Question 1

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) shows that the brains of long-term practitioners of meditation have higher levels of activity in the areas involved in which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that long-term practitioners of meditation have higher levels of activity in the areas involved in attention, decision making, and emotional regulation. This suggests that meditation can enhance cognitive processes and improve overall brain function. There is no evidence to suggest that meditation affects sexual activity, appetite regulation, sleep, or dreaming.

Question 2

There are many meditation methods, but they share the common thread of ______ one's attention by focusing on ______ stimuli.

Accepted Answer

Most meditation methods involve narrowing one's attention by focusing on repetitive stimuli such as breath, a mantra or a specific body part. This helps to reduce distractions and achieve a state of relaxation and concentration. Broadening attention is more commonly associated with mindfulness meditation, in which one aims to be aware of and accept all sensory experiences without judgment or preference.

Question 3

In biofeedback, people learn about their physiological processes through ______.

Accepted Answer

In biofeedback, people learn about their physiological processes through auditory or visual signals. These signals provide information about the body's functions, such as heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension, which can then be used to learn how to control these processes.

Question 4

Consciously raising the temperature of the finger can help people to cope with ______.

Accepted Answer

Consciously raising the temperature of the finger has been found to help people cope with migraine headaches, by inducing a dilation of blood vessels called the ophthalmic artery which supplies blood to the eye and the brain. This technique is known as "thermal biofeedback" and involves the use of a device that measures skin temperature and provides feedback to the user as to whether they are successfully increasing the temperature of their finger.

Question 5

Meditation has the effect on the nervous system of ______.

Accepted Answer

Meditation has been shown to decrease sympathetic arousal, which is responsible for the body's "fight or flight" response to stress. Instead, it promotes parasympathetic activity, which is associated with relaxation and calmness. This results in a decrease in heart rate, blood pressure, and other physiological responses to stress.

Question 6

Progressive relaxation was originated by ______.

Accepted Answer

Progressive relaxation was originated by Edmund Jacobson in the 1920s.

Question 7

Simple visual symbols used by Yogis to focus their attention while meditating are called ______.

Accepted Answer

Mandalas are visual symbols often used in meditation practices, particularly within certain traditions of yoga, to help focus attention and intention.

Question 8

Which statement is true about Transcendental Meditation?

Accepted Answer

Transcendental Meditation is a technique that involves silently repeating a mantra, which helps reduce sympathetic nervous system arousal and promotes relaxation. This has been shown to result in decreased stress, anxiety, and improved overall well-being. Option A is incorrect as Mahatma Gandhi did not bring TM to the United States. Option B is also incorrect as TM primarily promotes alpha brain waves, not delta waves. Option D is incorrect as TM does not involve creating a mental hierarchy of stress.

Question 9

In mindfulness meditation, a person focuses on ______.

Accepted Answer

In mindfulness meditation, the individual focuses on their conscious experience in the present moment, including their thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations. It involves paying attention to these experiences without judgment or reaction. Mantras and mandalas may be used in other forms of meditation but are not typically used in mindfulness meditation, and past experiences are not the focus of the practice.

Question 10

Relaxing, simple sounds, repeated by meditators to help them block out stressful thoughts are called ______.

Accepted Answer

Relaxing, simple sounds that are repeated by meditators to help them block out stressful thoughts are called mantras. Mandalas are geometric patterns used in meditation and art therapy, incantations are spoken or sung words believed to have magical power, and chants are rhythmic words or phrases sung or spoken in unison by a group.

Question 11

A stress-reduction technique practiced by Tibetan Buddhists is ______ meditation.

Accepted Answer

Mindfulness meditation is a stress-reduction technique commonly used by Tibetan Buddhists. Transcendental meditation involves the use of a mantra, progressive meditation involves muscle relaxation techniques, and imagery meditation involves visualization.

Question 12

For progressive relaxation to be effective, the client must learn to ______.

Accepted Answer

Progressive relaxation involves tensing and releasing different muscle groups in the body to achieve a state of deep relaxation. In order for this technique to be effective, the client must be able to differentiate between a tense muscle and a relaxed muscle, so that they can consciously relax each muscle group as they go through the technique. Therefore, option A is the correct answer. Option B is incorrect because repeating a mantra is part of a different relaxation technique called transcendental meditation. Option C is incorrect because the goal of progressive relaxation is to release muscle tension, not to create it. Option D is incorrect because while aerobic exercise and weight training are beneficial for physical health, they are not specifically related to progressive relaxation.

Question 13

Biofeedback has relieved the pain of migraine headaches by ______.

Accepted Answer

Biofeedback for migraine headaches typically involves training the client to increase the temperature of their fingers, which is associated with relaxation and can help reduce the severity and frequency of migraines. Teaching breathing techniques or relaxing the muscles in the forehead may also be helpful, but they are not the primary focus of biofeedback for migraines. Decreasing eye blinks is not related to biofeedback for migraines.

Question 14

A technique for relieving the discomfort to migraine headaches by regulating blood flow is ______ biofeedback.

Accepted Answer

Thermal biofeedback is a technique used to help manage migraine headaches by teaching individuals to control blood flow and body temperature, which can alleviate symptoms.

Question 15

Stress induces bodily arousal such as excessive levels of ______ nervous system arousal which can ______ the risk of stress-related illnesses.

Accepted Answer

When one experiences stress, the sympathetic nervous system arousal is triggered which leads to an increase in the "fight or flight" response. This increase in sympathetic arousal can put a strain on the body and increase the risk of stress-related illnesses in the long run.

Question 16

______ comprises several ways of narrowing consciousness to moderate the stressors of the outside world.

Accepted Answer

Meditation involves techniques that focus and narrow consciousness, helping to reduce stress and increase relaxation by tuning out external stressors.

Question 17

The progressive relaxation technique heightens awareness of ______.

Accepted Answer

The progressive relaxation technique involves deliberately tensing and then relaxing various muscle groups in the body, which increases awareness of muscle tension. Therefore, the correct answer is D - muscle tension.

Question 18

Narrowing of one's attention by focusing on repetitive stimuli is the common thread of different forms of ______.

Accepted Answer

Meditation involves focusing on a repetitive stimulus such as the breath, a mantra, or a visual object to narrow one's attention and achieve a state of increased awareness and relaxation. This is the key aspect that distinguishes meditation from other techniques such as progressive relaxation, biofeedback, or behavior therapy.

Question 19

Research conducted by Brefczynski-Lewis et al., ( 2007) has lead scientists to speculate that regular practice of meditation may alter brain functioning in ways that may be therapeutic to children with ________________.

Accepted Answer

The research conducted by Brefczynski-Lewis et al. suggests that regular practice of meditation may be therapeutic for children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Question 20

Biofeedback concerning muscle tension is called ______ biofeedback.

Accepted Answer

EMG (electromyographic) biofeedback is used to monitor and provide information regarding muscle tension. It can be used to help individuals learn to relax specific muscles and reduce overall tension. A is incorrect because EEG biofeedback is used to monitor brain waves, not muscle tension. B is incorrect because there is no such thing as aura biofeedback. D is incorrect because there is no such thing as physiocratic biofeedback.

Quiz 6: Dissociative Disorders, Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders, and Psychological Factors Affecting Physical Health