CH. 11 psychology

problem-focused coping

Attempting to alleviate stress directly by changing the stressor or the way we interact with that stressor.

Type A

Friedman and Rosenman's term for competitive, hard-driving, impatient, verbally aggressive, and anger-prone people

Type B

Friedman and Rosenman's term for easygoing, relaxed people

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 so he must find another place to live. Given what happens when people feel unable to control their environment, which of these is happening to Jason?

His immune response is dropping.

Julia is awoken in the middle of the night to the sound of breaking glass. Her increased heart rate and respiration can BEST be explained as:

a fight-or-flight response

mindfulness meditation

a reflective practice in which people attend to current experiences in a nonjudgmental and accepting manner

health psychology

a subfield of psychology that provides psychology's contribution to behavioral medicine

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

about half

After moving to a new apartment, you find the street noise irritatingly loud, but after a while, it no longer bothers you. This reaction illustrates the

adaptation level phenomenon

Because it triggers the release of mood-boosting neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine, serotonin, and the endorphins, _________ exercise raises energy levels and helps alleviate depression and anxiety.

aerobic

Which stage of the general adaptation syndrome is correctly matched with its description?

alarm—perceiving a threat or stressor

coping

alleviating stress using emotional, cognitive, or behavioral methods

One of the most consistent findings of psychological research is that happy people are also

are more likely to help others

Misplacing one's keys is an example of a type of stressor called a(n):

daily hassle.

when faced with a situation over which you feel you have little control, you are more likely to turn to ______ focused coping

emotion

Following an ugly confrontation with a co-worker, Simon seeks sympathy from his friends. Simon is practicing _____ coping.

emotion-focused

Joseph has been experiencing financial problems associated with his recent divorce. He was able to save $300 from his tips, but since he could not pay off his bills, he decided to purchase a flat screen television to help him take his mind off his stress. This is an example of _____ coping.

emotion-focused

Liz loses her well-paid executive position in a round of corporate downsizing. She spends the evening becoming intoxicated in a seedy bar across town. Liz is demonstrating _____ coping.

emotion-focused

B lymphocyte is to T lymphocyte as _____ is to _____.

fighting bacterial infections; attacking viruses

personal control

our sense of controlling our environment rather than feeling helpless

adaptation-level phenomenon

our tendency to form judgments (of sounds, of lights, of income) relative to a neutral level defined by our prior experience

feel-good, do-good phenomenon

people's tendency to be helpful when already in a good mood

The director of an assisted-living housing complex was puzzled by a situation. When she let the residents choose their own dinnertime, as well as what they wanted to eat, she realized there were far fewer health problems and deaths. To what might she attribute this?

perceived control

which of the following is NOT one of the main three types of stressors?

pessimism

Catharsis

in psychology, the idea that "releasing" aggressive energy (through action or fantasy) relieves aggressive urges

____ psychology is the scientific field of study focused on how humans thrive and flourish

positive

When people speak of "being proactive" or "getting in front of a situation," they usually mean tackling an obstacle head-on so that it does not become a bigger issue. These phrases MOST clearly suggest _____ coping.

problem-focused

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

psychoneuroimmunologist.

When elderly patients take an active part in managing their own care and surroundings, their morale and health tend to improve. Such findings indicate that people do better when they experience an ___________ (internal/external) locus of control.

internal

Selma participated in a research project in college, and she was identified as being less happy than average. During a follow-up study 20 years later, researchers found all of these EXCEPT Selma was:

less likely to have met all of her life goals than her happy peers.

Diener and colleagues surveyed thousands of U.S. college students in 1976, then restudied them at age 37. They found that happy students had gone on to earn more money than their less happy peers. This study BEST exemplifies _____ research.

longitudinal

All of these can help slow down the progression of AIDS in an HIV-positive person EXCEPT:

loss of a loved one.

Stress can suppress the immune system by prompting a decrease in the release of _________, the immune cells that ordinarily attack bacteria, viruses, cancer cells, and other foreign substances.

lymphocytes

Seligman's research showed that a dog will respond with learned helplessness if it has received repeated shocks and has had

no control over the shocks

A philosopher observed that we cannot escape envy, because there will always be someone more successful, more accomplished, or richer with whom to compare ourselves. In psychology, this observation is embodied in the ___ ___ principle.

relative deprivation

Research on the faith factor has found that

religiously active people tend to outlive those who are not religiously active

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

resistance

Selye's general adaptation syndrome (GAS) consists of an alarm reaction followed by _________, then _________.

resistance; exhaustion

subjective well-being

self-perceived happiness or satisfaction with life. Used along with measures of objective well-being (for example, physical and economic indicators) to evaluate people's quality of life.

People who have close relationships are less likely to die prematurely than those who do not, supporting the idea that

social support has a beneficial effect on health

research has shown are at increased risk of cancer a year or so after experiencing depression, helplessness, or bereavement. In describing this link, researchers are quick to point out

stress does not create cancer cells, but it weakens the body's natural defenses against them

Process is to event as _____ is to _____.

stress; stressor

Which choice correctly pairs a stress-related concept with a description?

stress—process

aerobic exercise

sustained exercise that increases heart and lung fitness; may also alleviate depression and anxiety

coronary heart disease

the clogging of the vessels that nourish the heart muscle; the leading cause of death in many developed countries

learned helplessness

the hopelessness and passive resignation an animal or human learns when unable to avoid repeated aversive events

external locus of control

the perception that chance or outside forces beyond your personal control determine your fate.

relative deprivation

the perception that one is worse off relative to those with whom one compares oneself

internal locus of control

the perception that you control your own fate

stress

the process by which we perceive and respond to certain events, called stressors, that we appraise as threatening or challenging

positive psychology

the scientific study of optimal human functioning; aims to discover and promote strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive

Psychoneuroimmunology

the study of how psychological, neural, and endocrine processes together affect the immune system and resulting health

Lisa McCann and David Holmes 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

tend-and-befriend response

under stress, people (especially women) often provide support to others (tend) and bond with and seek support from others (befriend)

Rachel is a very optimistic young woman. She usually expects the best, even in uncertain times. Her college roommate, Leah, is pessimistic and is always expecting the worst. For these two women, what prediction is likely during finals week?

Racheal will have less fatigue and fewer coughs than will Leah

Nearly _____ percent of all Americans think that being very well off is important for happiness. This belief is _____ by scientific research.

75; contradicted

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

Consider these two statements: 1) Doing good promotes feeling good. 2) Feeling good promotes doing good. Which of these statements is true?

Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are true.

Jennifer was driving her car to school when it broke down. Which statement is true?

Jennifer's feelings of frustration are a stress reaction.

Jim recently received a large inheritance from a distant relative. Based on research, it can be expected that:

Jim will initially be happy, but will then adjust and need more to be happy.

James is a married man who has six children and another one on the way. He has a demanding job as a cardiologist in a major research hospital. His wife, Molly, is a stay-at-home mother. He is described by friends as easygoing, happy, and content with his life. His wife is often stressed by the demands of pregnancy as well as raising six small children. She is frequently angry with James for not taking parenting more seriously. Which statement is MOST likely true?

Molly is more at risk for stress related illnesses than James

General Adaptation Syndrome

Selye's concept of the body's adaptive response to stress in three phases—alarm, resistance, exhaustion.

Jane and Sue leave a building and see a dog running toward them. Jane assumes that the dog wants to play. Sue assumes the dog is going to attack. Which of these is MOST likely?

Sue's stress reaction will be more negative than Jane's.

emotion-focused coping

attempting to alleviate stress by avoiding or ignoring a stressor and attending to emotional needs related to one's stress reaction

Brendan must give an oral presentation in 10 minutes at the start of his class. In response to this threat:

blood flow increases to Brendan's muscles.

Unpredictable large-scale events such as tornados, tsunamis, and terrorism are examples of:

catastrophes

A stressor is a:

challenging or threatening event.

Sarah recently had a routine medical test conducted. Her doctor contacted her and told her that there were some irregularities and further tests were needed. While Sarah was concerned about the results, she dealt with her stress by talking to friends, spending time with her family, and staying busy. This is an example of _____ coping.

emotion-focused

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

exhaustion

The number of short-term illnesses and stress-related psychological disorders was higher than usual in the months following an earthquake. Such findings suggest that

experiencing a very stressful event increases a person's vulnerability to illness

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

feel good do good

when faced with stress, women are more likely than men to show a _______ and _______ response

tend; befriend

self-control

the ability to control impulses and delay short-term gratification for greater long-term rewards

With each new accomplishment, each career advance, and each raise, Joe somehow feels that it is still not enough. Joe's example BEST illustrates:

the adaptation-level phenomenon.