Question 1

In the biopsychosocial model, any impact of the mind on health is dismissed as a mere placebo effect.

Accepted Answer

The biopsychosocial model emphasizes the importance of psychological factors (including the mind) and social factors in addition to biological conditions in understanding health and illness, rather than dismissing mental impacts as merely placebo.

Question 2

Seventy percent of all medical costs are related to the six factors of smoking, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, poor diet, insufficient exercise, and risky sexual practices.

Accepted Answer

These six factors significantly contribute to chronic diseases and conditions, which are major drivers of healthcare costs, emphasizing the importance of lifestyle choices on health outcomes and medical expenses.

Question 3

A perceived lack of control is just as important as an actual lack of control in causing us to feel threatened.

Accepted Answer

Perceived lack of control can be just as impactful on our psychological state as actual lack of control, because our reactions and feelings are often based on our perceptions and interpretations of our environment, not just the objective reality.

Question 4

According to one study, poorer women in California were more likely to die if they lived in better-off neighborhoods than if they lived in poorer neighborhoods because they were constantly reminded that they were relatively poor.

Accepted Answer

This phenomenon is explained by the relative deprivation theory, which suggests that individuals assess their well-being in comparison to those around them. Poorer women living in wealthier neighborhoods may experience higher levels of stress and social isolation due to perceived socioeconomic disparities, potentially leading to adverse health outcomes.

Question 5

Because Margo is often so depressed that she eats and sleeps poorly, rarely exercises, and smokes too much, she would be described by health psychologists as being a hypochondriac.

Accepted Answer

Being a hypochondriac refers to someone who is excessively worried about having a serious illness without medical evidence, not someone engaging in unhealthy behaviors due to depression.

Question 6

The easiest conflict to resolve is usually an avoidance-avoidance conflict.

Accepted Answer

An avoidance-avoidance conflict, where a person must choose between two undesirable options, is often stressful and difficult to resolve because neither option is appealing, making the decision-making process challenging.

Question 7

Life changes, both good and bad, can increase one's susceptibility to accidents or illness.

Accepted Answer

Life changes can increase stress levels, alter routines, and impact physical and mental health, making individuals more prone to accidents or illnesses due to decreased attention, weakened immune systems, or risky behaviors.

Question 8

The most passionate and caring workers are the ones who tend to experience burnout.

Accepted Answer

Passionate and caring workers often invest a lot of emotional and physical energy into their work, making them more susceptible to burnout due to emotional exhaustion and overcommitment.

Question 9

Stress is almost always harmful and must be avoided at all costs.

Accepted Answer

While excessive stress can be harmful, moderate stress can actually be beneficial, acting as a motivator and enhancing performance.

Question 10

If you see a poisonous snake in the path while hiking, your decision on how you will react and avoid getting bitten is referred to as your primary appraisal.

Accepted Answer

Primary appraisal refers to the initial evaluation of a situation to determine its significance or threat level, not the decision on how to react. The decision on how to react is part of the secondary appraisal.

Question 11

When emotional "shocks" are predictable and controllable, stress is magnified and damage is likely to result.

Accepted Answer

When emotional "shocks" are predictable and controllable, stress is typically reduced because individuals feel they have some level of control or can prepare for the event, which tends to mitigate the potential damage or impact of the stressor.

Question 12

Regarding frustration, excessive heat the day of your outdoor college graduation would be classified as an external, nonsocial obstacle to your goal of having a perfect graduation.

Accepted Answer

Excessive heat during an outdoor college graduation is an external factor because it comes from the environment, and it is nonsocial because it does not involve interactions with other people.

Question 13

Frustrations become less intense as the strength, urgency, or importance of the blocked motive increases.

Accepted Answer

Frustrations tend to become more intense as the strength, urgency, or importance of the blocked motive increases, because the individual feels a stronger sense of loss or hindrance.

Question 14

Programs that typically include practice in stress reduction, self-protection, decision-making, self-control, and social skills are called life skills training.

Accepted Answer

Life skills training programs are designed to equip individuals with the necessary skills for effective stress management, self-protection, decision-making, self-control, and enhancing social skills, among other life competencies.

Question 15

It is during the stage of resistance that the first signs of psychosomatic disorders begin to appear.

Accepted Answer

During the stage of resistance in the General Adaptation Syndrome model, the body tries to adapt to the ongoing stress, leading to the potential emergence of psychosomatic disorders as the prolonged stress response starts affecting physical health.

Question 16

In one study, people who were deliberately exposed to the virus that causes common colds were more likely to get a cold if they had high stress scores.

Accepted Answer

The study found that individuals with higher stress levels were more susceptible to developing a cold after being exposed to the virus, suggesting a link between stress and impaired immune function.

Question 17

Although Gary wants to become an administrator, he is still working as a staff member after 10 years and has dealt with this frustration by pretending not to care about getting a promotion, a reaction to frustration known as circumvention.

Accepted Answer

The reaction to frustration described is known as "displacement," not circumvention. Circumvention involves avoiding the source of frustration, while displacement involves redirecting emotions or reactions towards something or someone else.

Question 18

Ambivalence is a central characteristic of approach-avoidance conflicts and is usually translated into a partial approach.

Accepted Answer

Ambivalence in approach-avoidance conflicts refers to the simultaneous attraction to and repulsion from an object, person, or action, often leading to a partial approach where the individual is torn between wanting to engage and wanting to avoid.

Question 19

According to your textbook, the main cause of preventable deaths in the United States, presently, is alcoholism.

Accepted Answer

The main cause of preventable deaths in the United States is tobacco use, not alcoholism.

Question 20

According to studies of social contagion, if one smoker in a group of smokers quits, others are more likely to follow suit.

Accepted Answer

Social contagion theory suggests that behaviors, attitudes, and habits can spread through networks of people, so if one smoker quits, it can influence others in their social circle to quit as well.

Quiz 13: Health, Stress, and Coping