Question 1

Annette is very afraid of germs and disease, so much so that she washes her hands over 100 times a day to make sure that she avoids infection. Usually she doesn't show much anxiety, but if she is in a place where she is unable to clean her hands, such as the wilderness, she can become very distressed and upset. Annette would most likely be diagnosed as having

Accepted Answer

Annette's behavior of excessively washing her hands over 100 times a day due to a fear of germs and disease, along with significant distress when unable to perform this ritual, aligns with the symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). OCD is characterized by persistent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions) that the individual feels driven to perform in response to an obsession or according to rules that must be applied rigidly.

Question 2

Studies suggest that people suffering from anxiety disorders may be overly sensitive to signals of threat and have lower levels of ________ in their nervous systems.

Accepted Answer

GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that helps to reduce anxiety and promote relaxation.

Question 3

A professor cleans the whiteboard before every class. He goes over the board at least three times before he considers it to be clean enough. Recently he has been late starting class because he is cleaning the whiteboard more and more. He is preoccupied with thoughts that previous markings are dirty and will contaminate his notes. A psychotherapist would say that this professor's _________ are compulsive.

Accepted Answer

Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts that a person feels driven to perform in response to an obsession. In this case, the professor's behavior of cleaning the whiteboard repeatedly is compulsive.

Question 4

An individual who has intense and unstable relationships, momentary losses of personal identity, and experiences chronic feelings of extreme anger, loneliness, and emptiness would likely be diagnosed with

Accepted Answer

These symptoms are characteristic of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), which includes intense and unstable relationships, identity disturbances, and chronic feelings of emptiness and intense emotions such as anger.

Question 5

Compulsions are often behavioural responses to cognitive obsessions and function to reduce the anxiety associated with ____________.

Accepted Answer

Compulsions are typically performed in response to obsessions, which are persistent, unwanted thoughts, urges, or images that cause distress or anxiety. Engaging in compulsive behaviors aims to neutralize or reduce the anxiety or distress triggered by these obsessions.

Question 6

All but one of the following areas of the brain has been implicated in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

Accepted Answer

The medial sulcus is not implicated in OCD.

Question 7

Friedlander and Desrocher argue that modulatory control is to obsessions as ______ is to compulsions.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Friedlander and Desrocher argue that modulatory control...

Question 8

Research studies suggest that there is a genetic predisposition for anxiety disorders, and it has been suggested that this vulnerability may take the form of

Accepted Answer

A nervous system that overreacts to perceived threats is a genetic predisposition for anxiety disorders.

Question 9

Researchers have argued that genetic vulnerability to anxiety disorders may take the form of

Accepted Answer

The answer of Researchers have argued that genetic vulnerability to...

Question 10

Jola has developed a compulsion to rip paper. She has started saving all of the newspapers just so she will have something to shred. The model of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) that is most likely to explain her behaviour is

Accepted Answer

The executive dysfunction model of OCD suggests that individuals have impairments in their ability to control and manage their thoughts and actions, leading to compulsive behaviors such as Jola's compulsion to rip paper. This model explains her behavior as a result of a dysfunction in the executive functions of the brain, which are responsible for planning, decision-making, and impulse control.

Question 11

Which of the following is NOT an anxiety disorder?

Accepted Answer

Schizophrenia is not classified as an anxiety disorder; it is a severe mental disorder characterized by distortions in thinking, perception, emotions, language, sense of self, and behavior. Anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and phobic disorder, involve excessive fear or anxiety.

Question 12

Anxiety scores of twins can be accounted for by genetic factors. Heritability estimates suggest that the variation is between _____________.

Accepted Answer

Heritability estimates for anxiety suggest that genetic factors account for approximately 50 to 60 percent of the variation in anxiety scores among individuals. This indicates that genetics play a significant role, but environmental factors also contribute to anxiety levels.

Question 13

These repetitive behavioural responses are accompanied by obsessions and appear to serve the function of reducing the anxiety created by frequently disturbing thoughts

Accepted Answer

Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts that a person feels driven to perform in response to an obsession, or according to rules that must be applied rigidly, often to reduce anxiety or distress associated with obsessive thoughts.

Question 14

Barlow and other researchers speculate that some people may have nervous systems that are overly sensitive to threat signals and may have a genetic predisposition to ___________.

Accepted Answer

Barlow and other researchers suggest that individuals with nervous systems that are overly sensitive to threat signals might be genetically predisposed to anxiety, as this condition is closely linked to the body's response to perceived threats.

Question 15

Regarding potential biological processes associated with anxiety disorders, some researchers believe that some people have highly reactive nervous systems that quickly produce anxiety responses to environmental stressors. The people may have abnormally low levels of the ___________ transmitter gama-aminobutyric acid (GABA) activity in the amygdala.

Accepted Answer

GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) is an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain that helps to regulate anxiety by reducing neuronal excitability. Low levels of GABA activity in the amygdala, a region of the brain involved in fear and anxiety responses, can lead to increased anxiety.

Question 16

Jim often has the fear that he has left the gas stove on in his house and because of this, his house will burn down and kill his family. As a result, he frequently checks and rechecks the knobs on his stove all day long and often in the middle of the night. In this example, Jim's thoughts about his house burning down would best be considered as an example of a(n)

Accepted Answer

Jim's repetitive thoughts about his house burning down are an example of an obsession, which is characterized by persistent, unwanted thoughts that cause distress or anxiety.

Question 17

Panic disorder is an example of which type of disorder?

Accepted Answer

Panic disorder is classified as an anxiety disorder, characterized by sudden and repeated episodes of intense fear or panic attacks, along with physical symptoms such as heart palpitations, chest pain, and shortness of breath.

Question 18

This area of the brain is implicated in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in adults but not in children

Accepted Answer

The prefrontal cortex is implicated in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in adults due to its role in decision-making, problem-solving, and controlling social behavior. Alterations in the functioning of the prefrontal cortex have been linked to the symptoms of OCD, such as repetitive thoughts and behaviors. This association is more pronounced in adults than in children, where the disorder may involve different brain regions or mechanisms.

Question 19

Alice has been recently diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder. Alice was recently reunited with her identical twin that was adopted at birth and raised in a different environment. Alice is relieved that her sister at least will NOT be susceptible to this disorder. Alice is

Accepted Answer

C)incorrect, as identical twins are similar to each other on anxiety measures whether reared together or apart.

Question 20

Every day Jillian is late for work. She leaves the house in plenty of time but a half-mile away from her home she thinks that she has left the garage door open and must drive back to close it. Jillian cannot stop thinking that the garage door is open and makes an average of three trips back to her house every morning in order to check. Jillian may be diagnosed with

Accepted Answer

Jillian's behavior of repeatedly checking if she has left the garage door open, despite leaving on time and making multiple trips back to ensure it is closed, is indicative of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). OCD is characterized by persistent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions) that an individual feels driven to perform in response to an obsession.

Quiz 16: Psychological Disorders