PSY 456 Chapter One

Social scientists use the term _____ ____ to describe the phenomenon of societies' "falling behind" in dealing with new challenges resulting from rapid technological and social change.

Cultural lag

Informal death education occurs in the context of _____ that arise out of events in daily life. "ethical issues" "subjective issues" "teachable moments" "speculative moments"

"teachable moments"

Identify the different ways in which the Internet can provide immediate support for crisis and loss. (Check all that apply.) Giving priority randomly to pleas for help and informing relevant sources accordingly Aiding trapped victims Getting supplies to those needing them Shutting all access to the Web in case of a medical emergency Linking to emergency care units in hospitals in case of emergencies

Aiding trapped victims Getting supplies to those needing them Linking to emergency care units in hospitals in case of emergencies

Identify the different kinds of encounters with death that people come across in newspapers and online news sources. (Check all that apply.) Death in an accident Death in a nightmare Death by suicide Death by murder

Death in an accident Death by suicide Death by murder

The ______ is a musical form associated with funeral processions and burials.

Dirge

_____ are musical settings for poems commemorating a person's death. Epitaphs Eulogies Euphemisms Elegies

Elegies

ICT is

Information and communcation technology

Identify the functions of death-related humor. (Check all that apply.) It raises our consciousness about a taboo subject by providing a way to talk about it. It is a great leveler; it treats everyone alike, sending the message that there are no exemptions from the human predicament. It prolongs the pain and assists in creating a traumatic situation. It provides a release from pain and helps bring control over a traumatic situation. It erases all memory of the dead by diverting the attention of the bereaved to lighter issues.

It raises our consciousness about a taboo subject by providing a way to talk about it. It is a great leveler; it treats everyone alike, sending the message that there are no exemptions from the human predicament. It provides a release from pain and helps bring control over a traumatic situation.

Deaths of famous people are likely to be announced on the front pages, followed by feature-length _____. critiques comments obituaries expositions

Obituaries

Identify the consequences of plain talk about death being subverted by substitutions. Reality is reprimanded and rebelled against. Reality is recognized and sympathized. Reality is ignored and discarded. Reality is devalued and depersonalized.

Reality is devalued and depersonalized.

Identify the various uses of the Internet for death-related information and education. (Check all that apply.) Providing emergency medical care Social networking for support Reducing inheritance taxes Cyber memorials Postmortem continuing bonds

Social networking for support Cyber memorials Postmortem continuing bonds

Recognize the four strands of emphasis relevant to terror management theory. (Check all that apply.) People don't think about death all that often. The basic motivation for human behavior is the need to control our basic anxiety, to deny the terror of death. Because the terror of death is so overwhelming, we conspire to keep it unconscious. Our gallant efforts at creating schemes to destroy evil are becoming increasingly successful. Our heroic projects that are aimed at destroying evil have the paradoxical effect of bringing more evil into the world. The world is a terrifying place.

The basic motivation for human behavior is the need to control our basic anxiety, to deny the terror of death. Because the terror of death is so overwhelming, we conspire to keep it unconscious. Our heroic projects that are aimed at destroying evil have the paradoxical effect of bringing more evil into the world. The world is a terrifying place.

Identify a statement that conforms to peoples' reactions when confronted with situations that involve a perceived threat. They ignore the situation and continue with routine activities. They engage in lengthy researches on the situation. They turn to the mass media for information. They distribute leaflets asking for public support.

They turn to the mass media for information.

When an earthquake takes millions of lives and leads to mass destruction in a country, people worldwide would _____ for information. look up research material consult a seismologist look for guidance from the leaders of their respective countries turn to mass media

Turn to mass media

In the context of death, substitutions of indirect or vague words and phrases for ones considered harsh or blunt are called _____. euphemisms acronyms metaphors annotations

euphemisms

People use _____ to subvert plain talk about death. dramatization fabrication euphemisms exaggeration

euphemisms

The images associated with the Danse Macabre display a concern with the stark features of mortality and _____. the dire injustice of death relief surrounding death fears of sudden, unexpected death acceptance of the peacefulness in death

fears of sudden, unexpected death

Death challenges the idea that human life _____. has meaning and purpose is short and unstable is worthless and unimportant comes to an abrupt end

has meaning and purpose

The medicalization of death has resulted in death being _____. hidden from public gaze publicized to a great extent given undue importance discussed only in private

hidden from public gaze

One of the most important and unique aspects of human experience in context of death is the awareness of our own _____. humor weakness control mortality

morality

The jazz funeral of New Orleans is a well-known example of a popular interpretation of _____. the death anxiety the dirge an obituary a death notice

the dirge

People being absent at the deaths of relatives or friends due to social and geographical mobility has resulted in _____. strengthening of family ties increased attendance at funerals the loss of shared death rituals increased funeral costs

the loss of shared death rituals

Existential questions are concerned with the nature of authenticity and _____. the responsibility of choice philosophies of other disciplines governmental actions and policies the mental and emotional effects of the bereaved

the responsibility of choice

Our relationship with death seems to be in a period of _____. acceptance upheaval rejection transition

transition

Despite public interest in death-related issues, individuals exhibit _____ when it comes to discussing death openly. an animosity toward the speaker a huge amount of enthusiasm a tendency to turn violent varying degrees of avoidance and acceptance

varying degrees of avoidance and acceptance

Sympathy cards represent a way for people to express condolences to the bereaved _____. with a candid reference to the dead by accepting responsibility for a death without directly mentioning death by pointing out the liabilities of the dead

without directly mentioning death

Identify an example which would conform to an informal death education. A training course for physicians who witness death frequently. A conference on death education. A fireman witnessing loss of lives when a shopping mall catches fire. Collegial interaction and communication offered by the Association for Death Education and Counseling.

A fireman witnessing loss of lives when a shopping mall catches fire.

True or false: The entertainment media has often been accused of impoverishment of death symbolism because it rarely depicts death in any form.

False

True or false: The normal human life span is too short to allow new genetic combinations from happening.

False

Identify the dynamic of spiralizing violence that characterizes so much of human history. Recognition of our lifelong losses and appreciation of our mortality Individuals exhibiting varying degrees of avoidance and acceptance when it comes to discussing death openly Thriving interest in dying, death, and bereavement Focusing on any kind of perceived threat and blowing it up psychologically into a life and death struggle against ultimate evil

Focusing on any kind of perceived threat and blowing it up psychologically into a life and death struggle against ultimate evil

The establishment of death studies in modern times can be traced to explorations of death by _____. Geoffrey Gorer in his essay "The Pornography of Death" Freud and others of the psychoanalytic school Sylvia Anthony's studies of children Erich Lindemann in his analysis of acute grief among survivors of a nightclub fire

Freud and others of the psychoanalytic school

_____ diffuses our anxiety about death. Humor Worry Depression Fear

Humor

Identify people who report less death anxiety. (Check all that apply.) Individuals with greater internal control Individuals who report a greater degree of self-actualization People who describe themselves as religious Individuals with agnostic beliefs

Individuals with greater internal control Individuals who report a greater degree of self-actualization People who describe themselves as religious

Signaling changes in body function by light, sound, and computer printout, sophisticated machines _____. can hardly give a true picture of the functioning of the human body can make a crucial difference in situations of life or death of an individual serve their purpose only to people associated closely with physicians have a tendency to mislead professionals in the medical field

can make a crucial difference in situations of life or death of an individual

_____ has been described as the "Iconographic reversal of the Tomb of the Unknowns" with its "vast polished surface" serving as "the tombstone of the known." The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall The Berlin Wall The Hadrian Wall in England The Wailing Wall of Jerusalem

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall

Identify expressions of managed death from the following statements. (Check all that apply.) The aim of refusing to end treatment even on request from near and dear ones. The aim of giving all possible medical care to delay death indefinitely. The aim of attempting to control the timing of death through physician-assisted suicide or euthanasia. The aim of ending treatment at the proper moment so that the person is enabled to die a quiet or peaceful death.

The aim of attempting to control the timing of death through physician-assisted suicide or euthanasia. The aim of ending treatment at the proper moment so that the person is enabled to die a quiet or peaceful death.

_____ is a significant manifestation of the disappearance of death from the public domain. Life insurance The cross-cultural subject The patient-caregiver relationship The medicalization of death

The medicalization of death

Identify some of the categories of music recognized by Charles Reagen Wilson. (Check all that apply.) Violent and tragic death Religious influences on death Songs of birth and marriage The unfairness of death The pervasiveness of death

Violent and tragic death Religious influences on death The pervasiveness of death

Identify the existential questions that focus on the meaning of life. (Check all that apply.) Who am I? What is my goal for the day Where do I fit in the world? What am I doing here?

Who am I? Where do I fit in the world? What am I doing here?

The lack of stories that include themes dealing with death, dying, and bereavement in positive ways has been characterized as _____ in the entertainment media. the avoidance of mortality syndrome an excessive representation of mortality an impoverishment of death symbolism the mean world syndrome

an impoverishment of death symbolism

News organizations maintain files of pending obituaries for _____, and these obituaries are kept updated so they are ready for publication or broadcast when the occasion demands. individuals whose deaths are considered newsworthy every individual in a locality all individuals working in the newspaper business all employees working for them

individuals whose deaths are considered newsworthy

According to Robert Kastenbaum, although the term thanatology is usually defined as the study of death, it is perhaps better defined as the study of _____. immortality life with death left in life after death death laws

life with death left in

Humor puts fearful possibilities into _____. frightening encounters manageable perspectives recurring nightmares real-life situations

manageable perspectives

When a prognosis of death has been accepted by medical staff and families and further treatments intended to cure have been put aside, there may nevertheless be a strong desire to handle the situation so that it comes out "right." This is termed _____. impersonal death managed death clinical death uncontrolled death

managed death

Terror management theory suggests that people learn to assuage their fears of death by finding _____ that is provided by the culture into which they are socialized. meaning in medicine and value in its treatments meaning in religion and value in its practices meaning in life and value in themselves meaning in skills and value in its application

meaning in life and value in themselves

When awareness of one's own death affects the decision making of individuals and groups, it is referred to as the concept of

mortality salience

After someone dies, people's conversations about that person usually move from _____. present tense to future tense past tense to future tense present tense to past tense future tense to present tense

present tense to past tense

In contrast to earlier generations who generally had major roles in the care of their dying and dead, in present day, individuals rely on _____ to act as go-betweens. professionals families friends neighbors

professionals

Death imagery in rock music may have helped break the taboo against _____. teenagers attending music concerts public mention of death heavy metal fans idolizing violence using derogatory lyrics

public mention of death

According to technological medicine, death has become a(n) _____. frequently happening phenomena radically unnatural occurrence irrelevant subject of study illusory phenomena

radically unnatural occurrence

Existential questions are discovered via a person's perception of _____. suicide and euthanasia anxiety and depression reality and meaning dying with mental illness

reality and meaning

The distinctive _____ in a particular culture affects the behavior of its members as they go about their daily lives. stance toward the bereaved stance toward death attitude toward immortality attitude toward funeral rites

stance toward death

The influence of the Internet has become so significant in conveying death-related information that it is only rightful to conclude that _____. funerals will no longer be considered important the Internet and World Wide Web have become part of the modern death system the global population has objected to such public portrayal of death-related issues death notices can no longer be posted on the Internet

the Internet and World Wide Web have become part of the modern death system

An example of death that vies for your attention in a newspaper or an online news source is a report on _____. the death of a beloved circus animal from a small town a cat found dead in a well the death of an old racehorse the thousands of lives lost in a hurricane

the thousands of lives lost in a hurricane

As the largest ongoing community arts project in America, the AIDS Quilt affirms _____. the monetary rewards due to the bereaved the value of creative expression as a means of coping with loss the creative competition existing among the bereaved the ignorance of loss of a loved one through alternative methods

the value of creative expression as a means of coping with loss

A complex set of collaborations between linguistic and nonlinguistic representations and processes is called _____. mimicking observing thinking forging

thinking

In contrast to earlier generations, who typically had major roles in the care of their dying and dead, we usually rely on professionals in the present day, and as a result death is being considered _____. illusionary intimate unfamiliar psychedelic

unfamiliar

Media coverage of horrific deaths sometimes leads to "revictimization" when reporters seek to _____. create confusion about the death capture the experience of a tragedy at the expense of victims or survivors establish that the death was a natural process idolize the victim by mentioning his or her death in the front page as well as obituary

capture the experience of a tragedy at the expense of victims or survivors

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall has names of the dead listed _____. in the order of their military ranking chronologically by the date of their death alphabetically in the order of their last names according to the brutality of their deaths

chronologically by the date of their death

The term ______ _______ ______ refers to the average number of years a specified group of infants would live if they were to experience throughout their lives the age-specific death rates prevailing in their birth year.

cohort life expectancy

By acknowledging loss in a gentle fashion, sympathy cards are intended to _____. create awareness about unsolved deaths comfort the bereaved ignite feelings of repulsion in the bereaved induce feelings of guilt in the bereaved

comfort the bereaved

The AIDS quilt symbolized individuals sharing their grief by sharing their continuing bonds with friends and lovers, and in doing so, the survivors become a _____. community of mourners group of fraudsters group of repressed individuals clan of profit mongers

community of mourners

According to Charles Reagan Wilson, _____ continue to embody the idea that death should not be segregated from the rest of life, but should be dealt with openly as a natural and profound human concern. country songs euphemisms glam rock songs biographies

country songs

According to the study conducted by Neimeyer and his colleagues, people who experience less death anxiety are probably more able than others to see meaning in _____ by putting it into an overarching context. afterlife mortality salience death life-extending technologies

death

The term ______ ________may be understood as a shorthand designation for a cluster of death attitudes characterized by fear, threat, unease, discomfort, and similar negative emotional reactions, as well as anxiety in the psychodynamic sense as a kind of diffuse fear that has no clear object.

death anxiety

Among communities where traditional beliefs, values, and practices are maintained, _____. death is an extraordinary event which attracts significant attention death is often ignored death is considered to be the end of everything related to the deceased death is part of the natural rhythm of life

death is part of the natural rhythm of life

The branch of heavy metal music known as _____ is partly defined by its lyrics, which convey images of homicide, catastrophic destruction, and suicide. death metal rap music punk rock jazz

death metal

Technological medicine promotes a view of death as an event that can be _____ rather than as a normal, natural part of life. conjured easily ignored completely avoided totally deferred indefinitely

deferred indefinitely

Humor can be a "social glue" that helps us _____. empathize with others laugh at others' sorrows ignore others' sorrows provide solutions to others' grief

empathize with others

A(n) _____ is characterized by a redistribution of deaths from the young to the old. egalitarian obit hibakusha epidemiologic transition elegy

epidemiologic transition

Death promotes variety through the _____. extinction of mankind evolution of species destruction of human life propagation of grief

evolution of species

In place of a sense of the inevitability of death, we are now prone to an exaggerated faith in the ability of scientific medicine to prolong life. Identify this type of exaggerated faith. (Check all that apply.) exaggerated optimism irrational exuberance anatomic artwork managed death

exaggerated optimism irrational exuberance

According to Franceso Campione, death is not only a topic for reflection, study, and research; it is also an _____, which touches every aspect of human existence and every field of knowledge. existential problem illusion adverse emotion anxiety inducing factor

existential problem

Today's global population has been described as hibakusha, a Japanese word meaning _____. death notice exaggerated optimism explosion affected cultural lag

explosion affected

True or false: As a field of study, thanatology deals only with death.

false

In the context of living with awareness of death, ultimately one cannot _____ death. ignore or deny face or fear expose and explain encounter and expect

ignore or deny

As our firsthand experiences of death and violence have diminished, representations of death and violence in the media have _____. increased in sensationalism increased in subtlety been banned from public screening been toned down to represent reality

increased in sensationalism

The demographic changes over the last hundred years in America—the most notable of which involve _____, affect our expectations about death. increased life expectancy and lower mortality rates poor government policies and corruption poor political framework and poverty higher composition of female population and lower literacy rates

increased life expectancy and lower mortality rates

After Stella dies, her colleague says, "She was a very good employee." According to grammarians, the form of speech used by Stella's colleague in this scenario is called the _____. indicative voice subjunctive voice imperative voice passive voice

indicative voice

The language people use when talking about dying or death is often _____. indirect blunt erroneous harsh

indirect

_____ account for the establishment of death studies in modern times. The progress of death studies during the 1960s Anthropological accounts of death customs in far-flung societies The blossoming of the first peer-reviewed journal in the field of death studies The impact of technological advances in health and medicine on dying

Anthropological accounts of death customs in far-flung societies

Identify a reason for the growing population of old people. Most people are dying old from degenerative diseases due to the reduced risk of dying from young age infections. There is an increase in the number of suicides among young people. There is a rise in cases of euthanasia. More number of young people are seeking medical help for terminal diseases.

Most people are dying old from degenerative diseases due to the reduced risk of dying from young age infections.

_____ is a way to appreciate the variety and range of attitudes toward dying and death. Attacking all euphemisms, slang, and metaphors used to describe death Paying attention to the metaphors, euphemisms, and slang people use when talking about death Remarking on reports of death Dismissing all references to death

Paying attention to the metaphors, euphemisms, and slang people use when talking about death

Depictions of death in mass media are often embedded in a structure of violence that conveys _____. a heightened sense of danger, insecurity, and mistrust subtler or softer meanings of mortality reassurance about the stigma attached to death an accurate understanding of death

a heightened sense of danger, insecurity, and mistrust

According to George Gerbner and colleagues, depiction of death in mass media often reflects _____ in which the symbolic use of death contributes to an "irrational dread of dying and thus to diminished vitality and self-direction in life." the deviancy amplification spiral the just world hypothesis a mean world syndrome a culture of fear

a mean world syndrome

One of the most arresting expressions of dying and death in graphic arts was found in the Danse Macabre in Western Europe during the Middle Ages, growing out of widespread fears _____. of natural disasters wrecking havoc on the kingdom of enemy attack from neighboring monarchies about the threat of influenza about the spread of plague

about the spread of plague

According to Neimeyer and his colleagues, people express less intense fear of dying and death when they _____. are tied up with the routine complexities of life in their youth and middle-age are less emotional control shun religious practices of any kind accept dying and the prospect of being dead one day as a natural part of their lives

accept dying and the prospect of being dead one day as a natural part of their lives

Elegies are emotional acknowledgments that _____, which is itself a profound spiritual understanding. life is static all things are impermanent music is irrelevant humans are immortal

all things are impermanent

As a consequence of extended families with several generations rarely living together,_____. members of a family make it a point not to attend the funeral of a relative all the members of the family are usually present at the time of death of a close relative each member of a family is given the opportunity to witness the death of relatives few have opportunities to witness their relatives' death firsthand

few have opportunities to witness their relatives' death firsthand

Information and communication technologies have spread rapidly worldwide, affecting _____ regarding death, dying, and bereavement. important views global consciousness public acceptance positive views

global consciousness

In television and movies, dying is generally portrayed as something that _____. takes place as part of a natural process is serene and predictable brings peaceful release for the victim happens to us, rather than something we do

happens to us, rather than something we do

A reporter has to exercise caution while deciding what is appropriate to report in stories on horrific deaths because _____. people depend on the media not only for information about events but also clues about their meaning it affects the circulation of the newspaper and creates a negative impact among the readers it increases peoples' willingness to engage in risky behaviors people view mortality as a gift

people depend on the media not only for information about events but also clues about their meaning

The term hibakusha connotes _____. complexities of routine jobs by linking with individual skills involuntary euthanasia and its subsequent problems the fear of extinction relating to the challenges of survival pervasive anxiety about the threat of annihilation in our cosmopolitan era

pervasive anxiety about the threat of annihilation in our cosmopolitan era

At present, people are less likely to be present at the deaths of relatives or friends because of _____. social and geographic mobility extreme weather conditions inter-community associations lack of geographical awareness

social and geographic mobility