Question 1

Marcy suffers from depression and she spends a great deal of time each day dwelling on her depressed feelings.Research would suggest that Marcy is at increased risk of developing

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that individuals with depression who ruminate on their feelings are at an increased risk of developing unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as binge eating habits, as a way to manage their emotional distress.

Question 2

Seligman found that people with a pessimistic explanatory style are especially vulnerable to depression.These individuals tend to attribute their setbacks to ____,and draw ____ conclusions about their personal inadequacies.

Accepted Answer

People with a pessimistic explanatory style tend to attribute their setbacks to personal flaws, and draw global, far-reaching conclusions about their personal inadequacies. This can lead to feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, which makes them more vulnerable to depression.

Question 3

The most recent research on biological factors in depression has focused on

Accepted Answer

The most recent research on biological factors in depression has focused on hormones, particularly the role of hormones such as cortisol, serotonin, and dopamine in mood regulation.

Question 4

Researchers have found that bipolar disorder occurs

Accepted Answer

Bipolar disorder occurs with equal frequency in women and men, indicating that gender does not play a significant role in the likelihood of developing this condition.

Question 5

Which of the following statements is MOST accurate concerning the onset of bipolar disorder?

Accepted Answer

The peak age of onset for bipolar disorder is in the late teenage years, with symptoms typically appearing between the ages of 15 and 19. While bipolar disorder can occur at any age, including middle and late adulthood, the most common age of onset is during adolescence and young adulthood.

Question 6

The Featured Study "Does Negative Thinking Cause Depression" found that participants who

Accepted Answer

The study found that participants who exhibited a negative cognitive style (i.e. negative thinking patterns) were more likely to develop depression.

Question 7

Suicide rates are highest among people with which of the following specific disorders?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Suicide rates are highest among people with...

Question 8

Jose has a psychological disorder,and his doctor has prescribed a drug that affects both the levels of norepinephrine and serotonin in Jose's nervous system.Based on this information,it is MOST likely that Jose is being treated for

Accepted Answer

The drugs that affect both norepinephrine and serotonin levels are usually selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SSNRIs) or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). Both of these types of drugs are commonly used to treat depression, suggesting that Jose is being treated for depression.

Question 9

According to Susan Nolen-Hoeksema depressed people who tend to ruminate about their depression

Accepted Answer

According to Susan Nolen-Hoeksema, individuals who ruminate about their depression tend to remain depressed for a longer period of time.

Question 10

Sarah is a 23-year-old woman whose sister has recently been diagnosed with a depressive disorder.Jacob is a 25-year-old man whose brother has recently been diagnosed with a depressive disorder.Based on studies which have investigated genetic vulnerability,you should predict that

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that individuals with a first-degree relative (such as a sibling) who has been diagnosed with depression have a higher risk of developing the disorder themselves. Therefore, Sarah, who has a sister with depression, is at a higher risk than Jacob, who has a brother with depression.

Question 11

Correlations between mood disorders and a variety of structural abnormalities in the brain suggest that reduced volume in the ____ is related to depression.

Accepted Answer

Studies have consistently shown that individuals with depression have reduced volume in the hippocampus, which is involved in memory and emotional regulation. The other brain regions listed (amygdala, hypothalamus, thalamus) have also been implicated in mood disorders, but research has not consistently found structural abnormalities in these regions.

Question 12

Jacobs maintains that depression occurs when

Accepted Answer

Jacobs argues that major life stress can cause neurochemical reactions that suppress neurogenesis, which can lead to depression.

Question 13

Studies that have evaluated concordance rates for various mood disorders have found

Accepted Answer

Studies have consistently found that the influence of genetic factors is stronger for bipolar disorders than for unipolar disorders. This is likely due to the fact that bipolar disorder is a more complex disorder, involving both depressive and manic episodes, and thus may have a greater genetic component.

Question 14

Jay has periods of elevated mood to the point of extreme euphoria and optimism that are followed by periods of depression.Jay is MOST likely to be diagnosised with a

Accepted Answer

The description of Jay experiencing both periods of elevated mood and extreme optimism followed by periods of depression is indicative of bipolar disorder, a mood disorder characterized by these cyclical episodes of manic and depressive symptoms. Dissociative disorders involve disruptions in consciousness, memory, and identity, while fugue states involve dissociative amnesia and wandering behavior. Obsessive-compulsive disorder involves persistent, intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors, which do not align with Jay's described symptoms.

Question 15

Darla was fired from her most recent job.Based on Seligman's investigations into the cognitive factors that might contribute to depression,Darla will be MOST prone to depression if she attributes her firing to

Accepted Answer

According to Seligman, individuals who attribute negative events to internal, stable, and global causes are more prone to depression. If Darla attributes her firing to her inability to do her job successfully (an internal cause), she may be at risk for depression. In contrast, options B, C, and D suggest external causes, such as her boss's bad mood, the economy, or a coworker's rumors, and therefore may be less likely to contribute to depression.

Question 16

Recent research has revealed that depressed patients have elevated levels of

Accepted Answer

Recent research has shown that depressed patients have elevated levels of cortisol, a stress hormone produced by the adrenal glands. This is believed to contribute to the symptoms of depression, such as fatigue, lack of motivation, and negative mood.

Question 17

With regard to age,suicides peak in the

Accepted Answer

Suicide rates tend to be highest among the elderly, particularly those over 75 years old, due to factors like isolation, health issues, and loss of loved ones.

Question 18

According to Seligman people who exhibit a ____ explanatory style are especially vulnerable to depression.

Accepted Answer

Seligman's theory of learned helplessness suggests that people with a pessimistic explanatory style tend to view negative events as stable, universal, and internal. This means they see negative events as unchangeable, affecting every area of their life, and caused by something personal about themselves. This type of thinking can lead to feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, which are known risk factors for depression.

Question 19

The cognitive approach to explaining the etiology of depressive disorders maintains that people who are more likely to develop depressive disorders tend to do all of the following EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

The cognitive approach to depression focuses on negative thinking patterns, such as attributing setbacks to personal flaws, ruminating, and having a pessimistic explanatory style. Misinterpreting harmless situations as threatening is more related to anxiety disorders, not depression.

Question 20

It is safest to conclude that after 40 years of research effort,the neurochemical bases of mood disorders

Accepted Answer

While there has been significant research into the neurochemical bases of mood disorders over the last 40 years, a complete understanding of these disorders has not yet been achieved. While progress has been made, the causes and mechanisms behind mood disorders remain mysterious. Therefore, it is safest to conclude that the answer is D: remains mysterious.

Quiz 15: Psychological Disorders