Question 1

Priscilla's husband insisted that she go to a mental health clinic when she was unable to explain or remember her frequent absences from home, phone calls from people that she claimed she had never heard of, and check stubs from checks that she couldn't remember writing. At the clinic, Priscilla admitted there were long stretches of her life that were completely blank to her. Suddenly, Priscilla's voice, facial expression, and demeanor changed, and she said to the clinic psychologist, "Don't pay any attention to that old Priscilla. She's just a bore. My name is Patty, and I'm a lot more fun to talk to." The psychologist at the clinic suspects that Priscilla may be suffering from:

Accepted Answer

Priscilla's sudden change in personality and memory gaps are consistent with dissociative identity disorder (formerly known as multiple personality disorder). Schizophrenia usually involves delusions, hallucinations, and disordered thinking. Amnesia refers to a loss of memory without the presence of multiple personalities. Posttraumatic stress disorder involves intrusive thoughts, memories, and flashbacks related to a traumatic event.

Question 2

Philip has been hospitalized for an episode of schizophrenia. He believes that secret agents are bombarding his brain with gamma rays, and he sometimes sees grotesque creatures climbing on the wall of his hospital room. Philip's symptoms are referred to as _____ symptoms of schizophrenia.

Accepted Answer

Philip's delusions and hallucinations are positive symptoms of schizophrenia, which refer to the presence of abnormal experiences, behaviors, or perceptions. These symptoms add something to the individual's experience, such as hallucinations, delusions, or disordered thinking.

Question 3

One important reason that some psychologists are skeptical of dissociative identity disorder is that:

Accepted Answer

The skepticism arises because the dramatic increase in reported cases since the 1970s suggests that the disorder may be influenced by cultural factors or diagnostic practices rather than being a naturally occurring condition.

Question 4

Keith was surprised when his boss invited a co-worker to lunch but did not invite him. At first, Keith was convinced that he had not been invited because they wanted to discuss Keith's job performance at lunch. Later, the co-worker told Keith that the boss had taken her to lunch to tell her that she was being laid off. Privately, Keith was relieved because it now made perfect sense to him why he had not been invited to lunch. In this scenario, Keith appears to be:

Accepted Answer

Keith's thought process in this scenario appears to be normal, as he initially assumed that he was not invited to lunch because of job performance concerns, but later understood that the real reason was the co-worker's layoff. He did not display any irrational or delusional thinking.

Question 5

Danny, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, falsely believes that outside forces in the form of aliens from another universe have power over him and actively influence and manipulate his actions and thoughts. These types of delusions are called delusions of:

Accepted Answer

Delusions of being controlled involve the false belief that one's thoughts or actions are being controlled by an external force, such as aliens or the government. This is different from delusions of grandeur, which involve an inflated sense of self-importance, or delusions of persecution, which involve the belief that others are out to harm or conspire against the individual. Delusions of reference involve the false belief that others are communicating secret messages or signs to the individual.

Question 6

The psychological disorder that is characterized by impaired functioning because of severely distorted beliefs, perceptions, and thought processes is called:

Accepted Answer

The psychological disorder that is characterized by impaired functioning because of severely distorted beliefs, perceptions, and thought processes is called schizophrenia. Major depressive disorder is a mood disorder characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest. Dissociative amnesia involves the inability to recall important personal information. Cyclothymic disorder is a mood disorder characterized by fluctuations between hypomanic and depressive moods that do not meet the criteria for a full manic or major depressive episode.

Question 7

A number of problems have been identified regarding the "traumatic memory" explanation (the dissociative coping theory) of dissociative identity disorder (DID). Which of the following is NOT one of the problems identified in the text?

Accepted Answer

The dissociative coping theory does not predict that DID patients would have a variety of other psychological disorders before being diagnosed with DID. This statement is incorrect as DID often co-occurs with other psychological disorders, which is consistent with the theory that traumatic experiences can lead to a range of mental health issues.

Question 8

In the disorder called dissociative identity disorder, the "alters," or distinct personalities:

Accepted Answer

Alters in dissociative identity disorder can be of different ages and genders, with each personality having its own distinct characteristics and memories.

Question 9

Present in virtually all cases of dissociative identity disorder are symptoms of:

Accepted Answer

Dissociative identity disorder is characterized by the presence of two or more distinct personality states or identities, each with its own pattern of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment and self. Along with this, individuals with dissociative identity disorder often experience amnesia, memory lapses, and memory problems.

Question 10

When a person exhibits symptoms such as bizarre postures or grimaces, extremely agitated behavior, very little speech, and the echoing of words just spoken by another person, the diagnosis would be:

Accepted Answer

The symptoms described are consistent with catatonia, a subtype of schizophrenia. The bizarre postures and grimaces suggest motor abnormalities and the lack of speech and echoing of words suggest disordered thought processes. Antisocial personality disorder is characterized by a disregard for the rights of others and violates social norms, often accompanied by criminal behavior. Posttraumatic stress disorder involves re-experiencing a traumatic event through flashbacks or nightmares. Dissociative identity disorder involves the presence of two or more distinct personality states that alternate control over a person's behavior. None of these conditions would fully capture the described symptoms.

Question 11

Which of the following is a positive symptom of schizophrenia?

Accepted Answer

Delusions are a positive symptom of schizophrenia, meaning they entail an excess or distortion of normal behavior. Delusions involve beliefs that are not based in reality and are often bizarre or paranoid in nature.

Question 12

Psychologists who support the diagnostic criteria of dissociative identity disorder argue that the sharp increase in reported cases in recent decades is probably due to:

Accepted Answer

Psychologists who support the diagnostic criteria of dissociative identity disorder argue that the increase in reported cases is due to greater clinical awareness of the disorder and increased screening for dissociative symptoms. This means that clinicians are better able to identify cases of dissociative identity disorder and are more likely to diagnose it. It is not likely that insurance coverage, drug use, or media coverage are driving the increase in reported cases.

Question 13

Why is the dissociative coping explanation of dissociative identity disorder difficult to test?

Accepted Answer

The dissociative coping explanation of dissociative identity disorder proposes that the disorder develops as a coping mechanism for individuals who have experienced severe trauma in childhood. However, it is often difficult to verify the reality of these traumatic experiences, particularly since dissociative identity disorder is usually diagnosed in adulthood. This makes it challenging to test the dissociative coping explanation empirically.

Question 14

After not seeing Rita for almost a week, a neighbor went to check on her. He discovered that Rita had barricaded all the doors and windows in her apartment because she believed that "terrorist forces" were going to attack her and her three cats. Rita appears to be suffering from:

Accepted Answer

Rita's belief that "terrorist forces" are going to attack her and her cats is a delusion of persecution.

Question 15

A falsely held belief that persists despite evidence contrary to the belief is formally called a:

Accepted Answer

A delusion is a fixed, false belief that persists despite evidence that contradicts it. Hallucinations refer to experiencing sensory perceptions (such as seeing or hearing things) that are not actually present. Negative symptoms of schizophrenia refer to the absence or reduction of typical behaviors or experiences, such as decreased emotional expression or motivation. Dissociation refers to a disruption or separation of one's sense of identity, memory, or consciousness.

Question 16

In dissociative identity disorder, it is generally believed that the "alters":

Accepted Answer

In dissociative identity disorder, the "alters" represent different dissociated parts of the individual's personality that cannot be integrated into the primary personality. These parts often hold traumatic memories and feelings that are too overwhelming for the individual to process and cope with.

Question 17

One explanation for dissociative identity disorder is that it results from:

Accepted Answer

Dissociative identity disorder is often associated with extreme trauma in childhood, where the alter egos or "alters" are created to embody the dissociated memories and emotions that are too painful for the primary personality to acknowledge. This theory is supported by studies on the high prevalence of childhood abuse among individuals with dissociative disorders.

Question 18

Despite attempts by his friends who have tried to reason with him, Simon is convinced that a news announcer on TV is talking in a special code about him and his thoughts. Simon appears to be experiencing delusions of:

Accepted Answer

Simon is experiencing delusions of reference, which means he believes that neutral events or random comments are directed specifically at him. He believes that a news announcer is talking in a code about him, which leads to the delusion of reference. The other options - being controlled, persecution, and grandeur - are not relevant to Simon's situation as described in the scenario.

Question 19

The most controversial dissociative disorder involves extensive memory disruptions along with the presence of two or more distinct identities. This disorder is called:

Accepted Answer

Dissociative identity disorder (DID) is the only disorder among the options provided that involves the presence of two or more distinct identities along with extensive memory disruptions. Hypochondriasis is a disorder characterized by excessive preoccupation with having a serious illness despite having no or mild medical symptoms. Dissociative fugue is a disorder in which an individual experiences temporary amnesia and travels away from home or work, whereas schizoid personality disorder involves low interest in social relationships, restricted emotions, and lack of pleasure in activities.

Question 20

Paul's girlfriend is very concerned about him because his thinking seems to have become increasingly confused. Today, Paul said that he was really the reincarnation of John Lennon, the former member of the Beatles who was shot and killed in 1980. Paul also told her that he had special musical powers and that he needed to start his own rock group so that he could deliver his message to the masses. Paul seems to be experiencing:

Accepted Answer

Paul is having delusions of grandeur, as he believes himself to be the reincarnation of a famous musician and thinks he has special musical powers to deliver a message to the masses.

Quiz 13: Section 2: Psychological Disorders