As discussed in class lecture, health psychologists propose that "health" is best described as a(n) _____.
positive state of mental, social, and physical well-being
absence of illness
absence of disease risks
lack of a terminal condition
positive state of increased longevity
During the action potential, the neuron is _____.
A. sending a message down the axon
B. undergoing transfer of sodium and potassium ions across the axonal membrane
C. actively preparing to fire an action potential, but not actually doing so
D. A & B
E. B & C
In discussing the illness and health continuum, Aaron Antonovsky emphasized the importance of focusing on _____.
A. new treatments for biological disease
B. new treatments for psychological disease
C. what makes people sick
D. what keeps people well
E. A & B
Which of the following has been identified as a risk factor for cancer?
A. excessive alcohol use
B. high fat diet
C. cigarette smoking
D. B & C
E. A, B & C
An epidemiologist writes a report on the total number of previously reported and new cases of AIDS for the past 5 years. He is reporting on the disease's _____.
prevalence
morbidity
incidence
mortality
In operant conditioning, the association that is learned is between the _____ and the _____.
reinforcement; punishment
behavior; consequence
conditioned stimulus; conditioned response
unconditioned stimulus; unconditioned response
conditioned stimulus; unconditioned stimulus
In classical conditioning, the association that is learned is between the _____ and the _____.
Oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, and ependymal cells are similar in that they are all types of _____.
neurons in the central nervous system
neurons in the peripheral nervous system
glia in the central nervous system
glia in the peripheral nervous system
cells in the immune system
According to Matarazzo, health-protective habits are known as _____, whereas health-impairing habits are known as _____.
behavioral antigens; behavioral antibodies
behavioral pathogens; behavioral immunogens
behavioral antibodies; behavioral antigens
behavioral immunogens; behavioral pathogens
Myelin is a fatty, white insulating material that wraps around _____.
A. axons
B. cell bodies
C. dendrites
To study the effects of antioxidant consumption on heart disease, 200 healthy individuals, 17-21 years of age, are recruited to participate in a study that will track their antioxidant intake and heart-disease incidence for 40 years. This study is an example of a _____.
A. quasi-experimental study
B. prospective study
C. retrospective study
E. A & C
That speech production and language comprehension are processed in different parts of the neocortex is evidence of _____.
neuroplasticity of brain function
generalization of brain function
localization of brain function
redundancy of brain function
Which is true of phenylketonuria (PKU)?
It is an autoimmune disorder
It is caused by the addition of an extra chromosome
Its effects on the brain can be greatly reduced by dietary restriction
It occurs more often in women than in men
It is an endocrine system disorder
In the nervous system, a lock-and-key relationship exists between the _____.
neurotransmitter and ion channel
neurotransmitter and synaptic cleft
neurotransmitter and neuron
neurotransmitter and postsynaptic receptor
In the endocrine system, a lock-and-key relationship exists between the _____.
hormone and ductless gland
hormone and ducted gland
hormone and receptor on the target cell
hormone and ion channel
During the stress response, the adrenal medulla releases _____ and the adrenal cortex releases _____.
cortisol; adrenaline
adrenaline; cortisol
adrenaline; noradrenaline
noradrenaline; adrenaline
opioids; cortisol
In the process of neural communication, neurotransmitters, themselves, _____.
transmit messages down the axon
can inhibit, but not excite the postsynaptic cell
can excite, but not inhibit the postsynaptic cell
can excite or inhibit the postsynaptic cell
The presence of a positive feedback loop in the system that induces birthing contractions during labor indicates that the system _____.
produces pleasurable effects in the parturient female
is associated with excitatory neurotransmitter action
produces change rather than balance
facilitates homeostasis
creates excitatory postsynaptic potentials in the target cells
Neurons in the hippocampus (“seahorse”) are involved in _____.
A. Memory consolidation
B. spatial navigation
C. feeding, fighting, fleeing, and mating
D. transfer of sensory information to the neocortex
During the stress response, analgesia (pain relief) is caused mainly via endogenous _____ release.
glucocorticoid
catecholamine
reproductive hormone
opioid
adrenaline and noradrenaline
The condition called _____ produces resting tremors, bradykinesia (slow movement), rigid posture, and impaired coordination that result from cell destruction in the _____.
multiple sclerosis; substantia nigra
Parkinson’s disease; substantia nigra
multiple sclerosis; striatum
Parkinson’s disease; striatum
epilepsy; nigrostriatal pathway
Cognitive restructuring (e.g., modifying the way we view stressors in life so as to diminish or eliminate deleterious effects on the health of our magnificent brains) is an example of _____.
cognitive behavior-focused coping
behavioral cognitive-focused coping
cognitive emotion-focused coping
behavioral emotion-focused coping
Which of the following is true regarding the role of emotions in health and illness?
A. People with positive emotions take better care of their health
B. Fear prevents some people from obtaining medical care
C. Recovery from illness can be affected by emotions
D. A, B & C
For what reasons are women thought to live longer than are men?
A. Men have greater physiological reactivity when under stress and this contributes to greater likelihood of coronary heart disease
B. Estrogen levels in women delay heart disease by reducing blood cholesterol levels and platelet clotting
C. Men smoke more cigarettes and drink more alcohol, which increases the risk for cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, cancer, and cirrhosis
D. Men are less likely to seek medical care
E. A, B, C & D
In an experiment designed to investigate the effects of stress-inoculation training on blood pressure in people with Type A personality, the dependent variable is _____.
stress-inoculation training
blood pressure
Type A personality
persons with Type A personality
According to Hans Selye (the Father of Stress Research), the immediate mobilization of defenses to handle the demands of a stressor occurs during the _____ stage of the General Adaptation Syndrome.
conflict
opposition
alarm
resistance
challenge
According to class lecture, which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. The stress response is the product of natural selection
B. Stressors are always negative
C. Stress can be alleviated (lessened) with good coping skills
Which statement is TRUE about psychophysiological (i.e., psychosomatic) disorders?
A. They are associated with no real physical impairment
B. They reflect “faking” on the part of the sufferer
C. They are unrelated to psychological factors
D. They are caused or exacerbated by psychological factors
According to class lecture, which of the following is correctly classified as a (potential) stressor?
A. trauma
B. cortisol release
C. adrenaline release
According to class lecture, which of the following is correctly classified as stress?
Which of the following is NOT an example of primary prevention?
using a condom during sexual intercourse
engaging in regular exercise
getting pre-conception genetic counseling
taking a prescribed medicine to treat diabetes type I
As coined by McEwan, “allostatic load” refers to _____.
the physiological costs caused by chronic activation of the stress response
the physiological benefits caused by acute activation of the stress response
the physiological state of balance achieved when the demands of the stressor are equivalent to the resources of the individual facing the stressor
the psychological state of imbalance that occurs when the fight-or-flight response is activated
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is activated during _____.
parasympathetic nervous system activation
energy conservation
stress
rest-and-digest processes
Compared to the effects of the endocrine system, those of the nervous system are _____.
A. more precise
B. more rapid
C. longer lasting
The main cell types of the central nervous system are _____; the main cell types of the peripheral nervous system are _____.
neurons; glia
glia; neurons
neurons AND glia; neurons AND glia
sensory and motor neurons; interneurons
According to Lazarus’ Transactional Model, stress arises from a person’s _____.
cognitive appraisal of events
negative life events
everyday hassles
lack of physical health
genetically determined reactivity to stressors
People with positive self-esteem may experience less stress because _____.
demands are perceived as challenges rather than threats in these individuals
threatening situations cause more analgesia in these individuals
people with positive self-esteem engage in very little secondary appraisal
self-confidence is associated with a hardy Type S personality
Compared to people with Type B personality, people with Type A personality are ___.
less likely to develop coronary heart disease
more likely to develop coronary heart disease
equally likely to develop coronary heart disease
less likely to experience time urgency
The most stressful occupations are those that involve _____.
low demands and low control
low demands and high control
high demands and low contro
high demands and high control
Conflict theory emphasizes the impact of _____ on all major health decisions.
only rational thinking
only irrational thinking
both rational and irrational thinking
neither rational nor irrational thinking
According to the health belief model, women who have annual mammograms to detect breast cancer _____.
A. believe that they are susceptible to breast cancer
B. believe that developing breast cancer would cause serious consequences
C. believe that the benefits of having annual mammograms outweigh the costs
D. A & C
The largest white matter structure in the brain is the _____.
central sulcus
longitudinal fissure
corpus callosum
limbic cortex
neocortex
Allowing workers to have some control over their work hours, which tasks to work on, and the order in which they perform the tasks are ways to _____ in workers.
increase pessimistic attributional style
promote the use of intellectualization as a coping strategy
activate the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis
enhance personal control
The presence of quality social support has been linked to _____.
A. lower coronary heart risk
B. fewer pregnancy complications
C. lower mortality rate
D. quicker recovery from illness
In research, a “double blind” design eliminates/reduces _____ effects.
A. participant expectancy
B. experimenter expectancy
C. confounding variable
The notion that social support is beneficial to health regardless of stress level is called the _____ hypothesis.
buffering
health belief
direct effects
generalizability
global network
Problem-focused coping is LEAST likely to be used under which of the following situations?
destruction of property due to a hurricane
loss of a loved one
final exams
job loss
interpersonal conflict
Stress and BDNF (brain-derived neurotropic factor, which promotes the growth of new neurons) are related in some brain regions such that increased stress is linked to decreased BDNF. This relationship illustrates a _____.
positive correlation
negative correlation
neutral correlation
causal correlation
According to the theory of planned behavior (action), the key determinant of people’s behavior is _____.
self-efficacy
social norms
perceived behavioral control
emotional stability
intention
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a useful scientific theory?
It enables predictions that can be empirically tested.
It relates information that previously seemed to be unrelated.
It is unchanging in the face of new data.
It organizes accepted facts in a coherent way.
Which of the following statements accurately describes the relationship between psychosocial factors and heart disease?
A. Cardiac patients with strong social support recover faster and survive longer than do cardiac patients with little social support.
B. Pre-existing family problems can be exacerbated by a heart attack.
C. Unhealthy family dynamics can promote cardiac problems.
In what way are multiple sclerosis and diabetes type I similar?
They are both characterized by underactive immune systems.
They are both endocrine disorders.
They are both peripheral nervous system disorders.
They are both autoimmune disorders.
They are both characterized by decreased insulin release from the pancreas.
People who have an _____ locus of control believe that their own decisions and behaviors affect their outcomes, and people with such a belief system generally experience _____ physical and psychological health.
external; better
external; worse
internal; better
internal; worse
Actions taken to help a patient manage complicated, long term health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and chronic musculoskeletal pain are generally referred to as _____.
primary prevention
secondary prevention
tertiary prevention
quaternary prevention
According to class lecture, which of the following is TRUE about the effects of exercise?
A. Regular exercise lowers cardiovascular reactivity and decreases likelihood of hypertension
B. Less illness is noted in those who exercise more
C. Stress has less of a deleterious impact on the health of fit people
D. Exercise may slow the progression of certain brain disorders
Who coined the terms homeostasis and fight-or-flight response?
Albert Einstein
Hans Selye
Richard Lazarus
Walter Cannon
Sir Isaac Newton
Positive reinforcement _____ the chances that a behavior will recur; negative reinforcement _____ the chances that a behavior will recur. (Please read this question very carefully!)
increases; decreases
decreases; increases
increases; increases
decreases; decreases
The nursing home residents who were given greater control over their lives in the Langer and Rodin (1976) study (i.e., they had a plant to tend and could help to plan the menu) were more likely to be _____ than were the control condition participants a year and a half later.
deceased
alive and healthier
alive, but no healthier
a member of the community gardening team (Please do not pick this choice!)
According to the biopsychosocial model presented in lecture, health and disease outcomes flow directly from ____. (Please note that the answer key is correct this time!)
A. biological factors
B. psychological factors
C. social factors
Brain coral gets its name from the fact that its outer covering (bark) resembles that of the _____.
thalamus
tectum
spinal cord
