Q&A Hero

Q: In order for stress to cause illness, stress must affect physiological processes that produce illness. The most likely candidate for a mechanism is the _____ system. a. immune b. nervous c. endocrine d. digestive

Q: These chemicals secreted by the immune system signal the nervous system: a. cytokines b. leukocytes c. phagocytes d. antigens

Q: Antoni and colleagues (2009) designed a cognitive behavioral stress management intervention for women with breast cancer, and over a 6-month period, improvements in ______ were found. a. depression levels b. anxiety levels c. immune measures d. cortisol

Q: Which of the following individuals would be most likely to have decreased immune system functioning? a. Anna, who is taking her first exam in psychology this week b. Nathan, who has an hour commute to school each week c. Marissa, who just had her first child d. Claude, who is unemployed and lives in a high-crime neighborhood

Q: __________ experience poorer psychological and physical health, longer healing times for wounds, and lowered immune functioning. a. First-time mothers b. First-time fathers c. Alzheimer's caregivers d. The elderly

Q: Marital conflict is associated with __________ a. faster response times to dangerous stimuli. b. slower response times to dangerous stimuli. c. faster wound healing. d. slower wound healing.

Q: Recent research that presented photographs of infectious disease to participants found that, after viewing this pictures, participants a. sneezed and felt nauseous. b. reported more trips to the health center that semester. c. had increased production of proinflammatory cytokines. d. all of the above.

Q: Research by Kiecolt-Glaser and her colleagues has shown that Alzheimer's caregivers, compared with other people of the same age and gender, a. had poorer psychological and physical health. b. had lowered immune system function. c. more quickly recovered their own health after the death of the Alzheimer's patient. d. both a and b are correct.

Q: Research in the field of psychoneuroimmunology has found evidence that immune function can be decreased by a. exam stress. b. caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease. c. relationship conflict. d. all of these.

Q: What relationship is the basis of psychoneuroimmunology? a. Endocrine function affects behavior, and behavior can either raise or lower immune system function. b. Behavior affects the immune system, and immune system function affects health. c. Health and disease affect immune system function, and behavior affects the nervous system as well as the endocrine system. d. The action of the immune system is independent of behavior, and the endocrine and nervous systems are less dependent than has been previously assumed.

Q: Ader and Cohen demonstrated that a. the immune system could be conditioned. b. the immune system was independent of the nervous system. c. the adrenomedullary response was independent of the adrenocortical response. d. allostasis does not apply to the General Adaptation Syndrome.

Q: The discipline concerned specifically with the interactions among behavior, the endocrine system, the immune system, and the nervous system is a. transactional analysis. b. behavioral medicine. c. health psychology. d. psychoneuroimmunology.

Q: The highest concentration of the virus for HIV is found in ______. a. saliva and in the blood. b. saliva and in semen. c. blood and in semen. d. saliva, in the blood, and in semen.

Q: __________ enable the immune system to have a rapid response when the foreign invader reappears. a. Antigens b. Phagocytes c. Memory lymphocytes d. Leukocytes

Q: Substances that evoke the production of one or more antibodies are called _____. a. antigens b. vaccination c. phagocytes d. lymph nodes

Q: The two general, or nonspecific, mechanisms that foreign substances "face" are: a. phagocytosis and inflammation b. phagocytosis and mucous membranes c. inflammation and mucous membranes d. the spleen and inflammation

Q: Enhancing immune system function would be useful in the treatment of a. allergies. b. organ transplant patients. c. AIDS. d. cardiovascular disease.

Q: Increasing the efficiency of the immune system would be a problem for whom? a. people with cancer b. people with AIDS c. people who have received transplanted organs d. people with bacterial diseases

Q: Autoimmune disease occurs when a. the immune system loses its effectiveness. b. T-cells are reduced by 90%. c. malignant cells proliferate, producing a demand for numerous immune system responses. d. the immune system attacks body cells rather than invaders.

Q: Allergic reactions are a. a result of digestive system dysfunction. b. an abnormal immune system reaction to a foreign substance. c. caused by viruses. d. more common in people whose immune systems are not fully functional at birth.

Q: Suppression of the immune system a. is a desirable action following most major surgery. b. will stop infection. c. leaves the body vulnerable to infection. d. never occurs naturally, but can be induced with drugs.

Q: HIV is caused by a. a viral infection. b. a bacterial infection. c. exposure to a cancer-causing agent. d. homosexuality.

Q: The development of immunity depends on the creation of a. leukocytes. b. natural killer cells. c. antigens. d. antibodies.

Q: Immunity occurs when a. memory lymphocytes persist after initial exposure to a virus. b. antigens build up. c. antibody levels fall. d. interferon is transferred from one person to another.

Q: Nonspecific immune system response a. provides the first line of defense against foreign substances in the body. b. occurs in a nonspecific order. c. has the ability to create a type of memory that confers immunity. d. protects against specific immune responses that threaten the body.

Q: Which of the following performs specific immune responses? a. phagocytosis b. T-cells and B-cells c. granulocytes d. macrophages

Q: Which of these is NOT an organ of the immune system? a. liver b. spleen c. tonsils d. thymus

Q: A function of lymph nodes is to a. secrete thymosin. b. serve as a holding station for red blood cells. c. cleanse lymph of foreign debris. d. all of these.

Q: Leukocytes are a. white blood cells. b. red blood cells. c. platelets. d. capillaries.

Q: The main function of the immune system is to a. manufacture white blood cells. b. manufacture red blood cells. c. protect internal organs. d. defend against foreign invaders.

Q: In what ways does social support influence health?

Q: What types of hassles arise from the psychosocial environment to produce stress?

Q: Compare and contrast the views of stress of Selye and Lazarus.

Q: Describe the physiology of stress reactions.A. The stress reaction is controlled by the sympathetic division of the ANS, which mobilizes the body for "fight or flight."B. The mobilization occurs through two routes:

Q: The effect of emotional disclosure does not differ based on gender, age, or ethnicity.

Q: People who experience less stress benefit from emotional disclosure more than those who experience more stress.

Q: There are relatively small differences between men's and women's coping strategies.

Q: Social support influences stress in just one-way; having more people around you encourages you to eat healthy.

Q: Perceived discrimination can result in mental and physical health problems and this may be due to maladaptive health behaviors that people use to cope with experiences of stigma and discrimination.

Q: Physiological measures, such as measuring epinephrine or norepinephrine in blood samples, can provide a reliable index of stress.

Q: New physiological measures that assess cortisol in human hair allow researchers to examine cortisol production over the preceding 6 months.

Q: Research has confirmed a gender difference in responses to stress.

Q: Emotional expression such as crying, laughing, yelling, or throwing objects leads to improved psychological and physical health.

Q: Cognitive behavior therapy includes components of cognitive therapy and behavior modification.

Q: Whenever Preston faces a major source of conflict, he "drowns" his problems by drinking alcohol. Such a tactic is referred to as problem-focused coping.

Q: The more workplace decisions a person must make each day, the more stress that person will experience.

Q: Life events and everyday hassles are two terms for similar sources of stress.

Q: Cataclysmic events such as hurricanes and earthquakes are more stressful than those caused by intentional acts.

Q: According to the Social Readjustment Scale, a person who wins $50,000 in the lottery may experience increased stress.

Q: According to Richard Lazarus, people's perception of their ability to cope with a stressful event can diminish their feelings of stress.

Q: The first stage of the general adaptation syndrome is alarm.

Q: Catecholamines are a class of chemicals containing epinephrine and norepinephrine.

Q: The two major divisions of the nervous system are the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system.

Q: Neurons are more like a chain than like a net.

Q: ________ has been shown to be an effective intervention for posttraumatic stress disorder, chronic back pain, and chronic fatigue syndrome. a. Progressive muscle relaxation b. Autogenics training c. Cognitive behavioral therapy d. Emotional disclosure

Q: ________ is the most effective therapy for stress management. a. Progressive muscle relaxation b. Autogenics training c. Cognitive behavioral therapy d. Emotional disclosure

Q: A recent meta-analytic review showed that emotional disclosure is more effective in helping people with __________ than _________problems. a. physical, psychological b. psychological, physical c. emotional, physiological d. psychological, emotional

Q: Research on the topic of emotional disclosure has demonstrated its effectiveness a. in reducing the symptoms of asthma. b. is enhanced when people find some positive aspect of their experience. c. with psychological but not with physical problems. d. both a and b.

Q: Rosario participated in a program in which she wrote about a traumatic event in her life as a way to improve her distress about this event. Maxime participated in the same program, but in addition to writing about a traumatic event in her life, she received instructions to focus on finding something positive about this negative experience. Research indicates that a. both women will benefit from the program equally. b. Rosario will profit more than Maxime because trying to find a positive aspect to a negative situation will detract from the value of emotional expression. c. Maxime will profit more than Rosario because focusing on something positive has additional benefits to emotional expression. d. neither woman will profit from the program as much as a man would have.

Q: Emotional expression improves not only _____________ but also _____________. a. social support . . . number of close friends b. feelings of distress . . . physical symptoms c. fever . . . hepatic indicators d. difficulties in sleeping . . . number of negative life events

Q: James Pennebaker has demonstrated that a. writing or talking about traumatic events can produce positive results. b. relaxation techniques are more effective than temperature biofeedback in reducing headache pain. c. social support is critical in helping pain patients cope. d. social support is not critical in helping pain patients cope.

Q: Cognitive behavioral therapy a. works toward changing attitudes and behavior. b. emphasizes attitudes and minimizes the role of behavior. c. focuses on the analysis of irrational beliefs and thoughts rather than behavior. d. both b and c.

Q: Research evidence suggests that relaxation training a. is not an effective pain analgesic. b. is useful for a variety of people as well as for a variety of problems. c. works best when patients are trained in groups rather than individually. d. is less effective than biofeedback.

Q: Research has confirmed that cultural differences in personal coping strategies exist for a. people from Asian cultures, who are less likely than Westerners to seek social support from families. b. African Americans, who are more likely than Whites to use emotion-focused coping. c. Hispanic Americans, who are more likely than African Americans to use emotion-focused coping. d. all of these.

Q: In general, which type of coping strategy is related to good health? a. emotion-focused coping b. problem-focused coping c. avoidant coping d. danger control

Q: Rather than make a study schedule, Erin spends a lot of time complaining to her roommates about how hard her psychology course is and how worried she is about her grade. Folkman and Lazarus would call this approach a. danger control. b. emotion-focused coping. c. problem-focused coping. d. reappraisal.

Q: Erin is worried about her grade in a psychology class. To receive her best grade, Erin needs to make and follow a study schedule. Folkman and Lazarus would call this preferred approach: a. danger control. b. emotion-focused coping. c. problem-focused coping. d. reappraisal.

Q: People who experience a trauma, such as losing a loved one, but then can find positive aspects concerning their trauma, often experience better psychological adjustment. This type of coping is: a. problem-focused coping b. emotion-focused coping c. avoidance-orientated coping d. meaning-focused coping

Q: People who are ________ are more likely to use problem-focused coping and adjust their coping strategies to meet the demands of specific situations. a. pessimistic b. optimistic c. narcissistic d. healthy

Q: The Alameda County Study was the first study to show a strong link between _______ and longevity. a. self-esteem b. narcissism c. social support d. social isolation

Q: Individuals are more likely to use this form of coping when they appraise the situation as controllable. a. Problem-focused coping b. Emotion-focused coping c. Avoidance-orientated coping d. Meaning-focused coping

Q: _______ is the better coping strategy to deal with chronic stressors, such as discrimination, HIV infection, and diabetes. a. Problem-focused coping b. Emotion-focused coping c. Avoidance-orientated coping d. Meaning-focused coping

Q: Individuals who frequently face situations that offer little control have increased production of ___________. a. adrenocorticotropic hormone b. cortisol c. norepinephrine d. oxytocin

Q: People who own a _____ are 8 times more likely to be alive 1 year after their heart attack than those who do not own one. a. bicycle b. dog c. pedometer d. heart monitor

Q: Marty believes that he has control of events that shape his life. Psychologists would say that Marty has high ____________. a. problem-solving skills b. social support c. free will d. personal control

Q: A recent meta-analytic review found that social support buffered the effects of discrimination on __________ but not __________. a. mental health; physical health b. mental health; environmental stressors c. physical health; mental health d. physical health; environmental stressors

Q: The _________________ suggests that social support lessens or eliminates the harmful effects of stress. a. stress-buffering hypothesis b. personal control hypothesis c. tend and befriend hypothesis d. emotion focused coping hypothesis

Q: According to Ellen Langer and Judith Rodin's research about personal control and older people, the degree of control that is necessary to produce health benefits a. may be created by decisions about relatively minor matters. b. should include decisions about where to live. c. should include choosing one's personal physician. d. are so extensive that it is not feasible for most elderly people to be allowed such control due to safety concerns.

Q: A study by Ellen Langer and Judith Rodin of nursing home residents showed that older people were more likely to retain good health if they a. had plants in their rooms. b. received flowers at least once a week from family members. c. were responsible for caring for plants in their rooms. d. received attention from the nursing staff in the form of frequent rearrangement of room furniture.

Q: Claudia believes that her own health is mostly due to genetics and germs; she can do very little to improve her health. This attitude is consistent with a. an internal locus of control. b. an external locus of control. c. a high level of self-efficacy. d. a low level of self-efficacy.