Question 1

Given residents of an old-age home a plant that they could take care on their own was associated with a lower death rate than giving the residents a plant that the staff took care of.

Accepted Answer

A study by Rodin and Langer (1977) found that giving nursing home residents a plant they could care for themselves, along with some control over their daily activities, led to improved health outcomes and lower mortality rates compared to residents who were given a plant cared for by the staff.

Question 2

According to the transactional model, the meaning a particular event has for a person is a more important predictor of the experience of stress than the actual event.

Accepted Answer

The transactional model of stress and coping suggests that it is the individual's perception of and reaction to a stressor, rather than the stressor itself, that determines the stress response. This means the meaning or interpretation of the event by the person is a crucial factor in the experience of stress.

Question 3

The sympathetic division demobilizes the body to conserve energy, which includes increasing digestion, and decreasing heart rate.

Accepted Answer

The sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system mobilizes the body for action, increasing heart rate and blood flow to muscles, while decreasing digestion to conserve energy for a "fight or flight" response.

Question 4

Prolonged periods of high blood pressure can lead to a buildup of fatty acids and glucose on blood vessel walls which force the heart to work even harder to pump blood through the narrowing arteries.

Accepted Answer

High blood pressure can damage the endothelium (inner lining) of arteries, leading to atherosclerosis, where fatty deposits (plaque) build up on the walls of arteries. This narrows the arteries, making the heart work harder to pump blood through them, and can lead to various cardiovascular problems.

Question 5

Individuals who experience a variety of different types of stressors have more
5. Individuals who experience a variety of different types of stressors have more
B. T, and Natural killer cells than those who experience less stress.

Accepted Answer

Chronic stress is generally associated with a decrease in immune function, including a reduction in T and natural killer cells, rather than an increase.

Question 6

Sexual drive decreases in both men and women during times of stress.

Accepted Answer

Stress triggers the body's fight or flight response, leading to the release of stress hormones like cortisol, which can decrease libido or sexual drive in both men and women by diverting the body's resources away from functions not essential for immediate survival.

Question 7

Nonprocrastinators experience less stress throughout a semester than do procrastinators.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Nonprocrastinators experience less stress throughout a semester...

Question 8

HIV-infected gay men who are "in the closet" show a more rapid spread of the infection as well as faster deaths than those who are "outwardly gay".

Accepted Answer

HIV-infected gay men who are "in the closet" are less likely to seek medical care and support, which can lead to a more rapid spread of the infection and faster deaths.

Question 9

Religious involvement is associated with lower levels of cancer, heart disease, stroke, and suicide.

Accepted Answer

Numerous studies have shown that individuals who are more religious or spiritually involved tend to have better mental and physical health outcomes, including lower rates of cancer, heart disease, stroke, and suicide. This is often attributed to the supportive community, healthier lifestyles, and stress-reducing practices associated with religious involvement.

Question 10

When other people prayed for a woman who was trying to get pregnant, the likelihood of conception increased for women of all ages.

Accepted Answer

Studies on the effects of prayer on pregnancy have not conclusively shown that prayer increases the likelihood of conception for women of all ages. The impact of prayer on medical outcomes, including fertility, remains a controversial and largely unproven area of study.

Question 11

Sarah has increased amounts of stress this spring break because she can not decide whether she should go to Hawaii with her fun-loving family or head down to Daytona Beach with her college roommates. This type of conflict is called _________?

Accepted Answer

This scenario describes an approach-approach conflict, where Sarah is torn between two desirable options: going to Hawaii with her family or going to Daytona Beach with her roommates. Both options are appealing, making it a classic example of an approach-approach conflict.

Question 12

A conflict involving wanting to eat an ice cream sundae, and wanting to lose weight is know as an ____________ conflict.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of an approach-avoidance conflict, where a single goal or event has both attractive and unattractive aspects. The desire to eat an ice cream sundae (approach) conflicts with the desire to lose weight (avoidance).

Question 13

Which of the following is NOT a self-report measure of stress?

Accepted Answer

The Galvanic Skin Response Scale is a physiological measure of stress, not a self-report measure.

Question 14

The ________ scale asks people how frequently they have felt stressed or upset in the past month?

Accepted Answer

The Perceived Stress Scale is specifically designed to measure the degree to which situations in one’s life are appraised as stressful, often asking respondents to reflect on feelings and thoughts related to stress over the past month.

Question 15

Which of the following biochemicals is associated with an increase in stress levels?

Accepted Answer

All of the options listed are associated with an increase in stress levels. Norepinephrine is a neurotransmitter that plays a role in the body's stress response. Cortisol, often referred to as the "stress hormone," is produced by the adrenal glands in response to stress. Corticosteroids, which include cortisol, are a class of steroid hormones that are produced in the adrenal cortex and are involved in a wide range of physiological processes, including stress response.

Question 16

According to Cannon, people are normally in a state of internal physiological equilibrium or balance called ________?

Accepted Answer

Cannon introduced the concept of homeostasis, which refers to the body's automatic efforts to maintain a constant, normal state of the internal environment.

Question 17

When facing a threatening situation, a person's cardiovascular system is _________ and their digestive system __________.

Accepted Answer

When facing a threatening situation, the body's fight-or-flight response is activated, which includes the activation of the cardiovascular system to pump more blood to muscles. Conversely, the digestive system slows down because the body prioritizes functions necessary for immediate survival.

Question 18

Which of the following is NOT a symptom of stress in rats?

Accepted Answer

A decrease in epinephrine is not a symptom of stress in rats; stress typically causes an increase in epinephrine (adrenaline) levels, not a decrease.

Question 19

Which is the correct order of the stages of the General Adaptation Syndrome model?

Accepted Answer

The General Adaptation Syndrome model, proposed by Hans Selye, outlines the body's response to stress in three stages: Alarm, Resistance, and Exhaustion. The correct order starts with the exposure to a stressor, followed by the Alarm stage (where the body recognizes the stress and starts responding), then the Resistance stage (where the body attempts to adapt to the stress), and finally, if the stress continues, the Exhaustion stage (where the body's resources are depleted).

Question 20

________ is associated with an increase in norepinepherine, whereas ________ is associated with an increase in epinephrine.

Accepted Answer

Anger is associated with an increase in norepinephrine, while fear is more closely associated with an increase in epinephrine.

Quiz 4: Stress