Deck 5: Managing Stress: The Role of Personality and Social Support

Question 1

People who have pessimistic explanatory styles have higher rates of death from cancer and cardiovascular disease than people who do not have this explanatory style.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Type A's report fewer symptoms when they are working on a challenging task than do Type B's.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Hostility is probably the most important contributor to unhealthy behavior in Type A's.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

People who are unrealistically optimistic can put their health at risk

Question 5

Optimists often explain negative events that occur to themselves as resulting from internal, stable, and global causes.

Question 6

People with Type A behaviors often manage to achieve better than people with Type B behaviors.

Question 7

Even after controlling for variables such as smoking, women who had higher levels of hostility were at the greatest risk of experiencing chronic heart disease than those women with low levels.

Question 8

One factor that may explain the Personality-health link is that personality factors may influence individuals' health habits.

Question 9

People who are low in hardiness experience higher frequencies of illness even if they experience few stressful events.

Question 10

Regardless of their level of hostility, people who are in a bad mood show higher blood pressure.

Question 11

In one study, more than 90% of cancer patients saw tangible support as one of the most valuable types of support.

Question 12

One problem with assessing received support is that individuals are most likely to receive support during times of need; hence, the amount of support received is also correlated with negative health symptoms.

Question 13

The impact on health of having low levels of support is similar in magnitude to the effect of smoking.

Question 14

Pregnant women with high levels of social support are more likely to have heavier and healthier babies than pregnant women without social support.

Question 15

Married people are twice as likely to die from coronary heart disease than single people are.

Question 16

One possible explanation to the link between social support and health is that illness leads to a disruption in social support.

Question 17

Pet owners who take a math test with their pet by their side experience lower heart rates and blood pressure reactivity than those whose pets are not present.

Question 18

Individuals who have larger social networks are more susceptible to the common cold than those people with small social networks.

Question 19

Women have larger social networks than men do.

Question 20

Widowed women have an increased death rate compared to women who were married

Question 21

Because Peter is an optimist, which excuse would he most likely use for failing his psychology exam?

A) I am not very intelligent
B) The school has classes that are too hard
C) My neighbors had a big party last night so I was tired
D) I never sleep before an exam, therefore I was too tired to concentrate

Question 22

Claire, a die-hard Cubs fan, explains to a close friend that her beloved Cubs will win the World Series next year. Claire would be considered _______ ?

A) an optimist
B) a pessimist
C) Type A
D) Conscientious

Question 23

All of the following would be excuses that a pessimist might use after losing a tennis match EXCEPT?

A) I am not a very good tennis player
B) It was too windy to play well
C) My competitor is, and always will be better than I am
D) I loose every time I compete.

Question 24

Based on this chapter, which of the following is NOT a way that optimism has been described?

A) Expecting good things to happen in the future
B) Explaining bad events as resulting from external, unstable, and specific causes
C) Explaining bad events as resulting from internal, stable, and global causes
D) Expecting that one's goals can be achieved

Question 25

A researcher asked two participants to explain the cause for their most recent argument with their mother. Bill explained, "she just never sees my side of things", whereas Jason said, "I can be tough to get along with - I am quite stubborn". A few years later, the researcher checked back with the health records of both Bill and Peter. According to what you learned in this chapter, who is more likely to have a poorer health record?

A) Bill, because he is an optimist
B) Bill, because he is a pessimist
C) Peter, because he is an optimist
D) Peter, because he is a pessimist

Question 26

According to Eysenck, ________ tend to seek a high level of stimulation, and like to take risks.

A) extraverts
B) introverts
C) optimists
D) pessimists

Question 27

Sheryl is considered to be an introvert. Based on this personality characteristic, which job would she mostly likely like to pursue?

A) an accountant
B) an event coordinator
C) a rock star
D) a bartender

Question 28

Which of the following personality characteristics is associated with the healthiest life?

A) extroversion
B) introversion
C) pessimism
D) Type A

Question 29

Based on a longitudinal study performed by Friedman et al. (1993), ________ is the best predictor of longer lives

A) conscientiousness
B) introversion
C) optimism
D) friendliness

Question 30

People who have a strong _______ locus of control believe that their decisions and behaviors impact their outcomes, and people with such a belief generally experience ________ physical and psychological health.

A) internal; better
B) internal; worse
C) external; better
D) external; worse

Question 31

Britney has managed to stay healthy despite the stress of med school. Based on your knowledge of personality variables and health, all of the following should describe her personality EXCEPT.

A) she shows commitment to her goals and activities
B) she possesses a sense of control over what happens to her
C) she views stressful events as challenging rather than threatening
D) she is able to take blame for any failures she may endure

Question 32

Based on research, who is most likely to experience the highest frequency of illness. Someone who has experienced ________ stressful events and who is ________ in hardiness.

A) many; low
B) many; high
C) few; low
D) few; high

Question 33

People high in ________ describe themselves as having a greater number of physical symptoms as well as more severe and uncomfortable symptoms.

A) neuroticism
B) extraversion
C) optimism
D) hardiness

Question 34

All of the following characterize Type A behavior EXCEPT?

A) strong competitive drive
B) high levels of time urgency
C) experience anger and hostility
D) strong sense of calmness

Question 35

People who are ________ believe that other people are motivated by selfish concerns and expect that other people will deliberately try to hurt them.

A) hostile
B) neurotic
C) optimistic
D) Type B

Question 36

People who experience higher levels of ________ are three times as likely to suffer a heart attack as those who rarely experience it.

A) anger
B) sadness
C) happiness
D) boredom

Question 37

People who are high in all of the following EXCEPT perceive potentially stressful events as less threatening, perhaps because they view these events as challenging as opposed to threatening and tend to focus on the positive features of the situation

A) Type A
B) Hardiness
C) Extraversion
D) Optimism

Question 38

Which coping strategy are people high in optimism, extraversion, and internal control most likely?

A) denial
B) behavioral disengagement
C) distraction
D) acceptance

Question 39

Which of the following characteristics is associated with the greatest levels of social support?

A) hostility
B) neuroticism
C) pessimism
D) extraversion

Question 40

Ben has been asked to give a speech at this year's graduation. Assuming that Ben is high in hostility, under which condition would he experience less stress prior to giving the speech?

A) when his closest friend is there with him
B) alone (without the presence of a friend)
C) he will experience similar high levels stress whether or not a friend is present
D) he will experience similar low levels of stress whether or not a friend is present

Question 41

Michelle is known to worry about upcoming events and dwell on failures and shortcomings whereas Chrissy tends to be generally relaxed, easy-going, and laid-back. Based on these characteristics, Michelle is ______ likely to smoke and sleep less than is Chrissy because she could be characterized as ________.

A) more, neurotic
B) less; neurotic
C) more; Type A
D) less; Type A

Question 42

People who have pessimistic explanatory styles have higher rates of ________ than to people with optimistic explanatory styles.

A) death from accidents
B) death from cancer
C) death from cardiovascular disease
D) All of the Above

Question 43

Which of the following is LEAST likely to adhere to the medical recommendations of their doctor?

A) someone who is conscientious
B) someone with a high level of perceived control
C) someone who is optimistic
D) someone with Type A behavior patterns

Question 44

Type A's show _____ changes in heart rate, blood pressure, and adrenaline levels than Type B's when they are in situations in which they feel threatened or challenged.

A) greater
B) less
C) equal
D) no

Question 45

Which of the following characteristics is most likely to be associated with feelings of invulnerability (i.e., "it won't happen to me")?

A) optimism
B) pessimism
C) external locus of control
D) hardiness

Question 46

All of the following are considered to be constructive coping strategies that are associated with better health EXCEPT.

A) rational thinking
B) behavioral disengagement
C) emotion-focused coping
D) problem-focused coping

Question 47

All of the following are definitions of social support EXCEPT:

A) the existence or quantity of social relationships
B) the amount of assistance individuals believe is available to them
C) the amount of assistance individuals receive
D) the number of people an individual interacts with in a given period of time

Question 48

Which of the following statements is FALSE.

A) Social network measures of social support have been criticized because the mere existence of a relationship does not mean the relationship is actually supportive.
B) Social network measures of social support have been criticized because assessment can be quite time consuming
C) Social network measures can include the frequency of contact with friends and relatives
D) Social network measures assess the perceived quality of an individual's social support

Question 49

________ support refers to the expression of caring, concern, and empathy for a person as well as the provision of comfort, reassurance, and love to that person.

A) Emotional
B) Belongingness
C) Instrumental
D) Appraisal

Question 50

Joe is an unemployed 48 year-old bachelor. Based on research that you read in this chapter, which type of social support would be most beneficial to Joe?

A) Emotional
B) Belongingness
C) Instrumental
D) Appraisal

Question 51

Although Carol no longer speaks to her father very often, her dad does provide financial assistance to her to help pay for her rent while in college. Based on the classifications you learned about, what type of social support is Carol's father providing for her?

A) Tangible support
B) Appraisal support
C) Belongingness support
D) No social support at all

Question 52

Professor Ashley spends much most of her office hour time providing her students with ideas for summer internships and programs. This is an example of ________ support.

A) tangible
B) informational
C) emotional
D) structural

Question 53

What has most research demonstrated the association between actual and perceived support to be?

A) little or no association
B) a strong positive association
C) a strong negative association
D) it has never been measured

Question 54

Greater amounts of social support is associated with all of the following outcomes EXCEPT?

A) greater psychological well-being
B) faster recovery from illness
C) lower rates of mortality
D) lower amounts of alcohol consumed

Question 55

In a study of patients with chronic disease, those who perceived different types of social support as readily available had ________ anxiety and more ________ affect as long as 1 year later.

A) less; positive
B) less; negative
C) more; positive
D) more; negative

Question 56

All of the following characteristics are associated with lower mortality rates EXCEPT?

A) having significant intimate relationships
B) having large social networks
C) receiving high levels of emotional support
D) having a spouse or close confidant

Question 57

The ________ hypothesis suggests that social support leads to better health by protecting people from the negative effects of high stress.

A) buffering
B) direct effects
C) emotional support
D) tangible

Question 58

Whereas the ________ hypothesis suggests that social support benefits health only during times of high stress, the ________ hypothesis suggests that social support benefits health regardless of the amount of stress individuals are experiencing.

A) buffering; direct effects
B) direct effects; buffering
C) matching; buffering
D) buffering; matching

Question 59

Bobby has many close and intimate relationships. Many of his friends encourage him to exercise regularly, stop smoking, and eat a balanced diet. According to the ________ hypothesis, Bobby will benefit most from this support __________.

A) buffering; during times of high stress
B) buffering; regardless of the amount of stress he is experiencing
C) direct effects; during times of high stress
D) direct effects; regardless of the amount of stress he is experiencing

Question 60

According to Rook's findings, social ________ assisted people in times of stress, and social ________ led to positive well-being regardless of stress levels.

A) support; companionship
B) companionship; support
C) interactions; networks
D) networks; interactions

Question 61

According to the ________ hypothesis, individuals benefit most from receiving the type of support that fits the particular problem.

A) buffering
B) matching
C) direct effects
D) causation

Question 62

According to the matching hypothesis, ________ support is consistently associated with better psychological well-being for new parents.

A) instrumental
B) appraisal
C) emotional
D) informational

Question 63

In the case of ________ events, such as the loss of a job, ________ support should be the most valuable.

A) controllable; emotional
B) controllable; tangible
C) uncontrollable; emotional
D) uncontrollable; tangible

Question 64

When completing an arithmetic task, which of the following people is likely to have the HIGHEST heart rate?

A) a women completing the task with a friend
B) a pet owner completing the task with his/her pet
C) a man completing the task with a friend
D) a non-pet owner completing the task with a dog

Question 65

People with high levels of social support usually have ______ blood pressure and heart rates than people without social support.

A) lower
B) higher
C) similar
D) identical

Question 66

When the __________ system is activated, the hypothalamus triggers the adrenal gland to release ________, which leads to increased heart rate and blood pressure.

A) sympathetic-adrenal medullary (SAM); epinephrine and norepinepherine
B) sympathetic-adrenal medullary (SAM); cortisol
C) hypothalamic-pituitary (HPA); epinephrine and norepinepherine
D) hypothalamic-pituitary (HPA); cortisol

Question 67

Which of the following statements is FALSE?

A) Women are more likely to have a close confidant
B) Women tend to receive more support than men
C) Women tend to give more support than men
D) Women benefit more from marriage than men

Question 68

Compared to Caucasians, African Americans have more ________ and a ________ frequency of contact with their extended families.

A) interdependence; greater
B) independence; greater
C) interdependence; lower
D) independence; lower

Question 69

Women with partners who ________ the amount of social support they needed are more depressed.

A) underestimate
B) overestimate
C) are accurate
D) know

Question 70

This type of support gives a person feedback that he or she is valued and respected by others?

A) belongingness
B) tangible
C) appraisal
D) validational

Question 71

People who experience _________ social support are at a __________ risk of experiencing coronary heart disease.

A) undermining; greater
B) undermining; lower
C) validational; greater
D) problematic; lower

Question 72

Cohen, et al, (2006) were interested in determining whether personality traits protected people from getting sick. They recruited193 healthy volunteers, asked them to complete measures of personality and health, exposed them to a cold virus and quarantined them for 5 to 6 days. The researchers then examined symptoms of colds. This study is an example of _____________.

A) a quasi experiment
B) a true experiment
C) a correlational design
D) an observational design

Question 73

Cohen, et al, (2006) were interested in determining whether personality traits protected people from getting sick. They recruited193 healthy volunteers, asked them to complete measures of personality and health, exposed them to a cold virus and quarantined them for 5 to 6 days. The researchers then examined symptoms of colds. The dependent variable in this study was:

A) positive affect
B) negative affect
C) tissue weights
D) perceived support

Question 74

Which of the following statements best summarizes the research on positive affect and longevity for patients with serious illness:

A) There is a strong positive association between positive affect and longevity.
B) There is a strong negative association between positive affect and longevity.
C) There is a no association between positive affect and longevity.
D) There is a weak positive association between positive affect and longevity.
s

Question 75

Describe the impact of optimism on three distinct types of psychological and/or physical well being.

Question 76

Describe how both extraversion and internal locus of control/hardiness can impact health.

Question 77

Define Type A behavior, and describe two limitations or weaknesses of this construct.

Question 78

Describe how both negative affect/neuroticism and hostility/disagreeableness can impact health.

Question 79

Describe four distinct factors that may explain the link between personality and health.

Question 80

While optimism is typically associated with health, it can also have costs. Describe two of these costs.