Question 1

The social or environmental setting of a person's behavior is referred to as ________.

Accepted Answer

The term "situational context" refers to the social or environmental setting in which a person's behavior occurs. It refers to the physical, social, and cultural factors that influence behavior in a particular situation. Therefore, choice A is the correct answer. The historical context refers to the time period and cultural context in which a behavior occurs, whereas the cohort effect refers to the impact that being born in a particular time period or generation has on a person's development. Societal norms refer to the unwritten rules and expectations that guide behavior in a particular society.

Question 2

Which of the following is one definition of abnormal behavior?

Accepted Answer

Abnormal behavior is often defined as behavior that is rare or statistically unusual within a given population.

Question 3

Hippocrates maintained that mental illness was ________.

Accepted Answer

Hippocrates believed that mental illness was caused by imbalances of vital body fluids known as humors. The humors were thought to be blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm, and an excess or deficiency of any of these could lead to various physical and mental disorders.

Question 4

What is the branch of psychology that is concerned with the study of abnormal behavior and psychological dysfunction?

Accepted Answer

Psychopathology is the branch of psychology that is concerned with the study of abnormal behavior and psychological dysfunction. Choice A (health psychology) deals with the interplay between psychological and physical health, Choice C (psychobiology) studies the biological basis of behavior and mental processes, and Choice D (developmental psychology) studies how individuals develop and change over their lifetimes.

Question 5

You are a psychologist who is evaluating the behavior of a new client. The client tells you that he does not like to wear clothing and that he walks around nude most of the time. In addition, he tells you that he lives in a society in which clothing is required and nudity is seen as abnormal. Which of the following is NOT a criterion by which you evaluate your client's behavior as abnormal?

Accepted Answer

Subjective discomfort is not a criterion for evaluating behavior as abnormal.

Question 6

For those people in the Middle Ages who believed abnormal behavior resulted from spirit possession, the treatment of choice was ________.

Accepted Answer

During the Middle Ages, the predominant belief was that abnormal behavior was caused by possession by evil spirits or demons. Therefore, the treatment of choice was exorcism, which involved the ritualistic expulsion of the supposed demon from the possessed individual's body. Other treatments such as herbal cures and trepanning were used in some cases, but exorcism was the primary approach to addressing abnormal behavior during this time period.

Question 7

When one uses the medical model, psychological disorder will be diagnosed according to all of the following EXCEPT ________.

Accepted Answer

The medical model of psychological disorders focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of the disorder. It takes into account etiology (the cause of the disorder), prognosis (the predicted outcome of the disorder), and course (the pattern and duration of the disorder). However, the medical model does not necessarily dictate the specific treatment that should be used for a particular disorder, as treatment options may vary based on individual factors and preferences.

Question 8

What was the most likely outcome for a person who was mentally ill and accused of being a witch during the Renaissance?

Accepted Answer

During the Renaissance, there was a widespread belief that mental illnesses were caused by demonic possession or witchcraft. Therefore, a person who was mentally ill and accused of being a witch was most likely to be subjected to a witch hunt and ultimately sentenced to death through burning, hanging, or drowning. Sadly, many innocent women (and men) were falsely accused and executed as part of the witch trials.

Question 9

During the Renaissance, abnormal behavior was believed to result from ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of During the Renaissance, abnormal behavior was believed...

Question 10

Nicholas is a man whom the local college students all think of as eccentric. Each day he stands on campus, smiling at people as they walk by, and he is known for his ever-present greeting of "Good luck!" In fact, the students at this campus have come to refer to him as "Good Luck Nick." Nobody knows if he has a home or if he is destitute, but Nicholas never asks for anything. Which of the four criteria of mental illness might Nicholas satisfy?

Accepted Answer

Nicholas is displaying social norm deviance by standing on campus and smiling at people while constantly saying "Good luck." Though he is not necessarily harming others or himself, his behavior goes against what is considered to be typical or conventional on a college campus. However, it is important to note that this does not necessarily mean Nicholas has a mental illness, as eccentric behavior or personality traits are not always indicative of a disorder.

Question 11

What is the primary difficulty with applying the criterion of "social norm deviance" to define abnormal behavior?

Accepted Answer

The primary difficulty with applying the criterion of "social norm deviance" to define abnormal behavior is that behavior that is considered disordered in one culture may be acceptable in another. Different cultures have different norms and values, meaning that what is considered abnormal in one culture may be considered acceptable in another. Therefore, it is not appropriate to use social norm deviance as the sole criterion for defining abnormal behavior.

Question 12

Archaeologists have found skulls from as long ago as 3000 BCE that bear evidence of an ancient surgical technique, in which holes were cut into the skulls of live individuals in an attempt to release demons from the possessed victim. This process is called ________.

Accepted Answer

The surgical technique described in the question is trephining, which involves cutting holes in the skull of a living individual. Trephining was often performed in ancient times as a way to release evil spirits or demons from the possessed victim. The other options (drilling, humoring, and exorcism) are not accurate descriptions of this specific surgical technique.

Question 13

Which term refers to a way to define abnormality by comparing an individual's behavior to the norms or standards of the society in which an individual lives?

Accepted Answer

Social norm deviance is the term that refers to defining abnormality by comparing an individual's behavior to the norms or standards of the society in which they live. Norms are the unwritten rules of behavior that define what is considered acceptable or unacceptable in a particular society. By deviating from these norms, an individual's behavior may be considered abnormal or deviant.

Question 14

As part of a fraternity initiation ritual, Saul is instructed to interrupt a school basketball game by running on the court naked while singing the nursery rhyme "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." If Sam complies with this ritual, his behavior would BEST illustrate ________.

Accepted Answer

Saul's behavior would be considered deviant from social norms as it goes against the accepted behavior in a public setting such as a basketball game.

Question 15

Today, trephining is done to ________.

Accepted Answer

Trephining, also known as trepanation, is a surgical procedure that involves drilling or scraping a hole in the skull. In modern times, it is only done in rare cases to relieve pressure of fluids on the brain, such as in cases of edema, hemorrhage, or tumors. The belief that trephining could release demons from possessed individuals is a historical misconception.

Question 16

Ancient Greeks believed imbalances in ________ caused abnormality, while people living during the Middle Ages believed it was caused by ________. However, present-day psychologists often view psychological disorders from a ________ model.

Accepted Answer

The ancient Greeks believed in the bodily fluids theory, and people living during the Middle Ages believed abnormality was caused by the devil or evil spirits. Present-day psychologists often view psychological disorders from a biopsychosocial model, which takes into account biological, psychological, and social factors that contribute to the development of psychological disorders. Therefore, option D is the correct answer.

Question 17

Ellie is a graduate student in psychology at the local university. She is interested in one day specializing in the study of abnormal behavior and psychological dysfunctions. What area of psychology should she focus on in school?

Accepted Answer

Psychopathology is the study of abnormal behavior and psychological dysfunctions, which align with Ellie's interests. Health psychology focuses on how psychological factors impact physical health, psychobiology focuses on the biological basis of behavior, and developmental psychology focuses on how people develop and change throughout their lifetimes. While these areas may be related to abnormal behavior, they are not as closely aligned with Ellie's interests as psychopathology.

Question 18

You are a contestant on Jeopardy!, and it is your turn. You say to Alex, "I'll take Ancient Explanations of Mental Illness for $100." The answer is, "His was the first recorded attempt to explain abnormal behavior as due to some biological process." The smile on your face reveals the confidence you have as you say ________.

Accepted Answer

The question is about the first recorded attempt to explain abnormal behavior as due to some biological process, which aligns with the teachings of Hippocrates. Freud focused more on the psychological and subconscious factors influencing behavior, while Rogers emphasized the importance of a person's self-concept in determining their behavior. Watson was a behaviorist who believed that all behavior could be explained through conditioning.

Question 19

Which was the term that Hippocrates used to describe the body's vital fluids that were believed to be the foundation of healthy or abnormal psychological functioning?

Accepted Answer

Hippocrates used the term "humors" to describe the body's vital fluids that were believed to be the foundation of healthy or abnormal psychological functioning. These humors included blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. A balance of these humors was thought to be essential for good health, and an excess or deficiency of any one humor was believed to cause specific physical or psychological symptoms.

Question 20

It is not unreasonable to assume that in ancient times, signs of mental illness were believed to be caused by ________.

Accepted Answer

In ancient times, mental illness was often attributed to supernatural causes, such as possession by demons or evil spirits.

Quiz 14: Psychological Disorders