PSY 4932 - Exam 1 - Chapters 1-4

In diverse samples and domains of life, Fredrickson and Losado examined the ratio of positive and negative emotional experiences in relation to individual and group functioning. They found evidence that a critical positivity ratio of: A. 2.9 (or above) positive to negative emotions predicted was the dividing line between flourishing and languishing. B. 2.9 (or above) positive to negative emotions predicted when people were finally on the road to recovery. C. 5.8 (or above) positive to negative emotions was needed to overcome significant life challenges. D. 2.9 to 4.9 positive to negative emotions signified languishing and 4.9 (or above) signified flourishing in life.

A. 2.9 (or above) positive to negative emotions predicted was the dividing line between flourishing and languishing.

According to Fredrickson, positive emotions have four effects. These are: A. Broadening thought-action repertoires, undoing the effects of negative emotions, building personal resilience resources, and creating an upward spiral of well-being. B. Broadening thought-action repertoires, undoing the effects of negative emotions, reducing the negative influence of others, and making us more creative in finding the source of our own personal happiness. C. Broadening thought-action repertoires, building personal resilience resources, creating a positive life outlook, and finding the deeper meanings of a happy life. D. Broadening thought-action repertoires, helping us overcome stress and challenge, increasing the quality of our interpersonal relationships, and building happiness based on our unique personal strengths.

A. Broadening thought-action repertoires, undoing the effects of negative emotions, building personal resilience resources, and creating an upward spiral of well-being.

An extensive literature documents the importance of social support resources to health and longevity. The buffering hypothesis states that social support enhances health: A. By reducing the debilitating effects of stress on the immune system. B. Directly, by increasing positive emotions. C. By increasing the odds that people will get to a doctor when necessary. D. By bringing together your closest friends and relatives and repairing hurt feelings that are the major source of stress in our lives.

A. By reducing the debilitating effects of stress on the immune system.

Human resilience refers to: A. Good outcomes despite serious threat or challenge. B. The extraordinary effort needed to recover from serious life traumas. C. Some people's unusual ability to triumph over adversities that overwhelm most people. D. The two steps forward and one step back nature of recovering from serious life challenges.

A. Good outcomes despite serious threat or challenge.

According to your textbook authors, a basic difference between hedonic and eudaimonic approaches to understanding happiness and well-being is that: A. Hedonic approaches are "research driven" and eudaimonic approaches are "theory driven." B. Hedonic approaches are "theory driven" and eudaimonic approaches are "research driven." C. Hedonic approaches emphasize quantitative measurement and eudaimonic approaches emphasize qualitative measurement. D. Hedonic approaches emphasize qualitative measurement and eudaimonic approaches emphasize quantitative measurement.

A. Hedonic approaches are "research driven" and eudaimonic approaches are "theory driven."

A basic premise of positive psychology is that the field of psychology: A. Is out of balance with too much focus on negative human behaviors. B. Needs more effective methods for treating mental illness. C. Has not examined how every "negative" contains a "positive." D. Has placed too much emphasis on genetic determinants, leaving little room for positive change.

A. Is out of balance with too much focus on negative human behaviors.

Posttraumatic growth seems to depend heavily on: A. Meaning-making - whether or not people can make sense of and find benefits in the trauma. B. People's ability to generate comforting illusions and rationalizations for trauma. C. The amount and strength of social support. D. Optimistic attitudes towards life and personal strength as measured by self-esteem and belief in a higher power.

A. Meaning-making - whether or not people can make sense of and find benefits in the trauma.

According to the research of Janoff-Bulman, what three assumptions or beliefs are shattered by trauma and loss (i.e., negative effects of trauma)? A. Personal invulnerability, meaningfulness, and positive view of self. B. Self-esteem, belief in God, and "life is good." C. Infallibility, sense of control, and desire to go on with life. D. Personal fate control, optimism, and faith.

A. Personal invulnerability, meaningfulness, and positive view of self.

The difference between hedonic and eudaimonic conceptions of happiness boils down to the difference between: A. Pleasure/happiness and meaning/personal expressiveness. B. Pleasure and happiness. C. Short-term and long-term satisfaction. D. Serving the self and serving others.

A. Pleasure/happiness and meaning/personal expressiveness.

Based on studies of children and youth, Masten has described three general categories of protective factors that contribute to resilient responses: those within the child, within the family, and within the community. Which of the following have been identified as "within the child protective factors"? A. Positive self-image, optimism, easy-going temperament, and good intellectual and problem solving skills. B. High self-esteem, will-power, determination, and a never-give-up attitude. C. persistence, willingness to take on challenges, and a strong social support system of family and peers. D. Social influence skills, personal attractiveness, safe environment, family financial resources.

A. Positive self-image, optimism, easy-going temperament, and good intellectual and problem solving skills.

According to clinical psychologist George Bonanno, resilient responses to loss of a loved one may be viewed by mental health professionals as: A. Symptoms of pathology such as denial, insensitivity, and callousness. B. Symptoms of unusual personal strength and fortitude. C. A reliable sign that that therapy is not necessary.. D. As a sign of personal weakness and overdependence on the person who has died.

A. Symptoms of pathology such as denial, insensitivity, and callousness.

From a biological and evolutionary perspective, the effect of negative emotions, like fear and anger, is described by the idea of specific action tendencies, meaning that negative emotions: A. Tend to narrow the focus of our thoughts and possible actions. B. Result in a consistent pattern of body reactions. C. Are usually socially caused, resulting from the specific actions of others. D. Depend on the temperament of the person.

A. Tend to narrow the focus of our thoughts and possible actions.

In a series of studies, Laura King and her colleagues examined the relationship between positive affect (e.g., happiness) and sense of meaningfulness or life purpose. Overall, these studies found that: A. The experience of positive affect was consistently related to meaningfulness. B. Positive affect and meaningfulness were unrelated. C. The experience of positive affect or happiness detracted from a sense of meaningfulness. D. Meaningfulness and happiness showed an inconsistent relationship.

A. The experience of positive affect was consistently related to meaningfulness.

Social psychologists have documented one of the most important contributions to well-being, which is: A. The powerful connection between relationships with others and personal happiness. B. The genetic basis of a happy temperament. C. The universality of the meaning of happiness. D. The powerful connection between economic growth and the happiness of a society.

A. The powerful connection between relationships with others and personal happiness.

Both physiological and self-report studies suggest that positive and negative affect are best regarded as: A. Two basic dimensions of our emotional experience. B. A misleading dichotomy that oversimplifies the diversity of our emotional experiences. C. A complex mixing of physiology, emotional experience and positive and negative feelings. D. More a matter of general mood than distinguishable emotional experiences.

A. Two basic dimensions of our emotional experience.

According to Carstensen's socioemotional selectivity theory, the kinds of goals and life activities that people choose to pursue and regard as important are related to: A. Their socioemotional value. B. Age; specifically people's perception of the time they have left to live. C. Success; specifically whether they have achieved their goals or not. D. Time; specifically how long they have engaged in a particular activity or pursued a particular goal.

B. Age; specifically people's perception of the time they have left to live.

The direct effects hypothesis says that social support enhances health: A. Only when we are in a crisis or confronting stressful events. B. All the time through the health effects of increased positive emotions. C. By directly reducing the toxic effects of negative emotions. D. When people first confront their illness, problem, or trauma directly with the help of others.

B. All the time through the health effects of increased positive emotions.

Harker and Kletner examined the type of smile women showed in their women's college yearbook photographs and related smile-type to life outcomes 30 years later. What kind of smile predicted what life outcomes? A. Non-Duchenne smilers were generally unhappy and depressed. B. Duchenne smiles were related to greater health and happiness and more stable and satisfying marriages. C. Duchenne smiles predicted success and happiness, but were confounded with the effects of physical attractiveness. D. Duchenne and non-Duchenne smiles only predicted people's general feelings about life and not their actual competence, marital stability/satisfaction or health.

B. Duchenne smiles were related to greater health and happiness and more stable and satisfying marriages.

According to your text, the most general pathways through which positive emotions may affect health involve: A. Mind-body interactions and the healing power of faith. B. Enhancing people's physical, psychological and social resources. C. The positive power of positive thinking. D. Offsetting the physical effects of negative emotions and the distress of mental illness.

B. Enhancing people's physical, psychological and social resources.

Human resilience refers to: A. Neutral response in the face of tragedy. B. Good outcomes despite serious threats and challenge. C. The ability to recover after working through a traumatic event. D. The point dividing a distressful from an adaptive response to challenge.

B. Good outcomes despite serious threats and challenge.

In one of Fredrickson's studies, college students became very nervous after they were told they had one minute to prepare a speech to give in front of their peers. After preparing their speeches, students were assigned to different conditions to watch films with a neutral, positive, or negative emotional content. The findings of this study supports the value of positive emotions: A. In broadening our thinking because students in the positive emotion film condition gave better speeches. B. In undoing the effects of negative emotions because of the faster rate of return to baseline heart-rate among students in the positive emotion film group. C. In increasing personal satisfaction because students in the positive film group were more satisfied with the speeches they gave. D. In undoing the effects of negative emotions because students in the positive film group obtained more positive support from other students.

B. In undoing the effects of negative emotions because of the faster rate of return to baseline heart-rate among students in the positive emotion film group.

Does positive psychology serve the status quo by emphasizing the lack of connection between material resources and happiness? Your textbook authors argue the answer is: A. Yes, because of the subjective nature of happiness as defined by positive psychologists. B. No, because issues of happiness, unhappiness, and the distribution of resources within a society are two separate issues. C. Yes, because research shows that the very poor and the very rich are equally happy. D. No, because everyone has an equal opportunity in our society.

B. No, because issues of happiness, unhappiness, and the distribution of resources within a society are two separate issues.

In their 14-day diary study of "what makes a good day," Reis, Sheldon, and colleagues found that needs for relatedness and autonomy were more likely to be satisfied: A. On Friday night. B. On weekends. C. In the period following an event that increased a sense of competence. D. In the period following a decreased sense of competence.

B. On weekends.

Clinical psychologist George Bonanno has examined the implications of resilience research for mental health professionals who work with victims of trauma, loss, and posttraumatic stress disorder. He argues that clinicians may have underestimated the prevalence of resilient responses to trauma because clinicians: A. Believe most everyone would benefit from therapy. B. Only see those people who suffer significant negative reactions to trauma or loss. C. Confuse resilience with the relatively immediate effects of drugs. D. Want to be helpful even when it isn't necessary.

B. Only see those people who suffer significant negative reactions to trauma or loss.

The emergence of positive psychology in the late 1990s had much to do with cultural trends, or zeitgeist, captured in the phrase: A. Tired of the negative. B. The paradox of affluence. C. The misery index. D. Money doesn't buy happiness.

B. The paradox of affluence.

The peak-end rule says that the impact of an emotional experience is determined by: A. The duration and peak-end intensity of the experience. B. The peak of emotional intensity and the ending intensity and not the duration of the experience. C. The average of the lowest and highest peak intensity. D. Only the duration because peak and ending intensity make little difference.

B. The peak of emotional intensity and the ending intensity and not the duration of the experience.

The word "daimon" in eudaimonia refers to: A. Happiness. B. True self or spirit. C. God or a transcendent power. D. Personal fate.

B. True self or spirit.

Health researchers have described three coping strategies that people may adopt to reduce stress and its negative effects. Each approach has a different goal or focus. The goal of problem-focused coping is to (1)__________, emotion-focused coping is to (2)____________ and pro-active coping is to (3)_____________. A. (1) change or reduce one's response to stress; (2) eliminate the source of stress; (3) obtain social support B. (1) seek help from others; (2) see the good in the bad; (3) take concrete action aimed the cause C. (1) reduce or eliminate the source of the stress; (2) change or reduce one's response to stress; (3) prevent stress from happening in the first place D. (1) eliminate the problem; (2) fix the problem; (3) stop the problem

C. (1) reduce or eliminate the source of the stress; (2) change or reduce one's response to stress; (3) prevent stress from happening in the first place

Self-determination theory specifies three needs as the foundation for well-being. These are: A. Autonomy, self-esteem, and nurturance. B. Independence, esteem, and belongingness. C. Autonomy, competence, and relatedness. D. Autonomy, self-esteem, and success.

C. Autonomy, competence, and relatedness.

In their 14-day diary study of "what makes a good day," Reis, Sheldon and colleagues examined the relationship of need fulfillment to well-being and happiness. Results showed that: A. Only trait measures of need fulfillment were related to well-being. B. Only state measures of need fulfillment were related to well-being. C. Both trait and state measures of need fulfillment were related to well-being and relatedness needs had the most impact on daily well-being. D. Both trait a

C. Both trait and state measures of need fulfillment were related to well-being and relatedness needs had the most impact on daily well-being.

Buckner and his colleagues studied resilience among disadvantaged youth (ages 8 to 17) living in poverty. Their sample included Caucasians, African Americans, Puerto Ricans, and other Latinos. Nearly a third (29%) of their sample was classified as resilient. What did these researchers find was the most powerful predictor of resilience among disadvantaged youth? A. Intelligence and problem-solving skills B. Self-esteem and optimism C. Cognitive and emotional self-regulation abilities D. Social support and an intact family

C. Cognitive and emotional self-regulation abilities

Seligman's three-part description of happiness describes a pleasant life, an engaged life, and a meaningful life. In his analysis a meaningful life derives from: A. Events and personal qualities associated with happiness. B. Involvement in activities that express our strengths and interests. C. Going beyond self-interest through involvements in something larger than the self, such as serving others. D. The inevitable tragedies of life.

C. Going beyond self-interest through involvements in something larger than the self, such as serving others.

Consistent with Carstenson's socioemotional selectivity theory, research shows that older married couples and the elderly: A. Have more marital conflict and suffer more social isolation. B. Disengage from social relationships following the loss of work-related friends after they retire. C. Have more satisfying marriages and invest more in a smaller circle of established relationships rather than in meeting new people. D. Seek to experiences, new relationships, and activities to keep busy.

C. Have more satisfying marriages and invest more in a smaller circle of established relationships rather than in meeting new people.

Within psychology's recent history, __________ psychology has been one of the stronger voices for a more positive approach to the study of human behavior. A. Evolutionary B. Psychoanalytic C. Humanistic D. Existential

C. Humanistic

One of the more noteworthy findings of survey researchers studying subjective well-being or happiness is that the connection between money and happiness is: A. Stronger than we imagine. B. Not evident even among the very poor. C. Overall, very weak except for the very poor. D. Dependent on how a person uses her or his money.

C. Overall, very weak except for the very poor.

Your textbook authors argue that the potential well-being benefits of flow experiences would most likely result from: A. Peak performance and success. B. Following your dreams if only in your dreams. C. Positive emotions and the discharge of stress. D. Improving the effectiveness of your 8 to 5 mind.

C. Positive emotions and the discharge of stress.

Sigmund Freud had much to do with the belief that: A. Positive behaviors are as common as negative ones. B. Human nature is basically good, but society prevents this goodness from being expressed. C. Positive human behaviors have negative motivations underlying them. D. Unconscious motivations for goodness are overridden by self-interested conscious motives.

C. Positive human behaviors have negative motivations underlying them.

What does Ann Masten mean when she describes human resilience as "ordinary magic"? A. It takes good old-fashioned magic to recover from serious trauma. B. Social support from others is the magic ingredient for human resilience. C. Resilient responses are quite common and stem from normal and everyday capacities and conditions. D. Resilience is a biological capacity that is not dependent on psychological or social factors.

C. Resilient responses are quite common and stem from normal and everyday capacities and conditions.

Davis, Nolen-Hoeksema, and colleagues interviewed people who had lost a loved one to a terminal illness (e.g. cancer, AIDS). In the year following their loss, what two processes were related to less post-loss distress? A. Rationalization and reconciliation. B. Emotional disclosure and support from others. C. Sense-making and benefit finding. D. Faith and hope.

C. Sense-making and benefit finding.

Posttraumatic growth (PTG) refers to the: A. Slow but steady changes following posttraumatic stress disorder. B. Ability of people, with therapeutic assistance, to ultimately resolve the shattered assumptions and devastating effects of significant trauma. C. The positive life lessons and changes that may result from a traumatic event. D. Ability of people to "rationalize away" and put a positive spin on almost any tragedy.

C. The positive life lessons and changes that may result from a traumatic event.

According to research by Diener and his colleagues, happiness is built more on the ___________of positive emotions than on their ______________ . A. diversity; intensity B. intensity; frequency C. frequency; intensity D. intensity; diversity

C. frequency; intensity

A criticism made of the hedonic definition and measure of subjective well-being by eudaimonic researchers such as Carol Ryff is that the hedonic view: A. Does not specify the basis and meaning of well-being. B. Tells us if people are happy, but not why people they are happy. C. Does not distinguish between happiness and health. D. All of the above.

D. All of the above.

According to your text's comparison of Experience Sampling Methods (ESM) and Global Measures, each measure has a "maximal sensitivity" to different influences on well-being. Which of the following best describes these different sensitivities? A. ESM is most sensitive to stable personality trait influences, while global measures are more sensitive to situational influences. B. ESM is most sensitive to individual differences in well-being and global measures are more sensitive to commonalities among people. C. ESM is most sensitive to psychological variables and global measures to social variables. D. ESM is most sensitive to situational influences and global measures are most sensitive to stable personality trait influences.

D. ESM is most sensitive to situational influences and global measures are most sensitive to stable personality trait influences.

Researchers in the Nun Study assessed positive and negative emotions by: A. Having nuns keep daily diaries of their emotional experiences. B. Interviewing church officials who knew each nun. C. Mailing questionnaires to each nun in the study. D. Emotional coding of autobiographical sketches written early in the nun's life.

D. Emotional coding of autobiographical sketches written early in the nun's life.

Your textbook authors define positive psychology as the scientific study of personal qualities, life choices and circumstances, and sociocultural conditions that promote a life well-lived defined by what criteria? A. Happiness, productivity and personal achievement. B. Personal effectiveness, quality relationships and success. C. Happiness, health, and success. D. Happiness, positive health, meaningfulness, and virtue.

D. Happiness, positive health, meaningfulness, and virtue.

For positive psychologists, one problem with the disease model is that it: A. Has diverted attention away from genetic causes of mental illness. B. Places too much emphasizes on biological causes and drugs as treatment. C. Has been largely ineffective in defining and treating mental illness. D. Implies that the mental health is the simply the absence of mental illness.

D. Implies that the mental health is the simply the absence of mental illness.

Subjective well-being (SWB) is defined and measured by: A. Happiness and health. B. Personal expressiveness and happiness. C. Life satisfaction and positive affect . D. Life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect.

D. Life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect.

A major advance in the study of how emotions affect physical health is the ability of researchers to: A. Gather extensive family and personal histories. B. Experimentally induce different moods. C. Analyze data from large-scale health surveys involving over 100,000 people. D. Measure specific immune system outputs such as T-cells, NK cells, and antibodies.

D. Measure specific immune system outputs such as T-cells, NK cells, and antibodies.

Studies of the aging process show that most people over the age of 65: A. Show diminished self-esteem and life satisfaction, and are dealing with at least one physical ailment. B. Are somewhat lonely and show several symptoms of mild depression. C. Are sandwiched in between the needs of their children and aging parents. D. Rate their self-esteem and life satisfaction as high as any other period of adulthood.

D. Rate their self-esteem and life satisfaction as high as any other period of adulthood.

According to Bryant and Verhoff, three preconditions must be met for a savoring experience to occur. These are: A. Self-indulgence, pleasure, and sharing with others. B. A powerful sensory experience, thoughtful consideration, and living for the moment. C. Spontaneity, a frivolous attitude, and forgetting about tomorrow. D. Sense of here and now, setting aside self-esteem needs, and a mindful appreciation of the moment.

D. Sense of here and now, setting aside self-esteem needs, and a mindful appreciation of the moment.