Stress and Health Multiple Choice Questions

1. A health psychologist would be most likely to conduct research assessing the relationship between:
a. lung disease and life expectancy.b. prenatal hormones and brain development.
c. unprotected sex and sexually transmitted diseases.d. inherited genes and cardiovascular disease

2. Walter Cannon confirmed that the fight-or-flight response was associated with the release of ______into the bloodstream.
a. serotoninb. telomeres
c. lymphocytesd. epinephrine

3. The threat to one’s immune system is greatest during ______of the GAS.
a. Phase 1b. Phase 2
c. Phase 3d. Phase 4

4. Ben is a self-employed accountant who works overtime during the first two weeks of April to finish his clients’ tax forms before the filing deadline. During this time, Ben is most likely to show a(n):
a. elevated blood cholesterol level.b. reduction in the release of epinephrine.
c. reduction in the release of cortisol.d. increased production of lymphocytes.

5. Type A personality is to Type B personality as ______is to ______.
a. epinephrine; norepinephrineb. obesity; cancer
c. time-conscious; competitived. irritable; calm

6. Compared with monkeys left in stable groups, those who were housed with three or four new roommates each month were more likely to experience:
a. shrinkage of the adrenal cortex.b. reduction of blood cholesterol levels.
c. suppressed production of lymphocytes.d. reduced build-up of plaques on artery walls.

7. After breaking up with her boyfriend, Kathy alleviated her stress by avoiding contact with her ex-boyfriend and by planning recreational activities with her best girlfriend. Kathy’s behavior best illustrates:
a. an optimistic explanatory style.b. spontaneous remission.
c. a Type B personality.d. emotion-focused coping.

8. Leukemia patients have enjoyed markedly increased survival rates if they received:
a. glucocorticoids.b. complementary medicine.
c. social support.d. biofeedback.

9. Aerobic exercise ______the body’s production of serotonin and ______its production of the endorphins.
a. decreases; decreasesb. increases; increases
c. decreases; increasesd. increases; decreases

10. In the late 1960s, experiments indicated that rats could learn to slow their heartbeat if given pleasurable brain stimulation when their heartbeat decreased. This research most clearly demonstrated the potential utility of:
a. spontaneous remission.b. acupuncture therapies.
c. the placebo effect.d. biofeedback.

11. Religiously active AIDS patients ______than do their nonreligious counterparts.
a. survive longerb. have more depressed moods
c. have higher stress hormone levelsd. exhibit fewer problem-focused coping skills

12. Which of the following is the most noticeable nicotine withdrawal symptom?
a. insomniab. atherosclerosis
c. increased serotonin levelsd. a reduced appetite for carbohydrates

13. In a classic experiment, obese patients whose daily caloric intake was dramatically reduced lost only 6 percent of their weight. This limited weight loss was due, at least in part, to the fact that their dietary restriction led to:
a. a proliferation of their lymphocytes.b. the inhibition of their dopamine reuptake.
c. a sharp decrease in their metabolic rates.d. a dramatic surge in their cholesterol levels.

14. Compared with their counterparts in the early 1900s, people today are expending ______calories and eating a ______diet.
a. more; lower-fatb. fewer; higher-fat
c. more; higher-fatd. fewer; lower-fat

15. Despite the very stressful events in his life, Mark’s strong immune system and persistent optimism and the support of his religious community have helped him to maintain his health. An integrated understanding of Mark’s well-being is most clearly provided by:
a. a biopsychosocial approach.b. complementary and alternative medicine.
c. the general adaptation syndrome.d. a two-track system.

16. Professor Dockery is a psychologist who conducts research to assess whether government-sponsored educational programs that encourage people to practice effective dental hygiene have any effect on rates of gum disease. His research best illustrates the field of:
a. complementary medicine.b. psychophysiological health.
c. behavioral medicine.d. psychopharmacology.

17. One person, alone in a house, dismisses its creaking sounds and experiences no stress; someone else suspects an intruder and becomes alarmed. These different reactions illustrate the importance of:
a. biofeedback.b. stress appraisal.
c. spontaneous remission.d. the general adaptation syndrome.

18. The second phase of the general adaptation syndrome is characterized by:
a. resistance.b. exhaustion.
c. an alarm reaction.d. low blood pressure.

19. Who is the best example of a Type A personality?
a. Bonnie, a relaxed, fun-loving professorb. Susan, a brilliant, self-confident accountant
c. Clay, a reflective, open-minded artistd. Andre, a competitive, easily-angered journalist

20. Compared to Type B personalities, Type A people are more likely to experience:
a. enlargement of the thymus gland.b. atherosclerosis.
c. reduced cortisol levels.d. increased levels of lymphocytes.

21. Kelsey’s painful symptoms of indigestion and heartburn were effectively reduced when her parents and teachers showed support for her decision not to continue her education. Kelsey’s symptoms of distress best illustrate:
a. atherosclerosis.b. hypertension.
c. hypochondriasis.d. a psychophysiological illness.

22. B lymphocytes are formed in the:
a. adrenal gland.b. brainstem.c. thyroid.d. bone marrow.

23. A hay fever sufferer sees a flower on a restaurant table and, not realizing it is plastic, experiences a rapidly accelerating heartbeat and profuse perspiration. This most clearly illustrates that stress reactions can result from:
a. hypertension.b. atherosclerosis.
c. classical conditioning.d. biofeedback.

24. People tend to use emotion-focused rather than problem-focused coping strategies when they:
a. believe they cannot change a stressful situation.
b. appraise a stressful event as a challenge rather than a threat.
c. enter the resistance phase of the general adaptation syndrome.
d. deal with the stress of daily hassles such as obnoxious cell-phone talkers.

25. A perceived loss of control is associated with______epinephrine levels and ______lymphocyte levels.
a. raised; loweredb. lowered; raised
c. raised; raisedd. lowered; lowered

26. The best way to increase the production of serotonin is to:
a. avoid high-carbohydrate foods.
b. make use of biofeedback.
c. engage in aerobic exercise.
d. receive training in meditation.

27. Psychologists would most likely use biofeedback to help clients reduce their:
a. nicotine addiction.b. depression.
c. tension headaches.d. obesity.

28. Smoking triggers ______levels of epinephrine in the blood and ______levels of dopamine in the synapses.
a. increased; increasedb. decreased; decreased
c. increased; decreasedd. decreased; increased

29. Over the last 40 years, Americans have become ______likely to smoke and ______likely to suffer from obesity.
a. more; moreb. less; less
c. more; lessd. less; more

30. According to health psychologists, which of the following would be the best advice or encouragement to offer someone who wants to lose excess weight?
a. “Avoid complex carbohydrates like potatoes and pasta.”
b. “Reduce your weight gradually over a period of several months.”
c. “Your self-esteem will increase dramatically if you can successfully lose weight.”
d. “Once you lose your excess weight, you will experience a big reduction in your appetite for food.”