Activity for the book My Psychology

Instructions

Listen to the following podcast and then answer the questions that follow.

Question 1

Which of the following statements about psychological disorders is true?

Choice A, Anyone who shows one symptom of a disorder listed in the DSM definitely has that psychological disorder.

Choice B, After taking psychology, students should be able to self-diagnose psychological disorders.

Choice C, Symptoms of psychological disorders are often behaviors seen in everyday life, but in more severe, frequent, or debilitating form.

Choice D, Every psychological disorder is equally common in society.

Question 1 SUBMIT

Question 2

Of the options below, which one is NOT one of the four considerations that should be used to distinguish which behaviors might signify a psychological disorder?

Choice A, How much it causes personal distress

Choice B, How much it changes personality

Choice C, How frequently it occurs

Choice D, How much it deviates from social norms

Question 2 SUBMIT

Question 3

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) uses the:

Choice A, biopsychosocial theory of abnormality.

Choice B, dimensional model of psychopathology.

Choice C, categorical model of psychopathology.

Choice D, medical student syndrome.

Question 3 SUBMIT

Question 4

What is one of the primary issues with students self-diagnosing disorders when they take psychology courses?

Choice A, They are often more accurate than professionals, which looks bad for the field.

Choice B, They often don’t follow up on their self-diagnosis.

Choice C, It diminishes the experience of those who truly suffer from psychological disorders.

Choice D, It causes them to be overly empathic toward individuals who suffer from disorders.

Question 4 SUBMIT

Question 5

In the podcast, Dr. Pomerantz lists three disorders that his students often mistakenly understand as being interchangeable. These are:

Choice A, depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder

Choice B, social anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, and phobias

Choice C, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and social anxiety disorder

Choice D, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and dissociative identity disorder

Question 5 SUBMIT

Question 6

Raphael is taking a psychology class, and each time a new psychological disorder is discussed, he is certain he personally meets the criteria for diagnosis. The best description for Raphael’s reactions is:

Choice A, medical student syndrome.

Choice B, psychosis.

Choice C, clinical paranoia.

Choice D, obsessive compulsive disorder.

Question 6 SUBMIT

Question 7

When considering the DSM, which of the following statements is FALSE?

Choice A, The DSM is a manual written by experts, who periodically review and revise it.

Choice B, Everyone in the field of psychology fully agrees with the content in the DSM.

Choice C, When the DSM is revised, old disorders are sometimes removed, and new ones are sometimes added.

Choice D, This is a book that offers official definitions of psychological disorders.

Question 7 SUBMIT

Question 8

In the podcast, Dr. Roberts explains how understanding symptoms of psychological disorders can help one support the individual dealing with the disorder. What personal example did she provide to support this point?

Choice A, When she was an undergrad, a couple of close friends had what they called psychological breakdowns.

Choice B, When she was a teen, her brother was diagnosed with bipolar disorder after getting in trouble at school.

Choice C, When she began teaching, a student showed symptoms of major depressive disorder following a failed test.

Choice D, When she was a child, her mother had emotional breakdowns.

Question 8 SUBMIT

Question 9

Which of the following is a noteworthy issue that may come with electing to classify something like binge eating as a psychological disorder?

Choice A, Doing so is likely to increase the stigma of the associated symptoms.

Choice B, Those diagnosed are less likely to treat the disorder themselves, rather than seeking help.

Choice C, People may experience it differently and consider it harder to manage.

Choice D, Doing so will cause a decrease in people seeking treatment, which creates a burden for our society.

Question 9 SUBMIT

Question 10

Dr. Bonnette describes experience working in a grad school student counseling center, where new students often mistakenly thought common signs of stress were symptoms of what disorder?

Choice A, generalized anxiety disorder

Choice B, major depressive disorder

Choice C, PTSD

Choice D, ADHD

Question 10 SUBMIT