LearningCurve 10a. Stress: Some Basic Concepts; Stress Effects and Health; Coping With Stress

Zelda is a human resources director for a chain of fast-food restaurants. When interviewing prospective employees, Zelda is known to finish their sentences and to be very short with them if they do not finish a sentence quickly. According to Friedman et al., Zelda is a Type _____ personality.

A

The pioneering stress theorist _____ proposed the general adaptation syndrome to describe the body's response to stressors.

Hans Selye

A month ago Jason lost his job due to circumstances beyond his control, and he is very concerned about his financial situation. Since then, he has learned that his wife will not be able to return to the United States because she cannot get her green card and that his rent-controlled apartment is being sold, meaning he must find another place to live. Given what happens when people feel unable to control their environment, which of the following do you think is happening to Jason?

His immune response is dropping.

Jessica was walking home from work when she found a $20 bill on the ground. No one was around, so she picked up the money. As she rounded the corner, she saw a woman with an armful of groceries entering a building. Which of the following scenarios is MOST likely?

Jessica rushes to hold the door for the woman.

_____ cells pursue and destroy diseased cells in the body.

NK

Maxine owes the credit card company $50,000, her adjustable-rate mortgage has just gone up, and she has been out of work for three months. On top of this, her mother informed her yesterday that after 25 years of marriage, she was divorcing her father. With that news, she collapsed and had to be taken to the emergency room. According to Hans Selye, in which stage of the general adaptation syndrome is she?

Phase 3, in a state of exhaustion

Shada's father had a serious heart attack several weeks ago. She is concerned because he lives alone. After his heart attack, which of the following would increase his odds of survival?

a dog

After the terrorist attacks of 9/11, many people around the country went to New York City to lend aid. This response to stress is an example of:

a tend-and-befriend response.

Dewey just won a $145 million lottery prize. If he is typical, one year from now, he will be:

about as happy as he was before he won the lottery.

The ____ phenomenon refers to the tendency to make judgments relative to a baseline established by our experience.

adaptation-level

Based on the textbook's discussion, experiencing less stress is to better managing stress as _____ is to _____.

being optimistic; practicing meditation

Based on the textbook's discussion, which choice is better suited to managing stress than to minimizing the experience of stress in the first place?

doing aerobic exercise

Looking for the "silver lining" in a challenging situation is an example of _____ coping.

emotion-focused

Those who have an _____ locus of control believe that chance or outside forces control their fate.

external

When people feel happy, they are more likely to be helpful. This is the _____ phenomenon.

feel good do good

With respect to the study of stress reactions, Cannon is to Selye as _____ is to _____.

fight-or-flight response; general adaptation syndrome

When researchers implanted tumor cells in rodents, they found that compared with unstressed animals, rodents who were in uncontrollable stress situations:

had larger tumors.

The proportion of very religious people is ______ that of nonreligious people who smoke.

one-half

Chronic stress has NOT been associated with:

optimism.

People with a(n) _____ outlook expect positive outcomes.

optimistic

Murphy's Law—the notion that if anything can go wrong, it will—expresses a(n) _____ outlook.

pessimistic

People with a(n) _____ outlook expect negative outcomes.

pessimistic

A stress reaction is a:

physical or emotional response.

In recent years, the study of happiness has taken on increased importance with the rise of ______ psychology.

positive

When labeling their feelings, "mindful people" show more activation in the brain's:

prefrontal cortex.

Attempting to alleviate stress directly by changing the stressor or the way one interacts with that stressor is known as _____-focused coping.

problem

Dr. Navarre investigates the link between coping strategies and immune system functioning during stressful situations. Dr. Navarre is BEST described as a:

psychoneuroimmunologist.

The field that studies our mind-body interactions is called _____.

psychoneuroimmunology

The field that studies our mind-body interactions is called:

psychoneuroimmunology.

Nadine believes she is less successful than most of her social media friends. This perception BEST illustrates the concept of:

relative deprivation.

Happiness has been found to be associated with:

religious faith.

The ability to rebound after negative experiences is called:

resilience.

In a now classic study, Meyer Friedman, Ray Rosenman, and their colleagues tested the idea that stress increases vulnerability to heart disease. The researchers measured the blood cholesterol level and clotting speed of 40 U.S. tax accountants. They found that:

stress predicted increased heart attack risk.

A physical or emotional response to a challenging or threatening event is called a(n) _____.

stress reaction

The process of appraising an event as threatening is called:

stress.

Lisa McCann and David Holmes (1984) assigned one-third of a group of mildly depressed female college students to a program of aerobic exercise, one-third to a treatment of relaxation exercises, and the remaining third (a control group) to no treatment. Which group reported the greatest decrease in depression?

those in the aerobic exercise group

Steptoe and Wardle (2011) obtained mood reports from a single day for 4000 British adults aged 52 to 79. Compared with those in a good mood on that day, those in a depressed mood were _____ likely to be dead five years later.

twice

Donald takes 15-minute lunch breaks, goes to the bathroom only when he can no longer hold it, has to have his cell phone with him at all times, checks his text messages the moment he wakes up, and puts in 14-hour days at the office. Donald is a Type _____ personality.

A

People who are competitive, super-motivated, impatient, and verbally aggressive are likely to be classified as Type _____.

A

A month ago Juan lost his job because of circumstances beyond his control, and he is now concerned about his financial situation. Also, his rent-controlled apartment is being sold, so he must find another place to live. Given what happens when people feel unable to control their environment, what is MOST likely to happen to Juan?

His immune response will drop.

Which statement is TRUE regarding happiness?

Those who are active in a religious faith are happier than those who are not.

An analysis of billions of social media status updates over a three-year-period revealed that ______ is the most emotionally "neutral" day of the week.

Thursday

Pioneering thinkers in psychology's history recognized the importance of happiness. _____, for example, wrote about it in 1902.

William James

Reluctantly, Valerie decides to take a long-awaited trip to New Zealand. The thing that is most disturbing to her is that she must leave her pet monkey behind. A "pet hotel" in the city has agreed to take him for her. Should she worry about him?

Yes. Monkeys under stress because of social disruptions have weakened immune systems.

Stacey has moved from the farm where she grew up with her parents to the "big city" to go to college. She realizes that things in the city are much different from the small town where she grew up. Her move is an example of:

a significant life change.

"Mindful people" show less activation in the brain's:

amygdala.

The correct order of the general adaptation syndrome (GAS) is:

an alarm reaction, resistance, exhaustion.

Compared to their parents, young Americans today have:

an external locus of control.

Major positive events such as winning the lottery usually lead to:

an initial surge in happiness followed by a slow return to previous levels.

Regular aerobic exercise has been found to correlate with all the following EXCEPT:

constriction of blood vessels.

One way to predict whether a person will have a future heart attack is to pluck a hair and measure its level of a hormone called _____.

cortisol

In the psychology of stress and health, the minor irritants or problems people deal with on a regular basis are called:

daily hassles.

Attempting to alleviate stress indirectly by avoiding or ignoring a stressor and attending to emotional needs related to one's stress reaction is known as _____ coping.

emotion-focused

The amount of stress that HIV-positive people experience is ______ correlated with the speed with which their disease progresses.

positively

Attempting to alleviate stress directly by changing the stressor or the way one interacts with the stressor is known as _____ coping.

problem-focused

Which concept is MOST nearly the opposite of personal control?

learned helplessness

The results of a large study described in the textbook suggest that workplace stress increases the risk of colon cancer by a factor of:

more than 5.

Researchers have reported a relationship between _____ and the progression of HIV infection to AIDS.

negative emotions

The ability to control impulses and delay gratification is called:

self-control.

Personal life changes such as getting married, getting divorced, or watching a child go off to college are examples of:

significant life changes.

The process of appraising an event as threatening or challenging is called _____.

stress

Process is to event as _____ is to _____.

stress; stressor

A challenging or threatening event that causes stress is called a(n) _____.

stressor

One's perceived satisfaction with life is called _____.

subjective well-being

Psychologists refer to a high ratio of positive to negative feelings as:

subjective well-being.

A local religious organization has taken an interest in reaching out to community members with AIDS. They were prompted to do this when they learned that religiously active AIDS patients _____ than do their nonreligious counterparts.

survive longer

A local religious organization has taken an interest in reaching out to community members with AIDS. They were prompted to do this when they learned that religiously active AIDS patients seem to _____ than do their nonreligious counterparts.

survive longer

When faced with a stressor, your brain sounds an alarm and activates your _____ nervous system.

sympathetic

People who are easygoing, are relaxed, and don't let things get to them are classified as Type _____.

B

These lymphocytes fight bacterial infections.

B lymphocytes

White blood cells called _____ fight bacterial infections.

B lymphocytes

Which statement is true regarding trends in Americans' buying power and happiness since 1950?

Buying power has increased since 1950, but happiness has remained constant.

These lymphocytes attack cancer cells, viruses, and other foreign substances.

T lymphocytes

Which type of cells attack cancer cells, viruses, and other foreign substances in the body?

T lymphocytes

White blood cells called _____ attack cancer cells, viruses, and other foreign substances.

T lymphocytes

People tend to use _____-focused coping strategies when they believe they cannot change a stressful situation.

The correct answer is: emotion

Aerobic exercise increases the body's production of the neurotransmitter ________.

serotonin

Research cited in the textbook suggests that one hour of exercise may add _____ hours to one's life.

seven

Optimism has been associated with:

smaller increases in blood pressure during stress.

Feeling liked and encouraged by intimate friends and family is called _____. It promotes happiness and health.

social support

In the psychology of health and stress, Hans Selye is associated with the study of:

the general adaptation syndrome.

One reason Type A personalities may be more prone to heart disease is that they are more often "combat ready," which leads to increased activity by the sympathetic nervous system and interferes with:

the liver's ability to remove cholesterol and fat from the blood.

In a survey of nearly 165,000 American adults, Witters and Wood (2015) found that, as compared to those who had not experienced a heart attack, those who had experienced a heart attack were ______ likely to report also having been depressed at some point in their lives.

twice as

Reeghan was diagnosed with high cholesterol, which led to a heart attack at the age of 52. According to research, which of the following factors increases her likelihood of having further heart problems?

depression

Jim has been taking medication and going to psychotherapy to treat his depressive symptoms. Which of the following would you also recommend to enhance his treatment?

do aerobic exercise

Based on the textbook's discussion, ______ may help us better manage stress, whereas ______ may help us experience less stress in the first place.

doing aerobic exercise; building social support

With respect to stress, which list contains items that all belong together?

doing aerobic exercise; participating in religious activity, managing stress

The third phase of the general adaptation syndrome (GAS) is characterized by _____.

exhaustion

The third phase of the general adaptation syndrome (GAS) is characterized by:

exhaustion.

Gerri's psychologist has suggested that she take time to relax and silently pay attention to her inner state. This technique is called:

mindfulness meditation.

Relaxing, silently attending to your inner state without judging, and mentally scanning your body from head to toe are all components of:

mindfulness meditation.

The 1980's new wave band The Cure released a song called "Friday I'm in Love" This song title is BEST described as:

on point; Friday is the happiest day of the week.

Attempting to alleviate stress by attending to one's feelings related to a situation is known as _____-focused coping.

emotion

People tend to use _____-focused coping strategies when they believe they cannot change a stressful situation.

emotion

Individuals reciting the Serenity Prayer ask for (1) the ability to accept the things they cannot change and (2) the courage to change the things they can. The first request is an endorsement of _____ coping, and the second is an endorsement of _____ coping.

emotion-focused; problem-solving

An investigation of the effects of relaxation techniques and aerobic exercise on depression revealed that:

exercise had a greater impact on depression than did relaxation.

One is MOST susceptible to illness during the _____ phase of the general adaptation syndrome.

exhaustion

The correct order of the general adaptation syndrome (GAS) is: an alarm reaction, resistance, and _____.

exhaustion

Individuals who have an internal locus of control generally have:

less obesity.

Diener et al. (2002) surveyed thousands of U.S. college students in 1976, then restudied them at age 37. The survey found that happy students had gone on to earn more money than their less happy peers. This study BEST exemplifies _____ research.

longitude

Shane's doctor suggests that he begin an aerobic exercise program in addition to the psychotherapy he receives for his depression. As a result, Shane will experience all of the following EXCEPT that he will:

become more depressed from the stress of the exercise program.

Which of the following people is the BEST example of a Type A personality?

Andre, a competitive, easily-angered journalist

The first phase of the general adaptation syndrome (GAS) is characterized by a(n) _____ reaction.

alarm

Selye's general adaptation syndrome begins with _____ and ends with _____.

alarm; exhaustion

Macrophages are cells that:

identify, pursue, and attack harmful invaders in the body.

After an aerobic exercise program, the body's production of serotonin _____.

increases

Aerobic exercise _____ the body's production of serotonin and _____ arousal.

increases; increases

Those who believe that they control their own destiny have a(n) _____ locus of control.

internal

Becky has a great deal going on in her life right now. She is employed full-time in a demanding job and is a part-time doctoral student. She has three children, one of whom still lives at home. She recently learned that her husband has been having an affair and wants a divorce. She seems to be coping well. According to Selye, Becky is in the second phase of the general adaptation syndrome, also known as the _____ phase.

resistance

The correct order of the general adaptation syndrome (GAS) is an alarm reaction, _____, exhaustion.

resistance

The second phase of the general adaptation syndrome (GAS) is characterized by _____.

resistance

The second phase of the general adaptation syndrome (GAS) is characterized by:

resistance.

Research has found that _____ temporarily weakens after an exertion, replenishes with rest, and becomes stronger with exercise.

self-control

The phase of the general adaptation syndrome which is MOST similar to the fight-or-flight response is:

the alarm reaction.

Compared to people in good marriages, people who are divorced are nearly _____ percent more likely to die early.

25

A stressor is a:

challenging or threatening event.

LGBTQ individuals who live in communities where they face significant intolerance or discrimination die _____ years earlier than do those living in more accepting communities.

12

Which statement is true about stress?

Surgical wounds heal more slowly in stressed people.

Relaxation exercises have been correlated with:

decreasing the risk of future attacks in Type A heart attack survivors.

An analysis of 45 studies (Kilpeläinen et al., 2012) revealed that physical activity can weaken the influence of genetic risk factors for obesity by just over _____ percent.

25

Frasure-Smith and Lesperance (2005) found that people with high scores for depression in the years following a heart attack were _____ times more likely than their low-scoring counterparts to develop further heart problems.

4

Heredity accounts for about _____ percent of the variation among people in happiness ratings.

50

Transitioning from an active exercise routine to a sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of depression in the next two years by just over _____ percent.

50

Research cited in the textbook suggests that one hour of exercise may add _____ hours to one's life.

7

In the introduction to Chapter 10, the textbook states that _____ in 10 Americans say they frequently or sometimes experience stress in their daily lives (Saad, 2017).

8

_____ refers to the perception that we are worse off relative to those with whom we compare ourselves.

Relative deprivation

Sandy is a human resources director for a chain of fast-food restaurants. When interviewing prospective employees, Sandy is known to finish their sentences and to be very short with them if they do not finish a sentence quickly. According to Friedman et al., which of the following would be an accurate statement about Sandy?

Sandy is a Type A personality.

Maggie, an avid cyclist, just started her fourth year of medical school. During her summer off of school, she had a bike accident that produced a large contusion on her knee. If Maggie had the same accident during finals week, what would you expect to happen?

She would heal more slowly than in the summer.

Mary just divorced her husband and had to move to a small apartment that she is able to afford with her income alone. She is now struggling to pay her monthly bills and cries regularly. Mary is experiencing:

a significant life change.

A physical and emotional response to a challenging or threatening event is called:

a stress reaction.

A challenging or threatening event is called:

a stressor.

Based on the textbook's discussion, which choice may enable one to prevent stress rather than simply manage it once it has occurred?

building social support

With respect to the immune system, underreacting is to overreacting as ______ is to ______.

cancer; arthritis

Marcus is going through a particularly difficult time because of work-related stress, his parents' health problems, impending final exams, and term paper deadlines. Marcus has a history of not dealing well with stress. The continuous stress is likely to cause all the following EXCEPT:

cause Marcus to develop cancer.

Because Type A people tend to be more abrasive and irritable, this combined with high cholesterol can:

cause altered heart rhythms that can lead to a heart attack.

In one 16-year study, researchers tracked 3900 Israelis living in nonreligious or in religiously orthodox collective settlements (Kark et al., 1996). Because the participants were tracked for a long period of time, the study exemplifies a _____ research design.

longitudinal