Activity Type Title

Chapter 1. Chapter

Infographic

Scientific American: Psychology

Infographic Activity 11.1: Stressed Out

Stressed Out

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Every year, the American Psychological Association (APA) commissions a survey investigating perceived stress among adults in the United States. In addition to measuring attitudes about stress, the survey identifies leading sources of stress and common behaviors used to manage stressors. The resulting picture shows that stress is a significant issue for many people in the United States and that we are not always managing it well (APA, 2013d). Even when we acknowledge the importance of stress management and resolve to make positive lifestyle changes, many adults report barriers such as a lack of time or willpower that prevent them from achieving their goals. The good news? Our ability to manage stress appears to improve with age.

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1.1 Quiz

1. It has been a really good year for Erich. He has received a promotion at work that came with a significant increase in salary, his son was accepted to college on a full scholarship, and his wife was made partner at her law firm. In all he reports that his stress is significantly lower now than it was about a year ago. Erich’s decrease in stress over the last year makes him similar to _____ out of every 5 people in the United States who report similar stress decreases in the previous year.

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2. Dr. Byrd is conducting a training seminar for social workers at a local convalescent care center. The topic of her discussion is stress and stress-reduction techniques. “People of all ages try to work on reducing their stress,” she tells her audience, “but research shows that people ________ are the most likely to do a good job managing their stress.”

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Correct.
Incorrect.

3. According to your textbook, about ____ out of every ten people experience responses to stress, including anger, fatigue, and feeling overwhelmed.

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Correct.
Incorrect.

4. Mr. Siegel is talking with his adult son, asking him how things are going lately. His son shares that he is really struggling lately, as the stressors in his life feel like they are just adding up. “I don’t know why, Dad, but the harder I work to relax, the more stress I seem to feel!” If Mr. Siegel’s son is like most people, his top source of stress will be issues related to

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Correct.
Incorrect.

5. Psychologist Sheldon Cohen developed the ________ to measure the degree to which we appraise different situations as being stressful.

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6. It is probably not difficult to imagine that there is a significant relationship between the amount of stress one experiences and the way they do or do not take care of their physical health. In one study, about _____ percent of adults with high stress polled reported that they eat in a healthy manner and get enough sleep.

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Correct.
Incorrect.