her sense of future control.

A) situational; increase
B) behavioral; increase
C) characterological; decrease
D) cathartic; decrease

Question 63

Frazier's (2003) research on blame, control, and coping among rape victims indicates that

A) assigning blame leads to less stress.
B) self-blame is only adaptive when it leads to feelings of future safety.
C) blaming the assailant is the best way to recover from the trauma.
D) past control is more important that present control.

Question 64

"The biology of hope (described by Norman Cousins, 1989) says that

A) positive expectations can be self-fulfilling
B) positive expectations lead to optimism.
C) negative expectations are inevitable.
D) when there's hope there's life.

Question 65

According to Seligman (1991), a non-depressive explanatory style is characteristic of

A) Type B personality.
B) optimism.
C) learned helplessness.
D) low self-efficacy.

Question 66

According to Carver et al.'s (1989) multidimensional framework, which of the following coping strategies is least commonly used?

A) Acceptance
B) Seeking social support
C) Venting emotions
D) Denial

Question 67

According to Sarkar and colleagues (2009), heart disease patients were more likely to survive hospitalization, when they

A) were confident in their ability to maintain their usual activities.
B) had low ratings of self-efficacy.
C) had depressive explanatory styles.
D) made stable, global attributions.

Question 68

Which of the following has been demonstrated in research on self-efficacy?

A) Individuals who have high self-efficacy with respect to coping with stress are likely to give up more quickly in the face of failure.
B) Individuals who have high self-efficacy tend to have higher self-esteem.
C) Individuals who have high self-efficacy with respect to coping with stress exhibit enhanced immune system functioning.
D) Individuals who have high self-efficacy with respect to coping with stress may try harder to cope, but they are no more likely to succeed.

Question 69

One limitation to the positive relationship between a sense of control and resiliency is that

A) setting control expectations too high can be harmful when outcomes are negative.
B) a personal sense of control often predicts oversensitivity to the needs and feelings of others.
C) it is much stronger in collectivist cultures than in individualistic cultures.
D) it tends to disappear when a person opts for emotion-focused coping rather than problem-focused coping.

Question 70

In their study of procrastination, Tice and Baumeister (1997) found that, compared to non-procrastinators, procrastinators tended to report

A) lower levels of stress throughout the semester.
B) higher levels of stress throughout the semester.
C) lower levels of stress early in the semester and higher levels late in the semester.
D) higher levels of stress early in the semester and lower levels late in the semester.

Question 71

Characterological self-blame reduces future control because it is a(n)

A) unstable, internal attribution.
B) stable, internal attribution.
C) unstable, external attribution.
D) stable, external attribution.

Question 72

The biological explanation for the correlation between optimism and physical health focuses on

A) risky behaviors and adrenaline.
B) alcohol consumption.
C) the immune system.
D) genetic heritability.

Question 73

Positive emotions such as joy help people cope with adversity by

A) increasing blood pressure.
B) allowing for proactive coping.
C) distracting them from the stressor.
D) narrowing their focus of attention.

Question 74

Within Carver et al.'s (1989) multidimensional framework, individuals who cope with stressful events by trying to find the good in the situation are relying on

A) mental disengagement.
B) restraint coping.
C) active coping.
D) positive reinterpretation.

Question 75

Research suggests that procrastination is problematic. Nonetheless, a more controlling orientation epitomized by tackling tasks head-on can be problematic too in that it can

A) prevent problem-focused coping.
B) lead to development of a Type B personality.
C) lead to decrements in attention.
D) be physiologically taxing.

Question 76

Sean believes that he has a high sense of control over his own health, so when his kidney transplant unexpectedly fails, he is likely to

A) avoid feeling depressed.
B) feel particularly depressed.
C) seek out the company of more pessimistic patients in the same situation.
D) exhibit a particularly strong immune response.

Question 77

Emo lost three fingers in a machinery accident. If he engages in behavioral self-blame, there is a chance that he will cope successfully because the attribution is

A) unstable and internal.
B) stable and internal.
C) unstable and external.
D) stable and external.

Question 78

Janoff-Bulman's research indicates that self-blame is adaptive in the long-term when it is directed at ______ as opposed to ______.

A) one's behavior; oneself as a person
B) one's past behavior; one's present behavior
C) emotion; behavior
D) one's character; one's behavior

Question 79

Sue Ellen typically explains negative events using unstable, specific, external attributions. According to Seligman (1991), Sue Ellen could best be described as possessing

A) a Type B personality.
B) hardiness.
C) learned helplessness.
D) optimism.

Question 80

Which of the following has not been revealed by research on the relationship between optimism and health?

A) Optimists are more likely than pessimists to make a quicker and fuller recovery from coronary artery bypass surgery.
B) A positive correlation exists between hopelessness and mortality.
C) Optimism can have negative consequences when it leads people to believe that they have control over uncontrollable events.
D) Optimists are more likely than pessimists to take an emotion-focused approach to dealing with stress.