Question 1

Maura has an anxiety disorder. She is currently seeing a therapist who believes that anxiety disorders are a result of distorted, irrational thought processes. Maura is probably seeking treatment from a __________.

Accepted Answer

Maura's therapist believes that her anxiety disorder is a result of distorted, irrational thinking, which aligns with the principles of cognitive psychology. Therefore, Maura is probably seeking treatment from a cognitive psychologist.

Question 2

Deshaun, a war veteran, has had nightmares, flashbacks, and anxiety attacks for the past 3 years. Deshaun is most likely suffering from __________.

Accepted Answer

Deshaun's symptoms are consistent with those of PTSD, a mental health disorder that can develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event such as military combat. Symptoms can include nightmares, flashbacks, and hyperarousal. Acute stress disorder is a similar condition but occurs within a month of a traumatic event and lasts for a shorter period of time. External locus of control refers to the belief that outside forces are primarily responsible for one's life experiences, and catastrophic stress is an extreme reaction to a traumatic event that can cause physical and psychological harm.

Question 3

Which of the following is a symptom of acute stress disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder?

Accepted Answer

Persistent reliving of the event is a symptom of both acute stress disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder. B is a symptom of PTSD but not specifically acute stress disorder. C is not a symptom of either disorder, and D is not related to either disorder.

Question 4

The behavioral perspective views anxiety as __________.

Accepted Answer

The behavioral perspective believes anxiety is a learned reaction.

Question 5

"Oh my gosh," LaKeisha exclaims as she leaves her physics exam. "I just KNOW that I got number 28 wrong! I just know that I'm going to fail this class." According to a cognitive psychologist, LaKeisha is engaging in which of the following distorted thought processes?

Accepted Answer

The answer of "Oh my gosh," LaKeisha exclaims as she...

Question 6

After returning from the Iraq war, Denver was plagued by nightmares of the attacks. In addition, he avoided anything associated with the war and was hypervigilant for danger. He has been home for nearly 6 months, but these symptoms continue. Denver might have __________ disorder.

Accepted Answer

Denver's symptoms, including nightmares, avoidance, and hypervigilance are all characteristic of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Acute stress disorder may be a possibility if the symptoms had started soon after the traumatic event, but since Denver has been home for 6 months, PTSD is a more likely diagnosis. Mood disorders like depression and bipolar disorder are not characterized by these specific symptoms, and obsessive-compulsive disorder involves persistent and repetitive thoughts and behaviors that are not related to traumatic events.

Question 7

While talking with his best friend Matt, Carlos, who is clearly down and out, says, "Dude, I just have no luck with girls at all. I asked Tyra out last night and she turned me down flat. Nobody will EVER want to go out with me. Why am I such a loser?" Because Matt has recently taken an abnormal psychology class, he uses a cognitive perspective to answer Carlos. Which of the following might Matt say?

Accepted Answer

Matt's response suggests that Carlos is engaging in overgeneralization, which is a thought distortion common in cognitive theory. Carlos is assuming that because one girl turned him down, all girls will. Matt is trying to point out that this is not necessarily true and is encouraging Carlos to think more logically and realistically about the situation. Choices A and C are not relevant to the situation, and choice B suggests an overly simplistic solution to a complex issue.

Question 8

__________ is a repetitive behavior or mental act that an individual feels compelled to perform in response to an obsession.

Accepted Answer

A compulsion is a repetitive behavior or mental act that an individual feels compelled to perform in response to an obsession. This is a defining feature of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Question 9

The psychodynamic model views anxiety as __________.

Accepted Answer

The psychodynamic model posits that anxiety is a danger signal that repressed conflicts are threatening to surface. According to this model, anxiety arises from unconscious conflicts that are being repressed and are attempting to emerge into consciousness, and serves as a defense mechanism to protect against the anxiety-provoking material.

Question 10

Which of the following culture-bound disorders is most commonly seen in Latin America?

Accepted Answer

Ataque de nervios is most commonly seen in Latin America and is a culture-bound syndrome that is characterized by symptoms such as uncontrollable shouting, crying, trembling, and aggression. Koro is more commonly seen in Southeast Asia, anorexia nervosa is more commonly seen in Western cultures, and amok is more commonly seen in Malaysia and other parts of Southeast Asia.

Question 11

Tara's house was flooded in a hurricane. Upon losing her home, she had nightmares, disturbed sleep, and anxiety that lasted about 2 weeks. Tara most likely suffered from __________.

Accepted Answer

Tara experienced symptoms of acute stress disorder, which is a psychological response to experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. The symptoms last for a short period of time, usually less than a month, and may include nightmares, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. PTSD is similar, but its symptoms last for more than a month. External locus of control and catastrophic stress are not relevant to this situation.

Question 12

According to the biological perspective, a person with phobia has elevated activation in which part of the brain?

Accepted Answer

The amygdala is responsible for processing emotions, including fear. Studies have shown that individuals with phobias have increased activation in the amygdala when exposed to the feared stimulus.

Question 13

Which of the following statements correctly describes the rate of PTSD among combat-exposed military personnel since 2001?

Accepted Answer

The rate of PTSD among combat-exposed military personnel has indeed tripled since 2001 as a result of prolonged and repeated combat exposure in Afghanistan and Iraq. This answer is supported by research and data.

Question 14

As Evan and Drew are leaving for a trip, Evan repeatedly asks Drew, "Did we turn off the coffee maker?" For their entire trip, Evan worries about the coffee maker. Evan's doubt about turning off the coffee maker is __________.

Accepted Answer

Evan's repeated questioning and worry about whether the coffee maker was turned off is an example of an obsession, which is characterized by persistent, unwanted thoughts causing distress or anxiety.

Question 15

The disorder or culture-bound syndrome in which men fear that their penis is shrinking is primarily found in which of the following places?

Accepted Answer

This disorder is known as Koro, primarily found in China and some other parts of Asia. It is a culture-bound syndrome where individuals, predominantly men, fear that their penis is retracting and will disappear into the body, often accompanied by severe anxiety and panic.

Question 16

Keiko has a tendency to disregard the compliments that people give her about her work, and she fails to realize her own skills and talents. Beck would say that Keiko engages in __________.

Accepted Answer

Minimization is the tendency to downplay one's accomplishments or skills and is often seen in individuals with low self-esteem or imposter syndrome. This behavior is demonstrated by Keiko's tendency to disregard compliments and her failure to recognize her own talents.

Question 17

Obsession is to compulsion as __________.

Accepted Answer

Both obsession and compulsion involve thoughts and behaviors that are difficult to control, but obsession is primarily characterized by repetitive and intrusive thoughts or images, while compulsion involves repetitive and ritualistic behaviors or mental acts. Therefore, the relationship between obsession and compulsion can be compared to the relationship between thoughts and behaviors, making A the most appropriate choice.

Question 18

Each day, while Spencer is sitting at his desk at work, he continually thinks about germs. Each time this occurs, he washes his hands. Spencer probably suffers from __________.

Accepted Answer

Spencer's behavior shows symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), which is characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions) that interfere with daily activities and cause significant distress. In this case, Spencer's obsession with germ contamination is causing him to engage in a compulsive behavior (handwashing) as a way to reduce anxiety and prevent perceived harm.

Question 19

Dr. Nwoambi is treating a patient who has a fear of knives. He believes his patient's fear is a kind of displacement, in which the phobic object is a symbol of whatever his patient has buried deep inside her unconscious mind. Dr. Nwoambi's view is consistent with that of __________.

Accepted Answer

The psychodynamic model, which focuses on unconscious conflicts and emotions, would be more likely to view a phobia as a symbolic representation of deeper psychological issues. This perspective emphasizes the role of unconscious processes and unresolved conflicts in shaping behavior and emotions. Behaviorists, on the other hand, would emphasize how the fear response is learned through conditioning, while cognitive psychologists may focus on the person's thoughts and beliefs about the phobic object. The biological perspective would focus more on genetic and physiological factors contributing to the development of phobias.

Question 20

A disorder resulting from exposure to a major stressor, with symptoms of anxiety, nightmares, poor sleep, reliving the event, and concentration problems, lasting for more than 1 month, is called __________.

Accepted Answer

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the disorder resulting from exposure to a major stressor, with symptoms of anxiety, nightmares, poor sleep, reliving the event, and concentration problems, lasting for more than 1 month. Acute stress disorder (choice A) is a similar disorder but with symptoms lasting less than a month. External locus of control (choice B) refers to a personality trait characterized by the belief that one's life is primarily controlled by external factors rather than by oneself. Catastrophic stress (choice C) is not a recognized term in psychology or psychiatry.

Quiz 14: Psychological Disorders