Question 1

Mendez is a researcher who believes that physical and emotional health are affected by the complex interaction of biological, psychological, behavioral, and social factors. Thus, Dr. Mendez tends to follow the _____ model in her research.

Accepted Answer

The biopsychosocial model posits that health and illness are influenced by the interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors. This aligns with Dr. Mendez's beliefs about the complex interplay of factors that affect health. Option A (general adaptation) and option B (psychoneuroimmunology) both focus on specific aspects (stress and immune system, respectively) rather than the broader spectrum covered by the biopsychosocial model. Option D (cognitive appraisal) focuses on the way individuals interpret and cope with stress, which is one component of the biopsychosocial model but doesn't capture the full range of factors involved.

Question 2

The Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS):

Accepted Answer

The Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS) was developed to quantify and rank major life events that produce stress in a person's life. It does not measure acculturative stress, estimate recovery time based on personality measures, or measure the effect of everyday events on health and well-being.

Question 3

_____ is a negative emotional state occurring in response to events that are perceived as taxing or exceeding a person's resources or ability to cope.

Accepted Answer

Stress is defined as a negative emotional state that occurs in response to events that are perceived as taxing or exceeding a person's resources or ability to cope. A hassle is a minor frustration or annoyance, and a stressor is an event or situation that causes stress. Appraisal refers to the way a person evaluates or perceives a situation, which can influence whether or not they experience stress.

Question 4

A number of problems with the life events approach have been identified. Which of the following is NOT one of them?

Accepted Answer

There is no evidence of an inverse relationship between SRRS scores and physical and psychological problems. In fact, research shows that higher scores on the SRRS indicate higher stress levels and greater risk for health problems, while lower scores suggest less stress and lower risks.

Question 5

Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe believed that any change that required you to adjust your behavior and lifestyle would cause stress. In an attempt to measure the amount of stress people experienced, they developed the:

Accepted Answer

The Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS) was developed by Holmes and Rahe to measure the amount of stress a person experiences based on major life events or changes that require significant adjustments in behavior and lifestyle. The other options listed do not relate to this specific measure of stress.

Question 6

Early stress researchers Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe:

Accepted Answer

Holmes and Rahe believed that any change, whether it was positive or negative, that required a person to adjust their behavior or lifestyle would cause stress. This idea formed the basis of their Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS), which measures stress levels based on life events. The SRRS includes both positive and negative life events, such as marriage, divorce, moving, and job changes, and assigns each event a score based on its perceived level of stress.

Question 7

Which of the following is the BEST definition of stress?

Accepted Answer

Stress is a negative emotional state caused by the perception that one is unable to cope with events or circumstances. While A and B may contribute to stress, they are not the best definition of stress. D refers to cognitive processes and is not a complete definition of stress.

Question 8

A(n) _____involves conjuring up mental images of people, circumstances, or items that you are thankful for.

Accepted Answer

Conjuring up mental images of people, circumstances, or items that you are thankful for is a technique used in gratitude practice. Keeping a gratitude list is one way to implement this technique.

Question 9

The events or situations that are perceived as harmful, threatening, or challenging are called:

Accepted Answer

The events or situations that are perceived as harmful, threatening, or challenging are referred to as stressors. Catecholamines are hormones produced by the adrenal gland that are involved in the body's response to stress. Daily hassles are minor, everyday stressors that can accumulate over time and affect overall stress levels. Life change units are a way of quantifying the amount of stress associated with major life events.

Question 10

When Angela goes to graduate school she wants to focus on how psychological, social, emotional, and behavioral factors influence health, illness, and treatment. Angela's interest is in:

Accepted Answer

Angela's interest in exploring how psychological, social, emotional, and behavioral factors impact health, illness, and treatment aligns with the field of health psychology. Health psychology explores the interplay between psychological and physiological factors in health and illness, and how interventions can improve health outcomes.

Question 11

Health psychology is guided by the _____ model of health, illness, and well-being.

Accepted Answer

The biopsychosocial model emphasizes that health and illness are the result of a combination of biological, psychological, and social factors. This approach considers multiple factors that contribute to an individual's overall health and well-being, rather than focusing solely on one aspect (such as stress or immune function) as in other models. As a result, the biopsychosocial model is the guiding framework for health psychology.

Question 12

When Chris missed his connecting flight due to bad weather he became extremely upset and worried about the important meeting he was going to miss. In this scenario the missed connection is an example of a _____, and his response to the missed connection is an example of _____.

Accepted Answer

The missed connection is a stressor, which is defined as any event or situation that triggers a stress response. Chris's response to this stressor is stress, which is the physical and emotional response to a stressor.

Question 13

The branch of psychology that studies how biological, behavioral, and social factors influence health, illness, medical treatment, and health-related behaviors is called:

Accepted Answer

Health psychology specifically studies the intersection of biological, behavioral, and social factors in relation to health and illness. Social psychology focuses on how social factors influence behavior and cognition, while biological psychology focuses on the biological basis of behavior. Psychoneuroimmunology is a subfield within health psychology that specifically studies the interactions between psychological processes, nervous system functioning, and immune system functioning.

Question 14

Gordon uses the biopsychosocial model to guide her research into how psychological factors influence health, illness, and treatment. Dr. Gordon is MOST likely a:

Accepted Answer

The biopsychosocial model is a framework used in the field of health psychology, which explores how psychological, social, and biological factors impact health and illness. Therefore, Dr. Gordon is most likely a health psychologist.

Question 15

In contrast to the conclusions reached by early stress researchers Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe, contemporary health psychologists found that:

Accepted Answer

Contemporary health psychologists have found that most people are able to handle major life events without developing severe physical or psychological problems, which contradicts the earlier conclusions of Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe.

Question 16

During their third year at college Tammy and Timothy both lost their part-time jobs in the library due to funding cutbacks. Tammy was mildly disturbed. She shrugged her shoulders and said she'd soon get another job. Timothy was distraught and believed he might have to quit college. Their different reactions to the same stressful event emphasizes the importance of:

Accepted Answer

Tammy and Timothy's different reactions to losing their jobs suggest that their cognitive appraisals of the event played a significant role in their response to stress. Tammy may have perceived the loss of her job as a minor setback and therefore remained calm, while Timothy may have seen it as a major threat to his ability to continue college, leading to his more extreme reaction.

Question 17

Which of the following people developed the cognitive appraisal model of stress?

Accepted Answer

Richard Lazarus developed the cognitive appraisal model of stress, which proposes that how individuals perceive and interpret a stressful event influences the degree of stress experienced. The model suggests that the primary appraisal, where the event is evaluated for its relevance and implications, and secondary appraisal, which assesses an individual's resources for coping with the event, both play a critical role in determining stress levels.

Question 18

Which model of stress emphasizes the role of an individual's evaluation of events and situations and of the resources that he or she has available to deal with the event or situation?

Accepted Answer

The cognitive appraisal model emphasizes the role of an individual's evaluation of events and situations, and of the resources that he or she has available to deal with the event or situation. This model suggests that stress results from an individual's perception of the situation rather than the situation itself. The other models mentioned (fight-or-flight model, tend-and-befriend model, and acculturative stress model) each have their own unique emphasis and do not focus on the cognitive appraisal process in the same way.

Question 19

The Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS), which was an attempt to quantify and rank the impact of stress-producing events in a person's life, was developed by:

Accepted Answer

The Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS) was developed by Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe in 1967.

Question 20

When Rachel completed the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS) experiment her score based on events during the previous year was 350 life change units. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

Accepted Answer

The SRRS is only weakly correlated with the development of physical and psychological problems, so it is not possible to make an accurate prediction about Rachel's future health based solely on her score of 350 life change units. It is important to consider individual differences in coping skills and social support as well.

Quiz 12: Section 2: Stress, Health, and Coping