Question 1

Which of the following people is likely to have the greatest amount of lymphocyte activity after exposure to a cold virus?

Accepted Answer

A)  someone with a Type A personality 
B)  a soldier in active combat 
C)  someone who has an overly active HPA axis 
D)  a hardy individual

Question 2

If human beings had more receptors for the hormone oxytocin, people would be:

Accepted Answer

A)  less trusting 
B)  less curious 
C)  more trusting 
D)  more curious

Question 3

After experiencing a stressful event, happy people will return to homeostasis:

Accepted Answer

A)  later than unhappy people 
B)  sooner than unhappy people 
C)  at about the same time as unhappy people 
D)  at times which are unpredictable based on emotional state

Question 4

If no cortisol damage occurred due to HPA activation, people would likely experience no or few impairments in:

Accepted Answer

A)  muscle movement 
B)  memory 
C)  social interaction 
D)  emotion regulation

Question 5

According to the general adaptation syndrome understanding of the stress response, if stress continues long enough:

Accepted Answer

A)  physiological and immune systems will begin to fail 
B)  the stimuli initially seen as stressful will cease to affect the organism 
C)  the immune system will become overactive and threaten the organism 
D)  the organism will learn new methods of dealing with the stress

Question 6

One of the problems with the HPA axis is that:

Accepted Answer

A)  it remains inactive even during extreme stress 
B)  it destroys neurons in the spinal cord 
C)  it destroys neurons in the hippocampus 
D)  it facilitates long-term potentiation

Question 7

Margot is an air force pilot stationed in a war zone. You would expect her immune functioning to be:

Accepted Answer

A)  better than someone who has a less stressful job 
B)  worse than someone who has a less stressful job 
C)  about the same as someone who has a less stressful job 
D)  It is impossible to tell from this example.

Question 8

Adam has been reading the research literature in positive psychology, and has recently decided to write a letter of thanks to his grandfather whom he greatly admires. What should happen after Adam writes and delivers this letter?

Accepted Answer

A)  He will experience an increase in his level of happiness. 
B)  He will start to engage in downward comparisons. 
C)  He will experience an increase in testosterone. 
D)  He will slightly increase activity in his amygdala.

Question 9

The most central goal of the positive psychology movement is to:

Accepted Answer

A)  promote positive change in society, such as advocating for peace 
B)  convince people that they have much in life to be grateful for 
C)  study and understand what makes people happy 
D)  train people to become positive and more effective leaders

Question 10

Jim, a chronic migraine sufferer, is prescribed a pill the doctor says will be effective. Jim says, "I will try it, but nothing has worked so far." According to what you know about the placebo effect, the frequency and severity of Jim's headaches probably will ____________ after taking the pills.

Accepted Answer

A)  decrease moderately 
B)  increase moderately 
C)  not change 
D)  be worse than ever

Question 11

Researchers who consider themselves to be part of the positive psychology movement would look to which of the following well-known, classical psychologists as a role model?

Accepted Answer

A)  Hans Selye 
B)  Abraham Maslow 
C)  B. F. Skinner 
D)  Sigmund Freud

Question 12

Melinda just got a new job as a receptionist and she does not expect it to be very stressful. However, she is nervous about learning how to perform well in the job when she first starts working. This kind of stress is ____________ and may result in ____________.

Accepted Answer

A)  long-term; worse immune functioning 
B)  long-term; better immune functioning 
C)  short-term; worse immune functioning 
D)  short-term; better immune functioning

Question 13

Emotional coping strategies:

Accepted Answer

A)  work better over the short term than the long term 
B)  are usually better than problem-focused strategies in a variety of situations 
C)  work best in the face of a controllable stressor 
D)  are counterproductive in most situations

Question 14

Kristine's frequent drug use has resulted in some short- and long-term memory impairment. Now that Kristine has quit using drugs, which of the following should her doctor recommend to help Kristine enhance her memory functioning?

Accepted Answer

A)  prayer and meditation 
B)  exercise 
C)  social support 
D)  increasing her self-esteem

Question 15

Research indicates that a stressor serves to activate:

Accepted Answer

A)  the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system 
B)  the norepinephrine but not the epinephrine system 
C)  primarily the right brain hemisphere 
D)  primarily the left brain hemisphere

Question 16

Approximately how many teenagers who start smoking will continue smoking into adulthood?

Accepted Answer

A)  10 percent 
B)  30 percent 
C)  50 percent 
D)  80 percent

Question 17

Why have psychologists emphasized fight-or-flight responses over tend-and-befriend responses?

Accepted Answer

A)  The former have greater adaptive value. 
B)  The research has largely been done with males. 
C)  Research supports the former but not the latter. 
D)  Avoidance responses are more important to survival than are approach responses.

Question 18

Being very overweight is:

Accepted Answer

A)  primarily linked to personality 
B)  a major health problem in contemporary society 
C)  primarily a result of overeating 
D)  primarily a result of genetic factors

Question 19

Dora is a moderately obese woman with a full figure. However, Dora is NOT confronted with social stigma about being overweight. On the contrary, she is often complemented on how attractive she is. Dora:

Accepted Answer

A)  is probably a hardy person 
B)  probably lives in a developing country 
C)  will nevertheless experience some negative psychological symptoms that are caused by her weight 
D)  will experience a lack of congruent self-concept

Question 20

Harold has been unemployed for many years and is constantly struggling to pay his bills. The stress Harold is experiencing is an example of:

Accepted Answer

A)  eustress 
B)  a-stress 
C)  chronic stress 
D)  acute stress

Exam 10: Health and Well-Being