Question 1

Typically, schizophrenic hallucinations involve:

Accepted Answer

Schizophrenic hallucinations typically involve hearing voices and seeing visual stimuli that are not actually present in reality. This experience can be distressing and disruptive to daily functioning for individuals with schizophrenia.

Question 2

_____ is (are) to positive symptoms of schizophrenia as _____ is (are) to negative symptoms of schizophrenia.

Accepted Answer

Hallucinations are a positive symptom of schizophrenia, while reduced speech (also known as alogia) is a negative symptom.

Question 3

False or distorted perceptions that seem vividly real are called:

Accepted Answer

Hallucinations are false or distorted perceptions that seem vividly real, and are a common symptom of schizophrenia.

Question 4

Keith was surprised when his boss invited a co-worker to lunch but did not invite him. At first, Keith was convinced that he had not been invited because they wanted to discuss Keith's job performance at lunch. Later, the co-worker told Keith that the boss had taken her to lunch to tell her that she was being laid off. Privately, Keith was relieved because it now made perfect sense to him why he had not been invited to lunch. In this scenario, Keith appears to have:

Accepted Answer

Keith is not experiencing any delusions, but rather, he is using normal thought processes to try to understand why he was not invited to lunch with his boss and coworker. Once he hears the reason for the lunch, Keith is able to make sense of the situation and no longer feels paranoid about his job performance.

Question 5

An individual's false belief that outside forces, such as aliens, the government, or random people, have power over him and can influence and manipulate his actions or thoughts is called a delusion of:

Accepted Answer

A delusion of being controlled is a false belief that an individual is being controlled by an outside force, such as aliens, the government, or random people. They may feel that their thoughts or actions are being manipulated, and they are not in control of their own behavior. This type of delusion is often associated with schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders.

Question 6

Although she was very secretive when she was first admitted to the psychiatric hospital, Tiffany eventually told the doctor that the devil's voice was constantly telling her to hurt certain people and herself. Tiffany is experiencing:

Accepted Answer

Tiffany is experiencing auditory hallucinations, which are one of the most common types of hallucinations experienced by individuals with schizophrenia.

Question 7

A falsely held belief that persists in spite of evidence contrary to the belief is formally called a:

Accepted Answer

A delusion is a false belief that is not based in reality and persists despite evidence to the contrary. Hallucinations involve perceiving things that are not actually present, negative symptoms of schizophrenia refer to a lack or decrease in normal behaviors or emotions, and dissociation refers to a detachment from reality.

Question 8

A number of problems have been identified regarding the "traumatic memory" explanation (the dissociative coping theory) of dissociative identity disorder. Which of the following is NOT one of the problems identified in the text?

Accepted Answer

The dissociative coping theory does not predict that patients would have a variety of other psychological disorders before being diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder.

Question 9

The Prologue to Chapter 13 described a young woman, hospitalized on a psychiatric ward, who was screaming for help because she saw a fire. Which of the following disorders did the young woman most likely have?

Accepted Answer

The young woman's hallucination of a fire and her screaming for help suggest that she may be experiencing symptoms of schizophrenia, which often includes hallucinations or delusions. The other disorders listed are less likely to cause these specific symptoms.

Question 10

The content of hallucinations that occur in schizophrenia:

Accepted Answer

Hallucinations in schizophrenia can be influenced by cultural and religious beliefs. For example, individuals from cultures where possession by spirits is accepted may experience auditory hallucinations of voices commanding them to do things, while individuals from non-possession cultures may experience more neutral or frightening voices.

Note: None of the other answer choices are correct. A is incorrect because hallucination content in schizophrenia can vary widely and is not universally the same. B is incorrect because hallucinations in schizophrenia are often related to the delusional beliefs of the patient. D is incorrect because hallucinations in schizophrenia can involve any sensory modality, not just smell, taste, or touch.

Question 11

Despite attempts by his friends who have tried to reason with him, Simon is convinced that a news announcer on TV is talking in a special code about him and his thoughts. Simon appears to be experiencing delusions of:

Accepted Answer

Simon's conviction that a news announcer on TV is talking in a special code about him and his thoughts suggests that he is experiencing delusions of reference - a false belief that ordinary events, objects, or people in the world have a special and unusual significance specifically for the individual. Delusions of reference are one of the most common symptoms of psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia. Delusions of being controlled (A), persecution (B), and grandeur (D) are also common in psychotic disorders but are not reflective of Simon's specific delusion in this scenario.

Question 12

Larry thinks that his roommate, Bob, has been acting strangely lately. When Larry asks Bob how he feels, Bob says, "Everything looks different these days. I keep hearing this whispering, and the stuff in the room changes shape all the time. It's like I don't really know if I'm bigger or smaller than that desk over there. Yesterday I thought the chair had become completely flat, like a picture of a chair instead of a real chair. Do things look normal to you?" What symptom of schizophrenia is Bob displaying?

Accepted Answer

Bob is displaying sensory distortions, such as changes in the appearance and shape of objects and hearing whispering. These types of perceptual disturbances are common in schizophrenia.

Question 13

Philip has been hospitalized for an episode of schizophrenia. He believes that secret agents are bombarding his brain with gamma rays, and he sometimes sees grotesque creatures climbing on the wall of his hospital room. Philip's symptoms are referred to as _____ symptoms of schizophrenia.

Accepted Answer

Positive symptoms refer to the presence of abnormal behaviors or experiences, such as delusions, hallucinations, and disordered thinking. These are in contrast to negative symptoms, which involve the absence of normal behaviors, such as social withdrawal and reduced emotional expression. Atypical symptoms and primary symptoms are not widely recognized categories of schizophrenia symptoms.

Question 14

Which of the following is a positive symptom of schizophrenia?

Accepted Answer

Delusions are a positive symptom of schizophrenia, meaning they involve the presence of something that should not be there (in this case, a false belief that is not based in reality). The other answer choices are negative symptoms, meaning they involve the absence of something that should be present (such as motivation or emotional expressiveness).

Question 15

The psychological disorder that is characterized by impaired functioning because of severely distorted beliefs, perceptions, and thought processes is called:

Accepted Answer

The symptoms listed in the question are classic symptoms of schizophrenia, a severe mental illness that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. It is often characterized by delusions, hallucinations, disordered thinking, and odd behaviors.

Question 16

After not seeing Rita for almost a week, a neighbor went to check on her. He discovered that Rita had barricaded all the doors and windows in her apartment because she believed that "terrorist forces" were going to attack her and her three cats. Rita appears to be suffering from:

Accepted Answer

Rita's belief that "terrorist forces" are going to attack her and her cats is a delusion of persecution, which is a belief that one is being targeted or mistreated by others without any evidence to support it. The fact that she has barricaded all doors and windows suggests that she is extremely fearful and paranoid, and believes that she is in danger. Visual hallucinations involve seeing things that aren't actually there, delusions of reference involve thinking that insignificant events or stimuli have personal relevance, and avolition refers to a lack of motivation or interest in activities.

Question 17

Claire stopped taking her medication a few weeks ago and has recently begun to experience some very odd symptoms. If someone asks her a question, her response makes no sense, as her sentences seem to just be strings of loosely connected ideas. She cannot concentrate on anything, and her thinking seems completely illogical and disorganized. She veers from one unrelated topic or activity to another for no apparent reason. Taken together, Claire appears to be experiencing schizophrenic symptoms that are called:

Accepted Answer

The symptoms Claire is experiencing, such as illogical and disorganized thinking, veering from one unrelated topic to another, and difficulty concentrating, are all characteristic of disorganized thinking, which is a common symptom of schizophrenia.

Question 18

According to Focus on Neuroscience: The Hallucinating Brain, positron emission tomography of a patient's brain during schizophrenic hallucinations showed activity in the:

Accepted Answer

During schizophrenic hallucinations, there is increased activity in the left auditory and visual areas of the brain, which are associated with processing sounds and visual stimuli.

Question 19

Danny, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, falsely believes that outside forces in the form of aliens from another universe have power over him and actively influence and manipulate his actions and thoughts. These types of delusions are called delusions of:

Accepted Answer

Danny's false belief that outside forces, specifically aliens, have power and control over him and his thoughts is a classic example of delusions of being controlled. These types of delusions involve the belief that an external force is controlling one's thoughts, feelings, or behaviors. This is a common feature of schizophrenia and can be extremely distressing and disruptive to daily life.

Question 20

Paul's girlfriend is very concerned about him because his thinking seems to have become increasingly confused. Today, Paul said that he was really the reincarnation of John Lennon, the former member of the Beatles who was shot and killed in 1980. Paul also told her that he had special musical powers and that he needed to start his own rock group so that he could deliver his message to the masses. Paul seems to be experiencing:

Accepted Answer

Paul is experiencing delusions of grandeur, as he believes he is the reincarnation of John Lennon and has special musical powers to deliver a message to the masses.

Quiz 13: Psychological Disorders