Question 1

________ focuses attention on the stress-provoking situation, and people are most likely to use it when they think they can change the situation.

Accepted Answer

Problem-focused coping involves addressing the problem causing the stress directly, aiming to solve or improve the situation, which is why it is used when individuals believe they can change the situation.

Question 2

Identify a true statement about eating and stress.

Accepted Answer

Eating in response to stress can activate reward pathways in the brain, providing a temporary sense of relief. This can lead to a reduction in stress reactivity in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which is involved in the body's response to stress.

Question 3

According to the cardiovascular reactivity (CVR) model, which of the following is true of Type A personalities who display hostile tendencies?

Accepted Answer

Hostility in Type A personalities is linked to an increased likelihood of heart disease through multiple pathways, including frequent cardiovascular reactivity to stress, which can lead to long-term cardiovascular problems.

Question 4

________ is a stress-related hormone released by the adrenal gland and controls autonomic nervous system (ANS) activation.

Accepted Answer

Catecholamines, including hormones like adrenaline and noradrenaline, are released by the adrenal gland in response to stress and play a key role in the activation of the autonomic nervous system (ANS).

Question 5

The ________ links the nervous system to parts of the endocrine system relevant to emotions.

Accepted Answer

The hypothalamus plays a crucial role in linking the nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, particularly in regulating emotions and stress responses.

Question 6

Which of the following is true about the relationship between genes and stress responses?

Accepted Answer

The body's response to stress is complex and involves multiple genes and pathways, rather than being controlled by a single gene. This reflects the multifaceted nature of stress responses, which can vary greatly among individuals due to differences in genetic makeup and environmental factors.

Question 7

What did Fredrickson and Levenson find in their experiments that required participants to watch movies eliciting different emotions?

Accepted Answer

Fredrickson and Levenson found that the cardiovascular activation elicited by the fear film returned to baseline levels more quickly in people who saw pleasant films after the fear film, demonstrating the positive effect of pleasant emotions on recovery from negative emotional experiences.

Question 8

Henry, an entrepreneur, recently suffered huge losses in his business venture. Despite his losses and the stress associated with it, he has managed to remain positive about the whole situation. He decides to regroup his thoughts, learn from this experience, and move on. In this scenario, which of the following personality traits is Henry exhibiting?

Accepted Answer

Henry is exhibiting resilience as he is able to remain positive, learn from his experience, and move on despite facing significant stress and losses.

Question 9

The ________ states that social support is beneficial to mental and physical health whether or not a person is under stress.

Accepted Answer

The direct effects hypothesis posits that social support is beneficial to an individual's mental and physical health regardless of the presence of stress, suggesting that having a supportive social network positively impacts health outcomes in all situations.

Question 10

According to some emotion theorists, hostility is a(n) ________ trait that sets a threshold for the likelihood of particular emotional responses.

Accepted Answer

Hostility is considered an affective trait because it pertains to feelings, emotions, or moods that set a threshold for the likelihood of particular emotional responses.

Question 11

What does the physiological reactivity model examine?

Accepted Answer

The physiological reactivity model focuses on understanding how continuous physiological activation, often due to stress responses, can lead to the development of illnesses. This model examines the body's reaction to stress and how this prolonged state of activation can negatively impact health.

Question 12

What happens in the event of a sympathetic arousal in an organism?

Accepted Answer

Sympathetic arousal is part of the fight or flight response, preparing the body for quick and efficient action in response to a perceived threat.

Question 13

By demonstrating that one could classically condition the suppression of an antibody response to an antigen, Ader and Cohen concluded that ________.

Accepted Answer

Ader and Cohen's work on conditioning the immune response demonstrated the interplay between the central nervous system and the immune system, indicating that the immune system can be influenced by psychological processes.

Question 14

Which of the following refers to the central tenet of psychosomatic theory?

Accepted Answer

The central tenet of psychosomatic theory is that stress and other psychological factors can increase a person's susceptibility to diseases, suggesting a link between mind and body in the development of illness.

Question 15

The term ________ is defined as the idea that emotional factors can lead to the occurrence or worsening of illness.

Accepted Answer

The term "psychosomatic theory" refers to the concept that emotions and psychological factors can influence physical health, potentially causing or exacerbating illnesses.

Question 16

________ refers to anything people do to deal with or manage stress or emotions.

Accepted Answer

Coping refers to the strategies and behaviors that individuals use to manage the psychological and physiological stress of emotions. Primary and secondary appraisals are stages in the process of assessing stress, while disclosure involves sharing personal information with others.

Question 17

The ________ stage is the phase of the general adaptation syndrome in which all the body's resources for fighting a threat have been depleted and illness is more likely.

Accepted Answer

The exhaustion stage is the phase in the general adaptation syndrome where the body's resources are depleted after prolonged effort to fight a threat, making it more susceptible to illness.

Question 18

Mathilda is diagnosed with dysbiosis. Her doctor informs her that her condition is the reason for her obesity, allergies, and asthma. She also has stress-related inflammation. Which of the following pathways has been primarily affected?

Accepted Answer

The gut-brain axis is primarily affected in dysbiosis, which can lead to obesity, allergies, asthma, and stress-related inflammation. This axis refers to the biochemical signaling that takes place between the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system, highlighting the role of gut microbiota health in overall well-being and its impact on various conditions.

Question 19

The activation of the ________ nervous system persists and creates sustained physiological arousal in the physiological reactivity model.

Accepted Answer

The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the body's fight-or-flight response, which includes sustained physiological arousal, as described in the physiological reactivity model.

Question 20

What happens in the second stage of the general adaptation syndrome (GAS) model to an animal exposed to a stressor?

Accepted Answer

The second stage of the GAS model is the resistance stage, during which the body diverts resources from the maintenance of normal body functions to fight the threat.

Quiz 11: Stress and Health