Question 1

During a week of final exams, one of your friends comes up to you and says, "I'm so worked up this week. I've been so worried, tense, and strung out that I've really lost it!" Statements like these are most consistent with the definition of stress as a(n):

Accepted Answer

The statement describes a personal reaction to stress, indicating a physiological and emotional response to stressors.

Question 2

In the four-step model of cognitive appraisal, Richard Lazarus's notion of primary appraisal is most analogous to the appraisal of _.

Accepted Answer

Primary appraisal involves evaluating the demands or potential threats in a situation to determine its significance for the individual.

Question 3

Rebecca's friends keep telling her that she should take it easy and decrease the stress in her life. Rebecca ignores them for the most part because she does not believe she has stressors, just migraines. It's not like she just lost her job or got a divorce; she has normal daily problems such as finding the money to get the car repaired and scheduling time to get her son to soccer practice as well as the dentist. In fact, these events are _.

Accepted Answer

Microstressors are small, everyday stressors like scheduling conflicts and minor financial issues, which Rebecca is experiencing.

Question 4

There is a distinct physiological pattern that emerges when people are exposed to strong and prolonged stress. Selye labelled this response pattern as the:

Accepted Answer

The general adaptation syndrome (GAS) is a three-stage response that the body has to stress, identified by Hans Selye. It includes the alarm reaction, resistance, and exhaustion stages.

Question 5

Stress researchers typically refer to the daily hassles that most people encounter, such as being stuck in traffic or having their computer crash, as:

Accepted Answer

Microstressors are the small, everyday challenges and annoyances that people face, such as traffic jams or computer issues.

Question 6

Zach was working as an intern for an investment company. His office was in the World Trade Center in New York City and his first day on the job was September 11, 2001. Zach survived the terrorist attacks physically unharmed but is now experiencing flashbacks, digestive problems, and he can't seem to have successful personal relationships. Zach's current problems may be a result of:

Accepted Answer

Catastrophic events are events that are sudden, unexpected, and cause widespread destruction and loss of life. The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 were a catastrophic event, and Zach's current problems may be a result of the trauma he experienced during the attacks.

Question 7

The transactional definition of stress asserts that stress is the product of cognitive, physiological, and behavioural responses that are evoked when there is a perceived imbalance between:

Accepted Answer

The transactional definition of stress, proposed by Lazarus and Folkman, suggests that stress results from an imbalance between situational demands and personal resources, where the demands exceed the individual's ability to cope.

Question 8

Victor and his wife were attending his mother's funeral when Victor suddenly clutched his chest and fell to the ground. Victor had suffered a major heart attack. These severe stressors, the death of his mother and the heart attack may be defined as:

Accepted Answer

Major negative events are significant life changes or losses, such as the death of a loved one or a serious health crisis, which can cause considerable stress.

Question 9

According to Selye's general adaptation syndrome, the shift to sympathetic dominance occurs in the stage.

Accepted Answer

The shift to sympathetic dominance occurs during the alarm reaction stage, where the body initially responds to a stressor with the "fight or flight" response.

Question 10

Jordan has had straight A's throughout her high school years. She is now a senior in her second and final semester of high school and she finds herself constantly near tears. Her friends are jealous of her success and cannot understand why Jordan is acting so stressed. Jordan is feeling that she may not be able to keep her perfect grade record and that if she loses it, people will think that she is not so smart. In this case, Jordan's appraisal of the ________ is a stressor.

Accepted Answer

Jordan is stressed because she is worried about how others will perceive her if she loses her perfect grade record, which relates to the psychological meaning of the consequences.

Question 11

John is about to take a very difficult chemistry exam, but because he has studied hard and knows the material thoroughly, he isn't very nervous as he goes in to take it. John's thoughts about his study habits and his knowledge of the material are best considered as examples of cognitive appraisals of the:

Accepted Answer

John's confidence stems from his assessment of his own resources, such as his knowledge and study habits, which he believes are sufficient to handle the demands of the exam.

Question 12

The final stage of Selye's general adaptation syndrome (GAS) is:

Accepted Answer

The final stage of Selye's general adaptation syndrome is exhaustion, where the body's resources are depleted after prolonged stress, leading to decreased function and potential health issues.

Question 13

A type of questionnaire that asks people about such things as 1) whether a stressful event occurred, 2) whether their interpretation of the event was positive or negative, and 3) whether the event was a major event or a daily hassle is called a _.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A type of questionnaire that asks people...

Question 14

The three stages of Selye's general adaptation syndrome (GAS) are:

Accepted Answer

Selye's general adaptation syndrome (GAS) consists of three stages: alarm reaction, resistance, and exhaustion. These stages describe the body's response to stress.

Question 15

Kelly enrolled in a foreign language course this term and is about to take the final oral examination for the course. Kelly is feeling worried about the examination and believes "If I don't get an 'A' on this exam it will show that I'm always going to be a complete failure at everything." Kelly's belief best represents:

Accepted Answer

Kelly's belief reflects a cognitive appraisal of the implications of the outcome of the examination, as it involves evaluating the personal significance and potential impact of not achieving an 'A'.

Question 16

When studying stress, some psychologists believe that stressors or situational events that place strong demands on us conceptualize stress as a(n) _.

Accepted Answer

Stressors are considered eliciting stimuli because they trigger a stress response by placing demands on an individual.

Question 17

The sympathetic nervous system mobilizes the body to a state of arousal when we are faced with a stressful situation. However, the longer acting stress hormones into our system are released by the _.

Accepted Answer

The endocrine system releases longer-acting stress hormones, such as cortisol, into the bloodstream, which helps the body manage prolonged stress.

Question 18

Joyce and Katie were recognized by their professor for receiving the highest grades on the midterm exam. At first, they both interpret this situation as being a positive thing but, then Katie turns this event into a stressor because of her perceived inability to score as well on the next exam. Katie begins to think that she cannot cope with the pressure based on the process of _.

Accepted Answer

Secondary appraisal involves evaluating one's ability to cope with the consequences of a stressor, which is what Katie is doing by doubting her ability to perform well on the next exam.

Question 19

Steve and his romantic partner are having difficulties in their relationship. Steve starts to get anxious when he thinks, "Oh no, we might break up and if that happens, everyone will think I'm an idiot and a complete loser!" Thoughts like these are best classified as appraisals of:

Accepted Answer

Steve's thoughts focus on the potential consequences of a breakup and how it would affect his self-image and personal meaning, classifying them as appraisals of consequences and personal meanings.

Question 20

The four aspects of the cognitive appraisal process are appraisals of:

Accepted Answer

The cognitive appraisal process involves evaluating demands, resources, consequences, and personal meaning to understand and respond to a situation.

Quiz 15: Stress, Coping, and Health

During a week of final exams, one of your friends comes up to you and says, "I'm so worked up this week. I've been so worried, tense, and strung out that I've really lost it!" Statements like these are most consistent with the definition of stress as a(n) :