Question 1

Aaron Beck,a pioneer in cognitive therapy,says that depressed people

Accepted Answer

Aaron Beck's cognitive theory states that depression is caused by negative thinking patterns or biases in how an individual interprets their environment. This means that depressed people tend to interpret ambiguous situations to their own disadvantage, focusing on negatives and ignoring positives. This is known as a negative cognitive triad, which includes a negative view of oneself, the world, and the future. Therefore, choice C is the best answer.

Question 2

Research by psychologist Susan Nolen-Hoeksema has found that when faced with emotional distress,men tend to __________ and women tend to __________.

Accepted Answer

Research by psychologist Susan Nolen-Hoeksema has shown that in response to emotional distress, men are more likely to distract themselves, while women are more likely to ruminate. Ruminating involves continuously thinking about the aspects of situations that are upsetting, which can prolong or intensify emotional distress, whereas distracting oneself can help to manage and reduce the intensity of these feelings.

Question 3

Psychologist Susan Nolen-Hoeksema (1990)has suggested that one of the main reasons depression occurs more frequently in women than in men is that when women start to feel depressed they are more likely than men to

Accepted Answer

Susan Nolen-Hoeksema suggested that women are more likely to ruminate when they start to feel depressed, which means that they continuously focus on their negative feelings and experiences, without trying to problem-solve or distract themselves. This tendency to ruminate is believed to contribute to the higher rates of depression in women, compared to men.

Question 4

People who fail a task may or may not become depressed,depending on

Accepted Answer

The reason why the participants themselves think they failed plays a significant role in determining whether or not they become depressed. Factors such as self-esteem, self-worth, and personal investment in the task can all influence an individual's emotional response to failure. IQ scores, age, and sex may have some impact, but they are not the primary determining factors. The experimenter's opinion is also not relevant in this context.

Question 5

People with bipolar disorder alternate between periods of

Accepted Answer

People with bipolar disorder experience alternating episodes of depression and mania. These mood swings can be extreme and interfere with daily functioning. The obsessions and compulsions described in option A are more characteristic of obsessive-compulsive disorder, while option B describes an unhealthy relationship with alcohol rather than a mood disorder. Option D describes dissociative identity disorder, which is a separate mental health condition.

Question 6

Which of the following conditions is more common among women than men?

Accepted Answer

Depression is more common among women than men. Research suggests that this may be due to hormonal differences, social factors, and a higher likelihood of experiencing traumatic events and stress. While the other conditions listed can also occur in both genders, studies consistently show that depression is more prevalent among women.

Question 7

A pessimistic explanatory style--blaming oneself for whatever goes wrong--tends to be associated with

Accepted Answer

A pessimistic explanatory style, which involves blaming oneself for negative events, is a common feature of depression. People with depression tend to have negative views of themselves, the world, and the future, and they often attribute negative events to internal, stable and global causes.

Question 8

What role,if any,does genetics play in severe depression?

Accepted Answer

There is evidence to suggest that genetics play a role in severe depression, but it is likely influenced by multiple genes rather than a single gene. Studies have found that family history of depression is a risk factor for developing depression, and there is a higher concordance rate for depression in identical twins compared to fraternal twins. However, it is also known that environmental factors can interact with genetic predisposition to trigger depression.

Question 9

Which of the following people would be most likely to buy a lottery ticket?

Accepted Answer

Someone who is not suffering from depression is the most likely to buy a lottery ticket as they are not experiencing any negative emotions that may deter them from spending money on a low odds game such as the lottery.

Question 10

Someone who has periods of depression that alternate with periods of mania is said to have __________ condition.

Accepted Answer

The term "bipolar" refers to a type of depression characterized by alternating periods of mania or hypomania (elevated, euphoric or irritable mood, increased energy, decreased need for sleep) and periods of depression (low mood, loss of interest or pleasure, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, decreased energy, difficulty concentrating). This is different from unipolar depression, which only involves episodes of depression without periods of mania, and reactive and endogenous depression, which refer to causes of depression rather than specific patterns of symptoms.

Question 11

The form of therapy that focuses on coping with difficulties (such as death of a loved one or marital problems)the client presently faces or faced in the recent past is known as

Accepted Answer

Interpersonal therapy (IPT) focuses on helping clients cope with the difficulties they currently face or have faced in the recent past, including but not limited to death of a loved one or marital problems. IPT emphasizes the importance of social relationships and how they impact a person's emotional well-being. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses on changing negative thought patterns and behaviors, while psychoanalysis focuses on exploring unconscious conflicts and childhood experiences. Humanistic therapy emphasizes self-exploration, growth, and personal responsibility.

Question 12

Jill has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.Her friends notice that she alternates between periods of

Accepted Answer

Bipolar disorder is characterized by episodes of mania (elevated, euphoric, or irritable mood) and depression. This cycling between extreme highs and lows is the hallmark of the disorder. Obsessions and compulsions are symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder, alcohol abuse and abstention from alcohol are symptoms of alcoholism, and fear and anger are emotions that can occur in a variety of mental health conditions but are not specific to bipolar disorder.

Question 13

In North America,which of these disorders is more common in females than in males?

Accepted Answer

According to research studies, depression is more commonly diagnosed in females than males in North America.

Question 14

Depressed people tend to do each of the following except

Accepted Answer

Depressed people tend to respond to failure with decreased efforts, not increased efforts. They often feel hopeless and lack motivation to try again. Options A, B, and C are all common characteristics of depression, where individuals tend to blame themselves for failures, exaggerate their mistakes or shortcomings, and feel like their successes are not significant.

Question 15

People who fail a task are most likely to become depressed if they attribute their failure to

Accepted Answer

Attribution theory suggests that people who attribute their failures to internal, stable, and global factors (such as their own laziness or stupidity) are more likely to experience negative emotions like depression than those who attribute their failures to external, unstable, and specific factors (such as distractions). Therefore, option C is the best choice.

Question 16

Athletes with a pessimistic explanatory style are more likely than other athletes to

Accepted Answer

Athletes with a pessimistic explanatory style tend to view negative outcomes as personal, permanent, and pervasive. This means they are more likely to give up after a defeat because they believe the failure is due to their own inadequacies, will persist in the long term, and will negatively impact all areas of their performance.

Question 17

People who suffer from depression are likely to have close relatives who suffer from

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that depression tends to run in families and that individuals with a family history of depression are at a higher risk of developing depression themselves. In addition, anxiety disorders such as phobias and panic disorder also share a genetic link with depression, and individuals with a family history of depression may be more likely to develop these disorders as well. Therefore, the best choice is D, all of the above.

Question 18

Suppose you fail a French test.You are most likely to become depressed as a result if you believe that you failed because

Accepted Answer

Believing that one failed a test because they are not smart is a personal and negative attribution. This can lead to feelings of low self-esteem and decrease in motivation, which can lead to depression. It is important to attribute failure to external factors, such as lack of preparation or difficulty of the material, instead of internal factors.

Question 19

People are said to have a pessimistic explanatory style if their explanations for failure are consistently

Accepted Answer

According to the theory of learned helplessness, people with a pessimistic explanatory style tend to explain failure as being caused by global (affecting all areas of their life) and stable (unlikely to change) factors, such as their own lack of ability, rather than external or temporary factors.

Question 20

The way people consistently describe the reasons for their own successes or failures is called

Accepted Answer

Explanatory style refers to the consistent ways in which individuals explain the causes of events in their lives, such as successes or failures. This can have an impact on their emotions, behavior, and future outlook.

Quiz 16: Specific Disorders and Treatments