Psychology chapter 10

According to the differential sensitivities hypothesis, which child would likely display the best long-term outcomes?

a highly sensitive child in a supportive environment

Emotion-focused coping strategies are consistently more effective than problem-focused coping strategies.

False

Which sequence of events best describes what happens in your body when a stressor persists for long periods of time?

The hypothalamus releases CRH. → The pituitary gland releases ACTH. → The HPA axis is activated.

Stress tends to increase impulsivity and risk taking by suppressing the activity of the prefrontal cortex.

True

Match each example to the way of finding meaning that it represents.

benefit-finding "This acid reflux has been a real bummer, but at least I'm eating healthier now." "Raising my daughter has been really hard work, but I can see that she's going to do great things." sense-making, "My sister's death has me thinking a lot about whether there's an afterlife." "The older I get, the more I realize life is about having experiences."

Using the most recent data, place the causes of death in the United States in order from most common to least common. Note that you can see specific numbers by hovering over the bars in the chart.

heart disease cancer accidents diabetes pneumonia/flu

Gene methylation, which can result from chronic stress, can effectively "turn off" genes by ensuring they don't get expressed. What recent discovery about gene methylation has dramatic implications for the effects of chronic stress?

Chronic stress changes gene expression, even in cases where there is no genetic relationship between foster parents and offspring.

Which of the following personality characteristics are associated with resilience to stressors?

Correct Answer(s) high self-esteem. a sense of personal control. a happy disposition Incorrect Answer(s) perfectionism. openness to experience. extroversion.

Warren is deeply depressed after his retirement and the death of his wife. He decides that he should travel to try to recapture a feeling of meaning and purpose in his life. True or False: Warren's choice to seek meaning is enough to ensure that his depression will improve.

False

Which example demonstrates allostatic load?

Sustained high levels of cortisol have left Henry with persistent inflammation.

Alex has been accused of vandalism that she did not commit, and her high school is considering whether or not to expel her. She is likely to experience more stress if there's uncertainty about whether her expulsion will occur than she would if her expulsion were 100 percent certain.

True

Science has established with fairly high confidence why mindfulness-based stress reduction is effective.

False

The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) has tested student knowledge of chemistry and physics since 1977. These two topics were added to the MCAT before psychology was added.

True

Despite belonging to a highly individualistic culture, Americans who identify as having European heritage are more likely to seek out social support to cope with stress than are Korean citizens, whose culture relies more on interdependence.

true

Which of the following qualities are likely to belong to someone who has a good sense of humor?

Correct Answer(s) They are less likely to suffer from depression. They are likely optimistic. They likely have high self-esteem. Incorrect Answer(s) They are likely physically healthy. They likely engage in healthy behaviors.

What are cytokines?

Inflammatory molecules released by certain cells in the immune system

Which statement best describes the relationship between sleep and stress?

Stress tends to disrupt sleep, and poor sleep tends to enhance stress.

When considering the population of a country overall, which of the following problems appears to contribute the most to people's stress?

daily hassles

The diathesis-stress model holds that our genes give us susceptibilities, or diatheses, for certain health outcomes, but that stressors in our environment often serve as the triggers that activate or intensify those health outcomes. Identify each scenario as describing only a diathesis, only a stressor, or both.

diathesis only, Kevin has a gene that is a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, although he doesn't yet realize it. Both sides of Ahdri's family are genetically predisposed to alcoholism. stressor only, Michael has fallen on hard times in recent years and can only afford to eat five meals a week. Jedda is beside herself with grief after her twin brother dies in a car accident. diathesis and stressor, Born to a bipolar mother, Yves's first psychotic break was triggered by a bad reaction to the psychoactive drug salvia. The progress of his Huntington's disease symptoms accelerated after Alejandro fought off a nasty flu.

Which network in the nervous system is responsible for down-regulating, or suppressing, the body's response to stressful events?

parasympathetic nervous system

Conrad gets anxious in social situations, something his girlfriend Saranda has never understood. She sometimes tells him that certain social situations are obviously not stressful, because she doesn't feel stressed by them. He replies that she only feels that way because she doesn't perceive social situations in the same way he does. What concept from health psychology could help Saranda understand Conrad's perspective?

stress appraisal theory

Which of the following phrases describe(s) an illusion of control?

Correct Answer(s) The feeling of having more control over outcomes than we actually do. A way to protect ourselves against depression and discouragement. Incorrect Answer(s) A risk factor that is predictive of depression A delusional state most often seen in cases of psychosis.

Identify the true and false statements about health disparities as a function of social status.

True Statement(s) People suffer worse outcomes if they perceive their own social status as being relatively low, even if they have an objectively higher status than most people. Health disparities among minority groups cannot be explained solely by socio-economic disparities. False Statement(s) Health disparities depend only on current socio-economic status. Socio-economic health disparities can be explained completely by different access to health care and health insurance. Health consequences only vary as a function of socio-economic status, not of perceived status.

Place the life events in order from most to least stressful, according to the Holmes & Rahe stress inventory.

death of a spouse divorce imprisonment death of a family member major injury or illness

Match each experience to the physiological system that governs the body's reaction to that experience.

hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, Adhara has an achy shoulder and feels discomfort for days, even when taking painkillers. Eunice has had trouble sleeping since her brother was arrested a few days ago. Shelley is in constant competition with her coworkers and suspects she may be fired. sympathetic-adreno-medullary (SAM) axis, Reina receives a phone call informing her that her boyfriend has been kidnapped. Lukas feels his heart beating faster when his mother starts showing his new girlfriend his baby pictures.

There are many factors that may contribute to a person's decision to smoke or not smoke a cigarette. Identify each reason as a biological, psychological, or social factor, as described by the biopsychosocial model.

psychological- Smokers who know that smoking is unhealthy often make excuses about why they can't quit. Regular smokers crave a cigarette if they go without. social- Some people perceive smoking as gross, which can discourage others from doing it. Laws that regulate where smoking can happen impact how normal it seems. biological- Nicotine increases dopamine levels in the brain. Brain receptors sensitive to nicotine influence alertness.

Match each factor to the corresponding biopsychosocial category.

psychology, coping strategies behavior personality and beliefs biology, genetic background illness and immune functioning neurochemistry social context, family and friends culture and education socio-economic status

Place the stages of general adaptation syndrome in order from first to last.

1) alarm reaction 2) stage of resistance 3) stage of exhaustion

Place the professions in order from most to least stressful, according to a 2018 survey.

1) enlisted military personnel 2) broadcaster 3) taxi driver 4) pharmacy technician 5) hair stylist

Place the actions in order from most beneficial to longevity to least beneficial.

1) receiving social support 2) quitting smoking 3) consuming alcohol in moderation 4) regular exercise 5) maintaining a healthy body weight

Match each activity to the corresponding fact. Note that you can see exact numbers by hovering over each part of the graph at the end of the figure.

Americans do this about twice as much on the weekend as on weekdays.(socializing and communicating) This activity has the smallest difference between time spent on weekdays and weekends. (reading) The average American spends over two hours a day doing this. (watching TV) This is the only leisure activity people do more on weekdays than on weekends.(nongame leisurely computer use) This is the third most popular form of leisure on weekdays. (relaxing and thinking)

Which of the following statements are examples of implementation intentions?

Correct Answer(s) "If the dog signals that she needs to go out, then I will take her for a quick walk up and down the block." "At 10 PM, I'm going to take out the recycling." Incorrect Answer(s) "It's obvious that the best way to write a paper is to write the body first, then write the introduction second." "I should get some work done when I'm feeling in the mood."

Identify the reasons stress can increase the risk of disease.

Correct Answer(s) Chronic stress undermines the immune system. Depression and stress often go hand in hand. Chronic activation of the sympathetic nervous system can accelerate certain diseases. Incorrect Answer(s) Stress makes the body vulnerable to diseases that people without stress are immune to. Elevated stress levels in anyone nearby, even strangers, can be contagious.

Amira is fired from her job without warning, and she is uncertain how she will pay her rent at the end of the month. Although she quit smoking cigarettes years ago, she now finds herself smoking heavily in response to her situation. Identify the reason(s) she might feel the impulse to smoke.

Correct Answer(s) Faced with intense stress, Amira's behavioral inhibition is impaired. As a stimulant, nicotine can short-circuit negative emotions and replace them with a pleasant high. Incorrect Answer(s) Nicotine acts as a painkiller, dampening both physical and emotional pain. The nicotine in cigarettes dampens the central nervous system.

Which of the following scenarios are examples of emotions that serve a broaden-and-build function?

Correct Answer(s) Frederique incorporates a lot of material about her disastrous first marriage into her standup comedy act. While contentedly enjoying his vacation, Haoran sets time aside to think about how the year could have gone better. Incorrect Answer(s) As a method actor, Lakshman thinks about things that make him feel angry or upset in order to access those emotions on stage. Having been embarrassed by forgetting his mother-in-law's name, Paol is unlikely to forget it again. Sandy hardly ever thinks about her abusive parents since she severed ties with them at age 20.

It is sometimes said that stress is contagious. Which of the following statements explain why this is so?

Correct Answer(s) Spending time around a person suffering from a stressful situation tends to create feelings of stress. Knowing that our loved ones are suffering is itself stressful. Incorrect Answer(s) The cytokines generated by a stressed person can be transmitted to those around them. Stress is primarily the result of infectious disease.

Stress is a phenomenon with multiple components. Identify the necessary parts of the definition of stress.

Correct Answer(s) Stress is a physiological responses. Stress is a reaction to an environmental event. Stress depends on subjective appraisal. Incorrect Answer(s) Stressors can be identified objectively. Stress is an emotional response.

Identify the reasons stress increases the risk of heart disease.

Correct Answer(s) The effect of stress on blood pressure causes a buildup of arterial plaque. SAM axis activation increases blood pressure. Incorrect Answer(s) Chronic stress is characterized by sustained low blood pressure. Stress causes toxins in the blood to increase.

Primatologist Robert Sapolsky has made an argument for "why zebras don't get ulcers." Identify the reasons, according to Sapolsky's view, that so many modern humans are crippled by chronic stress.

Correct Answer(s) Zebras do not experience prolonged stress over social or emotional factors. Our ancestors evolved to deal with immediate, life-threatening stressors such as dangerous predators. Evolution did not optimize our bodies to be able to sustain stress responses for long periods of time. Incorrect Answer(s) Unlike herbivorous zebras, modern humans are omnivores. Zebras naturally accept the strict social hierarchies in the animal kingdom.

When Hans Selye discovered general adaptation syndrome, which of the following symptoms did he observe in the rats he was working with?

Correct Answer(s) bleeding stomach ulcers. enlarged adrenal glands. shrinking of the thymus, spleen, and lymph nodes. Incorrect Answer(s) loss of fur. muscle atrophy.

Gretel is about to give her first press conference, and she can hear the murmur of dozens of journalists who want to ask her hard questions. She can feel her heartbeat in her temples. If someone were to measure her blood vessels, they would appear dilated. She knows the stakes are high, but she thinks she's up to the task. Identify the physical reactions to stress that Gretel is displaying.

Correct Answer(s) challenge reactivity sympathetic nervous system activity. SAM axis activation Incorrect Answer(s) threat reactivity. parasympathetic nervous system activity. HPA axis activation.

Identify the fields that are brought together by health psychology.

Correct Answer(s) clinical psychology. social psychology. physiology. cognitive psychology. medicine Incorrect Answer(s) anthropology. economics. physics.

___ is characterized by three stages. The first is a(n) ___, which can range from apprehension to a full-blown fight-or-flight response. The second stage is characterized by ___. This includes enhanced ___ activity but reduced activity by the digestive system. Finally, the third stage is ___, during which the failure of body systems can result in organ damage.

General adaptation syndrome alarm reaction resistance immune system exhaustion

Which of the following people are experiencing flow?

Experiencing Flow When improvising a jazz solo, John finds the notes coming so easily that it's almost as if the music is playing him. After what she believed was a couple of hours of playing a video game, Lana looked up and realized that she had played straight through the night. Not Experiencing Flow The professor's voice is so pleasant to listen to that Carolyn realizes the class period has flown by without her remembering what was being discussed. Barunka snaps to attention and realizes that she can't remember anything about the last few hours.

In his will, a comedian requests that his funeral service take the form of a "comedy roast," in which his friends and family tell jokes at his expense. Participating in this activity will give the comedian's loved ones an additional coping mechanism for their grief.

True

This figure shows the results of a study of nuns who entered a convent in their twenties and wrote autobiographies at the time. The figure plots survival rates for nuns who used more positive language versus less positive language in their autobiographies. What is the significance of the fact that both groups have 100 percent survival at age 75?

The study only began tracking mortality at 75.

Identify the true and false statements about stress and exercise.

True Statement(s) People who are stressed out are more likely to skip exercising. People who get regular exercise report less stress and anxiety in their lives. False Statement(s) People who exercise are healthier mainly because they tend to be wealthier. Because it raises your heart rate, exercise increases the amount of physical stress your body experiences.

People sometimes use alcohol as a means of self-medication to deal with stressful situations, but this approach can have dangerous complications. Identify the true and false statements about alcohol and stress.

True Statement(s) Self-medicating with alcohol increases the odds of binge drinking. Alcohol dampens the central nervous system. Alcohol constrains self-awareness. Stress may make alcohol seem less risky. False Statement(s) Alcohol's soothing effects get stronger with more drinks. By suppressing stress, low doses of alcohol can help people self-regulate.

Identify the individuals who are probably vulnerable to stress.

Vulnerable to Stress Cassie doesn't consider herself a people person and rarely interacts with anyone outside of work. Jordan sees a lot of people socially but wouldn't trust any of them with a secret. Li Jing's social world is online; she mostly interacts with others by reading their posts. Not Vulnerable to Stress Serge keeps most people at a distance but has four friends he considers close and trustworthy. Emily is open about her feelings with most people and is a generous listener. Minsuk is very close with his siblings and communicates with at least one of them every day.

Match each stressor to the category to which it belongs. Warning: Some of these examples may be uncomfortable to think about.

catastrophic event, Dalmat was 7 years old when his town became the site of a military battle that destroyed his home. Following a traffic accident, Elodie awoke to discover that she had been paralyzed from the neck down. daily hassle, Arturo needs to spend the afternoon typing memos, but an ingrown fingernail makes typing uncomfortable. Xael hates how often she has to shovel the snow in her driveway so as to be able to drive to work in the morning. major life event, Because of a new job, Craig moved to a new town where he didn't know anyone. After years of marriage, Jack and Diane got a divorce.

Identify each consideration as an example of either a primary or secondary stress appraisal.

primary appraisal, Rumain always drives below the speed limit because he worries that any interaction he has with the police might go badly. When Ljubica's son is denied a spot in AP calculus, she thinks, "This could impact his college applications." When Vincent learns that his sister has lost her husband, he thinks about how challenging it will be for her whole family. secondary appraisal, Justin receives news that he needs to start taking expensive heart medication, and his first thought is, "I don't think I can afford this." While examining a damaged painting that he intends to restore, Jacob realizes that he may not have the skills necessary to do the repairs. Following the death of a family pet, Yoel goes to bed wondering how he's going to muster the will to get up in the morning.

Mindfulness meditation appears to have benefits for subjective well-being, but scientists remain unsure why. Which of the following are proposed reasons meditation could yield emotional benefits?

Correct Answer(s) Regular practice at regulating your attention improves executive functions. Meditation lets you see yourself as a changing entity. Mindfulness increases your awareness of your physical state. Practitioners are less likely to hold onto negative emotions. Incorrect Answer(s) Mindfulness meditation helps to erase the sense of self. Mindfulness meditation triggers the same restorative processes that are active during sleep.

Pollyanna has been told she has a very positive attitude. She maintains a sunny disposition even in terrible circumstances. Which of the following health consequences will she likely experience as a result of this personality trait, compared to the average person?

Correct Answer(s) She is less likely to get sick when exposed to disease. She is likely to live longer. Her HPA axis shows a reduced level of activation when under stress. Incorrect Answer(s) She is more likely to develop PTSD at a later point in life. She is more likely to have low intelligence.

Which of the following practices are examples of good sleep hygiene?

Correct Answer(s) Going to bed at the same time each night. Using your bed only for sleep and sex. Avoiding tasks that involve concentration before going to bed. Incorrect Answer(s) using the snooze button to stretch out your wakeup routine.

Kylie has been taking several very difficult classes, and as final exams draw near she begins to feel achy almost every day. Identify the reasons she might be having this feeling.

Correct Answer(s) Kylie's body is having difficulty reducing inflammation. Kylie has elevated levels of cytokines in her body. Incorrect Answer(s) Kylie's perception of discomfort is psychological, not physiological. Stress has caused Kylie's body to use muscle instead of fat for energy.

Which of the following statements are reasons there are pronounced health disparities between people of different socio-economic status (SES)?

Correct Answer(s) Lower-SES settings tend to be subject to more instability and hardship. Having a lower SES is predictive of having worse or no health insurance. Elevated stress increases risky behaviors. Healthy behaviors are not merely a matter of choice but also a matter of time and cost. Incorrect Answer(s) People of low SES tend to have lower overall ability.

Devon visits his sick girlfriend to bring her soup, and they wind up watching a movie. This movie turns out to be a very scary horror movie, and Devon's heart races throughout it. Not long after, he realizes that he has caught a cold. Devon most likely got sick because the stress of the film suppressed his immune system, not because he was exposed to his girlfriend's cold.

False

Writing about past trauma appears to reduce risk of depression and stress-related health complications. Researchers have suggested this effect occurs for which reason?

Writing about trauma appears to help people understand what they went through.