PSY 381 15: Health Psychology

Tyrene has been under a lot of stress. His immune system is weakening. Which is the most common disease he is likely to get as a result of his weakened immune system?

A cold

Alzheimer's disease leading to depression, anxiety, and psychotic symptoms is an example of which of the following?

A medical disorder leading to a psychological disorder

Married couples who argue more _____.

show poorer immunological functioning than married couples who have fewer arguments

What were the results of the study by Spiegel and colleagues?

- All of the women who didn't participate in support groups had died after 4 years. - One-third of the women participating in support groups had survived after 4 years.

People with psychological disorders are more likely to develop which of the following health problems?

- Chronic respiratory disease - Severe allergies - Cancer

Which of the following health-related problems have been linked to avoidance coping?

- Greater pain after surgery - Lower adherence to medical regimens - More risky behaviors

Which of the following health problems can result from pessimism?

- High blood pressure - Chronic arousal of the body's fight-or-flight response - Poorer immune system functioning

Which of the following contribute to allostatic load?

- Inability to flee - Chronic stress - Inability to fight

Which of the following are people from Asian cultures likely to do in coping with stressful events?

- Look to their social networks without revealing concerns or weaknesses - Enjoy the company of those they love

Research indicates that which of the following illnesses occur in higher rates in people during times of stress?

- Mononucleosis - Colds - Herpes

Which of the following consequences are the result of seeking social support?

- Positive outcomes on the progression of major diseases - Better immune system functioning

Which of the following are true of psychological disorders and physical health problems?

- Psychological disorders may contribute to medical disorders. - Psychopathology and medical illness may share a genetic cause. - Medical disorders may create psychological disorders.

Which of the following is a factor in the leading causes of death in the twenty-first century?

- Smoking - Stress - Diet

Research indicates that psychological factors can affect the progression of illness in people who have _____.

HIV

The field of behavioral medicine is also known as which of the following?

Health psychology

Who of the following is less likely to have a physical illness and less likely to die from a variety of conditions?

John, a 34-year-old construction worker who is married and has three children

Which of the following is true of a pessimistic outlook, as opposed to an optimistic outlook.

Pessimism reduces positive coping strategies.

Allen, a man from a very traditional Asian-American family, has been under a lot of job stress lately. It has reached the point where he is becoming overwhelmed by it. What is Allen most likely to do to seek help for this stress?

Seek the company of his family

When a stressor is chronic and the person cannot fight it or flee from it, the physiological arousal that results can be severely damaging. This condition is known as _____.

allostatic load

The most common disease in which the immune system plays a role is _____.

a cold

A major source of support for people under stress is _____.

a partner

A pessimistic outlook directly causes chronic ______ of the body's physiological response to stress, while an optimistic outlook does not.

arousal

People who seek positive social support show positive health outcomes _____.

at both the macrolevel and the microlevel

Samson recently had surgery. His ensuing coping behavior, denying that he is ill, may have contributed to greater pain during recovery, Samson has a(n) ____ coping style

avoidance

A method of coping that is bad for health is denying that you are ill or not facing other obvious stresses. This coping mechanism is known as _____.

avoidance coping

Serena has been told by her doctor that she has liver cancer. She refuses to believe this and is continuing to act as if there were nothing wrong with her. The type of coping that Serena is demonstrating is _____.

avoidance coping

Physiological responses to stress depend on the level of stress and the length of time the stress has lasted. In other words, these responses occur along a

continuum

Sadie is a pessimist who always thinks the worst is going to happen. Lately, Sadie has not been feeling well and has been suffering from a number of infections and viruses. Her pessimistic outlook may be contributing to her poor health by _____.

contributing to a poorer immune system

The conclusion that Spiegel and colleagues reached based on their study was that the support groups reduced stress and distress for the women and thus reduced the release of ____, which can promote tumor growth.

corticosteroids

Physiological responses to stress, such as increased heart rate and elevated blood pressure, are known collectively as the ____ response.

fight-or-flight

Women with breast cancer who actively sought social support from others _____.

had greater immune system activity

______ psychology is the field that explores how biological, psychological, social, and environmental factors interact to influence physical health.

health

the _____ system protects us from disease by identifying and killing pathogens and tumor cells.

immune

The two branches of the immune system are the ____ immune system and the specific immune system. Multiple choice question.

innate

Historically, since women had primary responsibility for their offspring and were not physically capable of fighting off aggressors, they tended to _____.

join social groups for protection

Milton was recently diagnosed with HIV. He lost his partner two years ago to AIDS. Because of this, according to research, he _____.

may have a faster progression to AIDS

People who interpret events negatively are said to have a _____ point of view

pessimistic

_____ is a hard, fatty substance that builds up in blood vessels supplying the heart.

plaque

people with ______ disorders have more physical health problems than people without them. Listen to the complete question

psychological

Candace saw her home ravaged by a hurricane and all of her possessions lost. Instead of giving up in despair, she felt renewed vigor and rebuilt her home. Today, she is a stronger person than before. Candace could be described as _____.

resilient

People who are able to handle severe stress extremely well and bounce back with renewed vigor are called _____.

resilient

In contrast to the beginning of the twentieth century, when infectious diseases were among the leading causes of death, the five leading causes of death in the twenty-first century are all influenced by psychological and ______ factors

social

Research indicates that during times of stress, people _____.

suffer higher rates of infectious diseases

Which of the following has a positive effect on health?

talking about negative emotions

When women are faced with threats, they engage in a pattern termed _____.

tend and befriend

Gerald is still in the closet and has experienced a faster than normal progression of his HIV. It is likely that _____.

the stress of concealing his sexual orientation has led to a faster progression of the disease

The difference between resilient and fragile people is _____.

the way they appraise or interpret events

The partner who has more control over a separation or divorce shows better immune functioning than the other partner.

true