Deck 15: Social Psychology and Health

Question 1

One of the most consistent findings in people with chronic stress is that their cortisol levels have become dangerously low.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Mikell has been thinking over and over again about a conflict she has had with a coworker.As a consequence, she has allowed that stressful conflict to pervade her evenings and weekends when she is not at work.Her sister, Tori, also had a conflict with a coworker but seemed to forget about it almost immediately.When their classmates are catching the common cold, which of these two will be more vulnerable to catching the cold as well?

A) Mikell, because her elevated stress levels make her immune system less effective
B) Tori, because her happy-go-lucky nature makes her less cautious around those with the cold
C) Mikell, because her stress levels will cause her to seek out self-destructive situations
D) They will both be equally vulnerable to the cold.

Answer 2

Mikell, because her elevated stress levels make her immune system less effective

Question 3

Sidney is concerned about her health as she grows older and is neither very pessimistic nor optimistic.A friend has advised her to expect the worst so that she will not be surprised when bad things happen, but Sidney has decided she will try to become more optimistic instead and expect that good things are going to happen.As a result, Sidney's health is actually likely to become worse.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Research suggests that an individual who wants to maintain low stress levels would be advised to

A) develop and maintain close friendships, acquire a good education and higher-status job, and live in a higher-SES neighborhood.
B) do whatever is necessary to obtain a high-status job and buy a home in a wealthy neighborhood, even if this requires going into significant debt.
C) focus primarily on establishing close friendships and keep stress low by letting educational and occupational pursuits take care of themselves.
D) pursue a jobless, self-sufficient lifestyle, growing one's own food and sewing one's own clothes, in order to avoid the stressors of a high-status job.

Question 5

It has been found that individuals from lower-SES backgrounds have on average both greater stress and worse health status than those from higher-SES backgrounds.

Question 6

Which of the following was found in breast cancer patients who were evaluated by their physicians as having better responses to the disease?

A) They relinquished control of their treatment to their doctors.
B) They reported having a sense of control over the course of the disease.
C) They were more likely to deny that they had cancer.
D) They were more likely to report intense anger at the cancer.

Question 7

Because Rebecca feels as though her health status is in the hands of fate rather than due to her own actions, she is likely to be more relaxed, less stressed, and healthier than if she believed she was in control of her health.

Question 8

Diana was asked to give a presentation at work but was given only 10 minutes to prepare.Julie was also asked to give a presentation right after Diana and similarly had a very short time to prepare.Which of the following pieces of information would be useful in predicting how stressed Diana and Julie would become?

A) Diana is extremely intelligent, whereas Julie has only above-average intelligence.
B) Diana's father was a workaholic, but Julie's father was an underachiever.
C) Diana has several close, intimate friendships, whereas Julie has no close friendships.
D) Diana's mother had bipolar disorder, whereas Julie's mother had major depressive disorder.

Question 9

If we know that Jon left school after the eighth grade and has been working as a janitor for the past 20 years, what research-based predictions could we make about his health status?

A) Jon is more likely to have chronically low levels of cortisol.
B) Jon is more likely to die at an earlier age than those in higher-status jobs.
C) Jon will be less likely to develop heart disease because his job involves less stress.
D) If Jon has children, they will be less likely to die in infancy because he will treasure them more.

Question 10

Which of the following is a likely reason that individuals from lower socioeconomic-status (SES)neighborhoods are at greater risk for increased stress and poorer physical health outcomes?

A) They are more likely to be exposed to violent crime.
B) They are less likely to have access to recreational spaces and parks.
C) They are less likely to have easy access to health care centers.
D) All of the above are correct.

Question 11

Because Kesa has been experiencing increased, prolonged stress as a result of going over negative events again and again in her mind, her psychologist has recommended that she try self-distancing.This means that she should

A) engage in distracting activities to divert attention away from herself.
B) think more about her friends and family and less about herself.
C) jog regularly to take her mind off of her problems.
D) focus on her feelings from the perspective of a detached observer.

Question 12

Rumination is

A) the tendency to eat food thoroughly to aid digestion.
B) the tendency to think about a stressful event over and over again.
C) the digestive system dysfunction associated with exposure to multiple stressors.
D) uncontrolled, obsessive thoughts that are neutralized by various rituals.

Question 13

Glenda was recently placed in a nursing home, and her physical health has been gradually deteriorating.Accordingly to the textbook, which of the following would be most likely to improve her health?

A) having the staff ensure that she is pampered
B) encouraging her to conserve her strength by resting
C) allowing her a greater sense of control
D) reducing stress by minimizing the amount of time visitors can stay

Question 14

If Jenny, a loner, has suffered poor health and chronic stress for much of her adult life, she would do well to cultivate at least a few close relationships.

Question 15

Which of the following would NOT likely be a mechanism by which optimism is associated with better physical health?

A) Greater optimism increases the likelihood of engaging in better health practices.
B) Optimists are more likely to respond to stress with less HPA activity.
C) Optimists are more likely to be loners who are not hassled by the problems of others.
D) Optimists are more likely to develop good social support networks.

Question 16

Some patients in a nursing home were given opportunities that increased their sense of control.Compared with nursing home patients who did not have these same opportunities, those with an increased sense of control

A) were judged to have improved in overall functioning.
B) were more likely to refuse opportunities to participate in group activities.
C) showed reduced happiness.
D) showed a decline in physical health.

Question 17

Which of the following does the textbook NOT recommend as a means of reducing stress?

A) seeking out challenging situations to stimulate resilience
B) practicing meditation
C) exercising regularly
D) cultivating positive emotions

Question 18

Which of the following best summarizes the purpose of activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)axis, accompanied by increased cortisol and temporary immune system suppression?

A) propagation of the species through increased drive for reproduction
B) increased survival value by storing up necessary energy reserves
C) increased survival value by quickly responding to threats
D) improved psychological health by suppressing memories of threatening events

Question 19

Taylor proposed that we can reduce stress and improve our own health by connecting with others and providing help and paying attention to their needs.The term she used for this approach is

A) tend-and-befriend.
B) seek-and-assist.
C) sadder-but-wiser.
D) closer-and-happier.

Question 20

Which of the following is an effect of increased cortisol levels?

A) reduced blood pressure
B) increased immune system functioning
C) increased heart rate
D) blockage of the formation of traumatic memories