Question 1

According to Selye's general adaptation syndrome, the shift to sympathetic dominance occurs in the ___________________ stage.

Accepted Answer

The shift to sympathetic dominance, which is part of the body's initial response to stress, occurs in the alarm reaction stage of Selye's general adaptation syndrome. This stage is characterized by the "fight or flight" response, preparing the body to deal with the stressor.

Question 2

Studies examining the relation between negative life events and psychological distress have indicated that there is a positive association between these variables, but interpreting this finding is difficult because there is/are __________________.

Accepted Answer

A) The positive association between negative life events and psychological distress suggests multiple causal interpretations, such as whether distress causes an increase in negative life events, negative events lead to distress, or if another factor influences both. This complexity makes the interpretation of the findings challenging.

Question 3

A review by House and his colleagues of studies conducted with almost 37,000 people living in the U.S., Finland, and Sweden found that people were twice as likely to die during the study if they had low levels of _____________.

Accepted Answer

Social support has been found to have a significant impact on health outcomes, including mortality rates. The review by House and his colleagues highlighted that individuals with low levels of social support were at a higher risk of dying during the study period.

Question 4

A person who is under constant stress has chronically high levels of stress hormones in his body. The fact that these elevated hormone levels may eventually damage his arteries is best considered as an example of how stress can impact health by changing

Accepted Answer

The elevated levels of stress hormones affecting the arteries is an example of how stress can impact health by changing physiology, which refers to the functions and activities of living organisms and their parts, including all physical and chemical processes.

Question 5

The three stages of Selye's general adaptation syndrome (GAS) are

Accepted Answer

Selye's general adaptation syndrome (GAS) describes the body's short-term and long-term reactions to stress, consisting of three stages: alarm reaction (initial response to stress), resistance (adaptation to the stressor), and exhaustion (depletion of resources).

Question 6

With regard to the relation between stress and illness, the tendency to become anxious or pessimistic under stress is as an example of a(n) ____________.

Accepted Answer

The tendency to become anxious or pessimistic under stress is an example of a vulnerability factor. Vulnerability factors are characteristics of a person that increase their sensitivity to stress, making them more likely to experience negative outcomes, such as illness, when under stress.

Question 7

Brianna has been pushing herself for several months now. As a single mother with a full-time job during the day and college classes at night, she does not have any time for herself. Having enough money to pay the bills each month has been a source of stress for Brianna and right now there seems to be no end in sight to her financial difficulties. Lately, Brianna has been getting more viruses, aches, and pains than usual. Selye's general adaptation syndrome (GAS) suggests that Brianna is in the ________________ phase.

Accepted Answer

Selye's general adaptation syndrome (GAS) describes three stages of response to stress: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. Given Brianna's prolonged stress and the physical symptoms she is experiencing, she is likely in the exhaustion phase, where the body's ability to resist stress diminishes due to prolonged exposure to stressors.

Question 8

Women who are victims of rape often experience significant disruptions to their lives, such as nightmares, fear of being alone, and decreased enjoyment of sexual activity. This collective response to such an attack is known as the

Accepted Answer

Rape trauma syndrome is a form of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that affects victims of rape, leading to symptoms such as nightmares, fear of being alone, and decreased enjoyment of sexual activities, among others.

Question 9

Mary is a regular jogger and runs because she enjoys it, it helps her to remain fit, and it functions as a source of stress relief. However, when she is under stress, she tends to not run as much and as a result, she sometimes becomes ill. This example best demonstrates how stress can influence illness by changing

Accepted Answer

Stress influences illness in Mary's case by changing her behavior, specifically her jogging routine, which she uses as a form of stress relief and to maintain her health. When stressed, she jogs less, leading to a higher likelihood of becoming ill.

Question 10

There is a distinct physiological pattern that emerges when people are exposed to strong and prolonged stress. Selye labelled this response pattern as the

Accepted Answer

Hans Selye, a pioneering endocrinologist, identified the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) as a three-stage process (alarm, resistance, exhaustion) that describes the physiological changes the body goes through when under stress for prolonged periods.

Question 11

In terms of susceptibility to stressful events, social support is a ________________.

Accepted Answer

Social support acts as a protective factor by buffering individuals from the negative effects of stressful events, thereby reducing their impact and enhancing the individual's ability to cope with stress.

Question 12

Poor coping skills and the lack of a social support network can decrease a person's resistance to stress and are examples of _____________.

Accepted Answer

Vulnerability factors increase a person's susceptibility to stress by weakening their ability to cope with stressors. Poor coping skills and the lack of a social support network are examples of such factors, as they can make individuals more vulnerable to the negative effects of stress.

Question 13

Factors that increase a person's susceptibility to stressful events are called

Accepted Answer

Vulnerability factors are characteristics or conditions that increase an individual's susceptibility to the negative effects of stressful events. These can include genetic predispositions, environmental conditions, and personal experiences.

Question 14

Jordan has had straight A's throughout her high school years. She is now a senior in her second and final semester of high school and she finds herself constantly near tears. Her friends are jealous of her success and cannot understand why Jordan is acting so stressed. Jordan is feeling that she may not be able to keep her perfect grade record and that if she loses it, people will think that she is not so smart. In this case, Jordan's appraisal of the _______________________ is a stressor.

Accepted Answer

Jordan is stressed because she is worried about how others will perceive her if she loses her perfect grade record, which relates to the psychological meaning of the consequences.

Question 15

The final stage of Selye's general adaptation syndrome (GAS) is

Accepted Answer

The final stage of Selye's general adaptation syndrome (GAS) is exhaustion, which occurs after prolonged stress when the body's resources are depleted.

Question 16

Joyce and Katie were recognized by their professor for receiving the highest grades on the midterm exam. At first, they both interpret this situation as being a positive thing but, then Katie turns this event into a stressor because of her perceived inability to score as well on the next exam. Katie begins to think that she cannot cope with the pressure based on the process of __________________.

Accepted Answer

Secondary appraisal involves evaluating one's ability to cope with a stressor, which is what Katie is doing by doubting her ability to perform well on the next exam.

Question 17

All of the following were offered as possible explanations for the positive correlation between self-reported negative events and psychological distress EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

Options A, B, and D all directly address potential explanations for the correlation between self-reported negative events and psychological distress, either by suggesting causation or the influence of third variables. Option C, however, introduces the idea of cultural specificity, which does not directly explain the positive correlation itself but rather suggests a boundary condition under which the relationship might vary.

Question 18

People who have a heightened tendency to experience negative emotions and to get themselves into stressful situations are high in the personality trait of ____________.

Accepted Answer

Neuroticism is a personality trait characterized by a tendency to experience negative emotions, such as anger, anxiety, or depression, more frequently and intensely than others. It also includes a predisposition to perceive ordinary situations as threatening and minor frustrations as hopelessly difficult.

Question 19

The sympathetic nervous system mobilizes the body to a state of arousal when we are faced with a stressful situation. However, the longer acting stress hormones into our system are released by the _____________.

Accepted Answer

The endocrine system is responsible for releasing longer-acting stress hormones, such as cortisol, into our system during stressful situations, complementing the immediate response of the sympathetic nervous system.

Question 20

If a person has a good social support network, strong coping skills, and an optimistic personality then he is less vulnerable to the effects of stress. These characteristics are best considered as examples of _____________.

Accepted Answer

Protective factors are conditions or attributes in individuals, families, communities, or the larger society that help people deal more effectively with stressful events and mitigate or eliminate risk in families and communities. A good social support network, strong coping skills, and an optimistic personality are examples of protective factors because they help an individual to be less vulnerable to the effects of stress.

Quiz 15: Stress, Coping, and Health