Deck 6: Understanding Stress, Immunity, and Disease

Question 1

Nonspecific immune system response

A) provides the first line of defense against foreign substances in the body.
B) occurs in a nonspecific order.
C) has the ability to create a type of memory that confers immunity.
D) protects against specific immune responses that threaten the body.

Answer 1

provides the first line of defense against foreign substances in the body.

Question 2

A function of lymph nodes is to

A) secrete thymosin.
B) serve as a holding station for red blood cells.
C) cleanse lymph of foreign debris.
D) all of these.

Answer 2

cleanse lymph of foreign debris.

Question 3

Autoimmune disease occurs when

A) the immune system loses its effectiveness.
B) T-cells are reduced by 90%.
C) malignant cells proliferate, producing a demand for numerous immune system responses.
D) the immune system attacks body cells rather than invaders.

Answer 3

the immune system attacks body cells rather than invaders.

Question 4

The development of immunity depends on the creation of

A) leukocytes.
B) natural killer cells.
C) antigens.
D) antibodies.

Question 5

Allergic reactions are

A) a result of digestive system dysfunction.
B) an abnormal immune system reaction to a foreign substance.
C) caused by viruses.
D) more common in people whose immune systems are not fully functional at birth.

Question 6

The main function of the immune system is to

A) manufacture white blood cells.
B) manufacture red blood cells.
C) protect internal organs.
D) defend against foreign invaders.

Question 7

The two general,or nonspecific,mechanisms that foreign substances "face" are:

A) phagocytosis and inflammation
B) phagocytosis and mucous membranes
C) inflammation and mucous membranes
D) the spleen and inflammation

Question 8

Enhancing immune system function would be useful in the treatment of

A) allergies.
B) organ transplant patients.
C) AIDS.
D) cardiovascular disease.

Question 9

Ader and Cohen demonstrated that

A) the immune system could be conditioned.
B) the immune system was independent of the nervous system.
C) the adrenomedullary response was independent of the adrenocortical response.
D) allostasis does not apply to the General Adaptation Syndrome.

Question 10

The highest concentration of the virus for HIV is found in ______.

A) saliva and in the blood.
B) saliva and in semen.
C) blood and in semen.
D) saliva, in the blood, and in semen.

Question 11

Increasing the efficiency of the immune system would be a problem for whom?

A) people with cancer
B) people with AIDS
C) people who have received transplanted organs
D) people with bacterial diseases

Question 12

Substances that evoke the production of one or more antibodies are called _____.

A) antigens
B) vaccination
C) phagocytes
D) lymph nodes

Question 13

__________ enable the immune system to have a rapid response when the foreign invader reappears.

A) Antigens
B) Phagocytes
C) Memory lymphocytes
D) Leukocytes

Question 14

Leukocytes are

A) white blood cells.
B) red blood cells.
C) platelets.
D) capillaries.

Question 15

HIV is caused by

A) a viral infection.
B) a bacterial infection.
C) exposure to a cancer-causing agent.
D) homosexuality.

Question 16

Suppression of the immune system

A) is a desirable action following most major surgery.
B) will stop infection.
C) leaves the body vulnerable to infection.
D) never occurs naturally, but can be induced with drugs.

Question 17

Which of the following performs specific immune responses?

A) phagocytosis
B) T-cells and B-cells
C) granulocytes
D) macrophages

Question 18

Which of these is NOT an organ of the immune system?

A) liver
B) spleen
C) tonsils
D) thymus

Question 19

Immunity occurs when

A) memory lymphocytes persist after initial exposure to a virus.
B) antigens build up.
C) antibody levels fall.
D) interferon is transferred from one person to another.

Question 20

The discipline concerned specifically with the interactions among behavior,the endocrine system,the immune system,and the nervous system is

A) transactional analysis.
B) behavioral medicine.
C) health psychology.
D) psychoneuroimmunology.

Question 21

The type of stress that is most closely associated with headaches is

A) major life events, such as loss of a loved one.
B) daily hassles.
C) persistent fears and anxiety.
D) depression.

Question 22

Marital conflict is associated with __________

A) faster response times to dangerous stimuli.
B) slower response times to dangerous stimuli.
C) faster wound healing.
D) slower wound healing.

Question 23

Stress may relate to disease because people under stress may

A) abuse alcohol.
B) eat unhealthy foods.
C) use illicit drugs.
D) do any or all of these.

Question 24

Antoni and colleagues (2009)designed a cognitive behavioral stress management intervention for women with breast cancer,and over a 6-month period,improvements in ______ were found.

A) depression levels
B) anxiety levels
C) immune measures
D) cortisol

Question 25

Direct effects of stress on the immune system occur through ______,and indirect effects can occur through ______.

A) the cardiovascular system . . . autonomic nervous system activation effects
B) the sympathetic nervous system . . . parasympathetic nervous system suppression
C) connections between the immune and nervous systems . . . secretion of hormones
D) the adrenal medulla . . . activation of the pituitary gland and releasing factors

Question 26

With regard to stress and disease,

A) executives are more likely than middle-level managers to develop stress-related diseases.
B) stress can affect the development of disease directly through the immune system or indirectly through unhealthy behaviors.
C) stress is more likely to result in psychological disorders than in physical diseases.
D) both a and c are correct.

Question 27

Research by Kiecolt-Glaser and her colleagues has shown that Alzheimer's caregivers,compared with other people of the same age and gender,

A) had poorer psychological and physical health.
B) had lowered immune system function.
C) more quickly recovered their own health after the death of the Alzheimer's patient.
D) both a and b are correct.

Question 28

One route through which stress may affect the immune system is through

A) lowered epinephrine levels.
B) elevated cortisol levels.
C) reverse peristalsis.
D) any of these.

Question 29

With regard to stress and illness,which of these statements is true?

A) Stress is a better predictor of heart disease than it is of hypertension.
B) Most people at risk from stressful experience will not develop a disease.
C) Stress is a better predictor of heart disease than cigarette smoking.
D) Both a and c are correct.

Question 30

What relationship is the basis of psychoneuroimmunology?

A) Endocrine function affects behavior, and behavior can either raise or lower immune system function.
B) Behavior affects the immune system, and immune system function affects health.
C) Health and disease affect immune system function, and behavior affects the nervous system as well as the endocrine system.
D) The action of the immune system is independent of behavior, and the endocrine and nervous systems are less dependent than has been previously assumed.

Question 31

Research in the field of psychoneuroimmunology has found evidence that immune function can be decreased by

A) exam stress.
B) caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease.
C) relationship conflict.
D) all of these.

Question 32

__________ experience poorer psychological and physical health,longer healing times for wounds,and lowered immune functioning.

A) First-time mothers
B) First-time fathers
C) Alzheimer's caregivers
D) The elderly

Question 33

Stress is a factor in

A) tension but not vascular headaches.
B) vascular but not tension headaches.
C) both vascular and tension headaches.
D) neither tension nor vascular headaches.

Question 34

Which of the following individuals would be most likely to have decreased immune system functioning?

A) Anna, who is taking her first exam in psychology this week
B) Nathan, who has an hour commute to school each week
C) Marissa, who just had her first child
D) Claude, who is unemployed and lives in a high-crime neighborhood

Question 35

These chemicals secreted by the immune system signal the nervous system:

A) cytokines
B) leukocytes
C) phagocytes
D) antigens

Question 36

In order for stress to cause illness,stress must affect physiological processes that produce illness.The most likely candidate for a mechanism is the _____ system.

A) immune
B) nervous
C) endocrine
D) digestive

Question 37

The diathesis-stress model hypothesizes that

A) stress is most likely to produce illness in a healthy person.
B) stress and psychological functioning interact to produce better health.
C) some people are more inherently vulnerable to the effects of stress.
D) some people learn to cope with stress but not with stressful life events.

Question 38

When Sheldon Cohen and his colleagues intentionally exposed healthy volunteers to common cold viruses,they found that their previous level of stress was

A) unrelated to subsequent number of colds.
B) related in a dose-response manner to subsequent number of colds.
C) positively related to subsequent number of colds but not in a dose-response manner.
D) inversely related to subsequent number of colds.

Question 39

The diathesis-stress model assumes that to become ill

A) a person must have a relatively permanent predisposition to the illness.
B) a person must experience some sort of stress.
C) both a and b are necessary to produce illness.
D) neither a nor b is necessary to produce illness.

Question 40

Recent research that presented photographs of infectious disease to participants found that,after viewing this pictures,participants

A) sneezed and felt nauseous.
B) reported more trips to the health center that semester.
C) had increased production of proinflammatory cytokines.
D) all of the above.

Question 41

Personality may also play a role in who develops a cold.In one study,people who were ______ developed fewer colds than others.

A) neurotic
B) extraverted
C) agreeable
D) conscientious

Question 42

Austin suffers from recurrent intrusive memories of his experiences as a fire fighter at the time of the World Trade Center attacks.He also has unpleasant dreams that replay some of these experiences.Austin is most likely suffering from

A) clinical depression.
B) schizophrenia.
C) posttraumatic stress disorder.
D) transcendent psychosis.

Question 43

Stress may contribute to diabetes through its possible effects on _______.

A) smoking
B) heavy drinking
C) obesity
D) exercise

Question 44

The most solid research evidence suggests that

A) stress can trigger an asthma attack.
B) stress is the strongest risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
C) stress is the chief cause of depression.
D) stress is unrelated to both depression and anxiety.

Question 45

Research on the 2006 World Cup soccer championship indicated that

A) the stress of watching matches raised the risk of cardiac events for people with cardiac problems.
B) the excitement of watching matches provided relief from reactivity.
C) men's but not women's risk of heart attack increased as a result of watching matches.
D) soccer fans were more likely to experience an initial cardiac event, but individuals with a history of heart disease actually experienced a lowered risk of cardiac events during and after matches.

Question 46

Evidence is strongest for the hypothesis that

A) there is little relationship between stress and heart disease.
B) stressful experiences increase the risk of heart attack.
C) stressful experiences can buffer people against cardiovascular disease.
D) most heart attacks among middle-age men are related to marital stress.

Question 47

Robert,a middle-aged African American man believes that he has just been called a derogatory name.According to research,Robert is most likely to

A) react by insulting the other person.
B) react by moving away from the other person.
C) react with increased blood pressure.
D) realize that he may have misinterpreted the other person's words.

Question 48

Evidence now suggests that most colds are caused by an interaction of exposure to the virus and

A) diet.
B) lack of sleep.
C) white blood count.
D) stress.

Question 49

People with a negative outlook and a tendency to ruminate over problems

A) are less likely than others to complain about being sick.
B) are at higher risk for depression than those with a more positive attitude.
C) express more satisfaction with life than do other people.
D) all of these.

Question 50

In regards to the effects of stress on pregnancy,research indicates that __________

A) acute stress is the riskiest for pregnancy complications.
B) stress early in the pregnancy is riskier than stress later in the pregnancy.
C) stress late in the pregnancy is riskier than stress early in the pregnancy.
D) both a and c.

Question 51

Which of the following ethnic groups has been shown to have lowest reactivity in response to a laboratory stressor?

A) Asian American
B) African American
C) European American
D) Caribbean Americans

Question 52

In a study of women with the sexually transmitted form of herpes simplex virus,women experiencing psychosocial distress were more likely to

A) transfer the virus to someone else.
B) show the onset of genital lesions a few days later.
C) contract other herpes viruses.
D) all of the above.

Question 53

The connection between the immune system and asthma may occur through

A) the stress that comes from treatment for the disorder.
B) inflammation.
C) triggers such as smoke or dust.
D) the ethnic background of the person with the disease.

Question 54

Sheldon Cohen and his colleagues found that development of colds

A) was more strongly related to the duration of stress than its severity.
B) was not reliably related to the severity of the stress but was related to the presence of stress.
C) occurred only with both long-term stress and severe stress.
D) showed no relationship between previous stress and the subsequent development of colds.

Question 55

In what way does reactivity relate to ethnic background?

A) African American men show more reactivity to stress than do European American men.
B) European American children show more reactivity than do African American children.
C) Children with the highest rate of reactivity are European American children with a family history of heart disease.
D) Both b and c are correct.

Question 56

Stress probably plays some role in the development of

A) Type 1 diabetes.
B) Type 2 diabetes.
C) both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
D) neither type of diabetes.

Question 57

Though stress may not directly cause ulcers,there may be an indirect link between stress and ulcers,as stress may increase all of the following EXCEPT:

A) heavy drinking
B) smoking
C) caffeine consumption
D) exercise

Question 58

Vaccinations may be less effective in protecting against stress among people who experience ________.

A) stress
B) many daily hassles
C) few daily hassles
D) exposure to cigarette smoke.

Question 59

The notion that some people respond more strongly to stress than do others is called

A) Type A behavior pattern.
B) Type B behavior pattern.
C) reactivity.
D) responsively.

Question 60

Evidence regarding the effects of stress on depression indicates that

A) stress seems to be a necessary condition for depression.
B) stress is a sufficient condition for depression.
C) stress is involved in more than half of all depressive episodes.
D) vulnerability and coping ability mediate the effects of stress on depression.

Question 61

_______ may help explain why stress can lead to depression.

A) Increased cytokine production
B) Decreased cytokine production
C) Increased T-cell production
D) Increased activity of natural killer cells

Question 62

Which of the following is not an adequate explanation for why some individuals are more vulnerable to depression than others?

A) Ineffective coping strategies may increase vulnerability to depression.
B) Rumination may increase vulnerability to depression.
C) Major life stress may provide a "kindling" experience that increases vulnerability to depression.
D) Certain genes have been implicated in vulnerability to depression, regardless of environmental factors.

Question 63

The ethnic group that is most vulnerable to developing PTSD is

A) Asian Americans
B) Hispanic Americans
C) European Americans
D) African Americans

Question 64

T-cells are a type of nonspecific immune system response.

Question 65

The immune system has one way to fight invading foreign substances: specific immune system responses.

Question 66

The functioning of the immune system occurs only in the lymph nodes.

Question 67

Stress may "get under the skin" by altering health-related behaviors,such as people drinking more alcohol to cope with stressful life events.

Question 68

Psychoneuroimmunology is a multidisciplinary field that focuses on the interactions among behavior,the nervous system,the endocrine system,and the immune system.

Question 69

One explanation as to why some individuals are more vulnerable to depression is that these individuals

A) have a small, but active, social support network.
B) have ineffective coping strategies.
C) have too many stressful experiences.
D) all of the above

Question 70

Most heart attacks are caused by sudden traumatic experiences.

Question 71

Evidence from research by Sheldon Cohen and his colleagues demonstrated that stress has no relationship to catching the common cold.

Question 72

Most tension headaches are the result of traumatic life events.

Question 73

There is evidence that stress contributes to the development of __________.

A) depressive symptoms
B) anxiety symptoms
C) both anxiety and depressive symptoms.
D) neither anxiety nor depressive symptoms.

Question 74

The higher a person's level of stress,the more likely that person will become ill.

Question 75

The diathesis-stress model suggests that recent stress predisposes people to illness.

Question 76

Compared with people who have little reaction to stressful events,those who react with strong emotions are more likely to have cardiovascular disease.

Question 77

The immune system protects the body against bacteria but not viruses.

Question 78

Chronic stress is more damaging to the immune system than short-term stress.

Question 79

________ children show the greatest asthma symptoms following an acute stress task.

A) Overweight
B) Underweight
C) Low socioeconomic status
D) High socioeconomic status

Question 80

Almost all ulcers are caused by stress.