Chapter Test

Test yourself repeatedly throughout your studies. This will not only help you figure out what you know and don’t know; the testing itself will help you learn and remember the information more effectively thanks to the testing effect.

Question 10.20

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

resistance; exhaustion

Question 10.21

When faced with stress, women are more likely than men to experience the ________-and-________ response.

tend; befriend

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Question 10.22

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

  • a. daily hassles have adverse health consequences.
  • b. experiencing a very stressful event increases a person’s vulnerability to illness.
  • c. the amount of stress a person feels is directly related to the number of stressors experienced.
  • d. small, bad events don’t cause stress, but large ones can be toxic.

b

Question 10.23

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

  • a. Catastrophes
  • b. Significant life changes
  • c. Daily hassles
  • d. Threatening events that we hear about

d

Question 10.24

Stress hormones released in response to a signal from the brain suppress ________, the immune cells that ordinarily attack bacteria, viruses, cancer cells, and other foreign substances.

lymphocytes

Question 10.25

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

  • a. accumulated stress causes cancer.
  • b. anger is the negative emotion most closely linked to cancer.
  • c. stress does not create cancer cells, but it weakens the body’s natural defenses against them.
  • d. feeling optimistic about chances of survival ensures that a cancer patient will get well.

c

Question 10.26

A Chinese proverb warns, “The fire you kindle for your enemy often burns you more than him.” How is this true of Type A individuals?

Type A individuals frequently experience negative emotions (such as anger and depression), during which the sympathetic nervous system diverts blood away from the liver. This leaves fat and cholesterol circulating in the bloodstream for deposit near the heart and other organs, increasing the risk of heart disease and other health problems. Thus, Type A individuals actually harm themselves by directing anger at others.

Question 10.27

The components of the Type A personality that have been linked most closely to coronary heart disease are anger and other ________ feelings.

negative

Question 10.28

When faced with a situation over which you feel you have no control, it is most effective to use ________(emotion/problem)-focused coping.

emotion

Question 10.29

Research has showed that a dog will respond with learned helplessness if it has received repeated shocks and has had

  • a. the opportunity to escape.
  • b. no control over the shocks.
  • c. pain or discomfort.
  • d. no food or water prior to the shocks.

b

Question 10.30

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

Question 10.31

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

  • a. social ties can be a source of stress.
  • b. gender influences longevity.
  • c. Type A behavior is responsible for many premature deaths.
  • d. social support has a beneficial effect on health.

d

Question 10.32

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

aerobic

Question 10.33

Research on the faith factor has found that

  • a. pessimists tend to be healthier than optimists.
  • b. our expectations influence our feelings of stress.
  • c. religiously active people tend to outlive those who are not religiously active.
  • d. religious engagement promotes isolation, repression, and ill health.

c

Question 10.34

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

  • a. more likely to express anger.
  • b. generally luckier than others.
  • c. concentrated in the wealthier nations.
  • d. more likely to help others.

d

Question 10.35

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

  • a. relative deprivation principle.
  • b. adaptation-level phenomenon.
  • c. feel-good, do-good phenomenon.
  • d. catharsis principle.

b

Question 10.36

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

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Answering these questions will help you make these concepts more personally meaningful, and therefore more memorable.

Question 10.37

In what ways have you experienced the stress adaptation phases of alarm, resistance, and exhaustion in your life as a student?

Question 10.38

Do you think you are Type A, Type B, or somewhere in between? In what ways has this been helpful to you, and in what ways has this been a challenge?

Question 10.39

Can you remember a time when you felt better after discussing a problem with a loved one, or even after playing with your pet? How did it help you to cope?

Question 10.40

What strategies have you used to cope with stress in your own life? How well are they working? What other strategies could you try?

Question 10.41

How much control do you feel you have over your life? What changes could you make to increase your sense of control?

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