Question 1

A boy's therapist has suggested that one way to overcome his strong fear of dogs is to watch others who are comfortable interacting with dogs. The therapist is most likely a practitioner of

Accepted Answer

Social-learning therapy emphasizes learning through observation and imitation of others, which is what the therapist is suggesting by having the boy watch others interact comfortably with dogs.  Social-learning theory predicts that people acquire responses through observation. Therefore, people should be able to unlearn fear reactions through imitation of models.

Question 2

Suppose a friend of yours is afraid of snakes. On the basis of the research discussed in the textbook, if you had to counsel your friend as to the most effective strategy for eliminating his fear, you should suggest

Accepted Answer

In participant modeling, the therapist demonstrates gradual approximations to the desired behavior and encourages the client to imitate the approach behavior.

Question 3

When a child was an infant, she received a lot of attention because of an illness. Now, although she is healthy, she still demands attention. When she is put to bed at night, she cries until her parents come and hold her. A behavioral psychologist's suggestion that her parents should ignore her crying is an example of

Accepted Answer

The suggestion to ignore the child's crying is an example of an extinction strategy, which aims to reduce or eliminate a learned behavior (in this case, crying for attention) by withholding the reinforcement (parental attention) that previously maintained the behavior.  Extinction strategies are programs that withhold reinforcement of undesirable behaviors. When everyone who might inadvertently reinforce the unwanted behavior cooperates, extinction procedures work to eliminate the undesired behavior.

Question 4

To increase the likelihood that treatment gains during therapy will carry over to the client's real-life setting, therapists will

Accepted Answer

Teaching behaviors that are likely to be naturally reinforced in a client's environment ensures that the positive behaviors learned in therapy are more likely to be maintained outside of therapy. This approach helps clients to integrate and apply therapeutic gains in real-life settings by leveraging the natural consequences and reinforcements that occur in their everyday lives.  Generalization techniques attempt to increase the similarity between therapy and real-life settings of target behaviors, models, reinforcers, and demands of the environment.

Question 5

Which of the following statements is LEAST likely to be an example of faulty thinking?

Accepted Answer

Faulty thinking is based on unreasonable attitudes (I must be perfect), false premises (I'll be popular if I do everything they want me to do), and rigid rules (I must obey authorities no matter what).

Question 6

A client's therapist is confronting him. She wants him to think more about what he wants to do rather than what he should do. The therapist is most likely using ________ therapy.

Accepted Answer

Rational-emotive therapy often involves challenging and changing irrational beliefs and emphasizes thinking more about one's desires rather than adhering strictly to perceived obligations or "shoulds."  Rational-emotive therapy, developed by Albert Ellis, is a way of counteracting the "shoulds, oughts, and musts" that sometimes rule our lives in undesirable ways and cause us to experience distress.

Question 7

Which of the following items is out of place?

Accepted Answer

Albert Bandura is out of place because he is primarily known for his work on social learning theory and self-efficacy, not for his association with rational-emotive therapy (RET), which is closely linked with Albert Ellis, the founder of RET. The terms "shoulds," "oughts," and "musts" are often discussed in the context of RET, making the other options relevant to the topic.  RET is rational-emotive therapy, developed by Albert Ellis as a way of counteracting the "shoulds, oughts, and musts" that sometimes rule our lives in undesirable ways and cause us to experience distress. Bandura was not associated with this particular model.

Question 8

When a husband blames himself for not having enough interest in engaging in sexual activity with his wife, the rational-emotive therapist he is seeing is most likely to

Accepted Answer

Rational-emotive therapy (RET), developed by Albert Ellis, focuses on identifying irrational beliefs and disputing them to change the client's pattern of thinking. In this scenario, the therapist would likely challenge the husband's self-blame and explore alternative explanations for his lack of interest in sexual activity, aligning with the principles of RET.  In therapy, beliefs like this one are disputed through rational confrontation and examination of alternative explanations.

Question 9

Posted on the wall in the room where the wrestling team practices, a sign reads: "You can achieve it if you believe it and if you believe it you can do it!" The wrestlers might not realize it, but this statement is very similar to a basic assumption of

Accepted Answer

The statement reflects a fundamental assumption of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), which posits that our thoughts (what we believe) can influence our feelings and behaviors (what we can achieve or do). CBT focuses on identifying and changing negative or maladaptive thought patterns to improve emotional regulation and develop personal coping strategies that target solving current problems.  This approach combines the cognitive emphasis on changing false beliefs with a focus on reinforcement contingencies in the modification of performance.

Question 10

When a basketball player becomes frustrated after missing a series of three-point shots, the coach tells her, "Don't say to yourself 'I can't do it,' say to yourself, 'The next three shots are going in.'" This advice is very similar to what a cognitive-behavior therapist would call

Accepted Answer

The coach's advice to change the player's negative self-talk into a positive affirmation is an example of cognitive restructuring. This technique involves identifying and challenging negative thoughts and beliefs, and replacing them with positive ones. It is a key component of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).  Cognitive restructuring modifies unacceptable behavior patterns by changing a person's negative self-statements into constructive coping statements.

Question 11

Which of the following statements best illustrates the concept of self-efficacy?

Accepted Answer

Self-efficacy refers to an individual's belief in their capacity to execute behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainments. Statement A ("I can do this well.") directly reflects an individual's belief in their ability to perform a task successfully, illustrating the concept of self-efficacy.  By setting realistic goals, developing realistic strategies to reach them, and evaluating feedback realistically, you develop a sense of mastery and self-efficacy, the belief that you can handle the situation positively.

Question 12

A clinical version of existential psychology assumes that, given the bewildering number of realities faced by people today, ________ syndromes reflect a retreat from these realities; and ________ syndromes reflect exploitation of these realities.

Accepted Answer

Depressive and obsessive syndromes are often seen as ways individuals retreat from the complexities and challenges of reality, showing withdrawal or fixation. Sociopathic and narcissistic syndromes, on the other hand, can be viewed as ways individuals exploit or manipulate these realities to their advantage, showing a lack of empathy or an excessive focus on oneself.  Existential therapy is based on the idea that people suffer existential crises -- problems of everyday living, a lack of meaningful relationships, and an absence of significant goals. These crises give rise to these two basic kinds of human maladies.

Question 13

The human-potential movement, which emerged in the United States in the late 1960s, resulted most directly in

Accepted Answer

The human-potential movement emphasized personal growth and self-fulfillment, leading to the extension of therapy and therapeutic practices to individuals who were not necessarily diagnosed with psychological disorders, aiming to help them achieve their full potential.

Question 14

"The primary goal of my therapy is to promote healthy psychological growth in the individual." The person most likely to have made this statement is

Accepted Answer

Carl Rogers is known for his development of client-centered therapy, which focuses on the individual's potential for growth and self-improvement. This approach emphasizes the importance of a supportive therapeutic environment that fosters psychological growth.  Client-centered therapy begins with the assumption that all people have the tendency to self-actualize or reach their potential. Healthy development is hindered by faulty learning patterns.

Question 15

In the view of Carl Rogers, anxiety and unhappiness result from

Accepted Answer

Carl Rogers, a humanistic psychologist, believed that anxiety and unhappiness arise from conflicts between an individual's self-image and the negative feedback they receive from the external environment. This discrepancy leads to conditions of incongruence, where there is a mismatch between the self-concept and experiences, causing distress.

Question 16

A woman seems to be more concerned with what others think of her than of what she thinks of herself. According to Carl Rogers, the woman

Accepted Answer

According to Carl Rogers, individuals who are overly concerned with the opinions of others rather than their own self-evaluation are likely to experience conditions of worth that lead to anxiety and unhappiness. Rogers emphasized the importance of self-concept and congruence for psychological health.  Faulty learning patterns may result in acceptance of the evaluation of others as more important than those provided by our own bodies and minds. This creates a conflict between external criticisms and naturally positive self-image, which in turn creates unhappiness and anxiety.

Question 17

Unconditional positive regard, genuineness, and empathy for their clients characterize the approach of those who practice ________ therapy.

Accepted Answer

Client-centered therapy, developed by Carl Rogers, is characterized by unconditional positive regard, genuineness, and empathy towards clients.

Question 18

Imagine that you are asked to role-play a client-centered therapist in a classroom exercise. When the student who is playing your client screams, "Nobody does what I tell them to!" you should respond

Accepted Answer

The correct response, "You sound angry and frustrated," reflects the principles of client-centered therapy, which emphasizes empathy and understanding from the therapist's perspective without judgment or interpretation. This approach, developed by Carl Rogers, focuses on reflecting the client's feelings to help them explore their own emotions and behaviors in a supportive environment.  The basic strategy is to recognize, accept, and clarify the client's feelings. Client-centered therapy is nondirective, facilitating the client's search for self-awareness and self-acceptance.

Question 19

A type of therapy developed by Fritz Perls that attempts to make a person whole by expressing pent-up feelings and dealing with unfinished business from past conflicts is called ________ therapy.

Accepted Answer

Gestalt therapy, developed by Fritz Perls, focuses on helping individuals achieve self-awareness and resolve unfinished business by expressing previously unexpressed feelings and thoughts.

Question 20

A therapist who is using the "empty chair technique" is

Accepted Answer

The "empty chair technique" is a method used in Gestalt therapy, where a client speaks to an empty chair imagining someone (or a part of themselves) is there. This technique helps clients explore and confront their feelings and emotions.  The client is asked to imagine that a feeling, person, situation, or object is occupying the empty chair that has been placed beside him or her. The client is encouraged to talk to the chair's occupant with the goal of expressing emotions and exploring the impact that the occupant of the chair has had on the client's life.

Quiz 15: Therapies for Psychological Disorders