Step Up To:
Psychology
John J. Schulte, Psy.D.
&
Jason S. Spiegelman, M.A., ABD
From: Hockenbury &
Hockenbury
Discovering Psychology 5e
Worth Publishers (2010)
Chapter 12: Stress
Health and Coping
Individual Factors and
Stress Response
The Mind-Body
Connection
What is Stress?
Coping: How
People Deal
with Stress
Application
What is Stress?
500
400
300
200
100
The Mind-Body Connection
500
400
300
200
100
Individual Factors
and Stress Response
500
400
300
200
100
Coping: How People
Deal with Stress
500
400
300
200
100
Applications
500
400
300
200
100
1. Our perception of a particular
stimulus as ‘stressful’ depends on:
• A) whether the stimulus is new or
familiar to us
• B) how life-threatening the stimulus is
• C) our cognitive appraisal of the
stimulus and our coping resources
• D) whether or not others are involved
2. Everyday minor events that annoy
and upset people are called:
•
•
•
•
A) stressors
B) daily hassles
C) life changes
D) normal setbacks
3. According to the Social Readjustment
Rating Scale by Holmes and Rahe, the
most stressful life change reported by
subjects is:
•
•
•
•
A) being fired from a job
B) the death of a spouse
C) the death of a parent
D) getting a divorce
4. When an individual or family moves from
one location to another and struggles to
learn and adapt to new norms and
expectations, they are experiencing
__________ stress.
•
•
•
•
A) acculturative
B) immigrant
C) accommodative
D) assimilative
5. Which of the following would not be a
topic of specific interest to a health
psychologist?
• A) How to effectively treat
schizophrenia
• B) Why some people don’t follow
medical advice
• C) How people respond to being ill
• D) How to promote healthenhancing behaviors
6. The scientific study that examines the
interconnections between psychological
processes, the nervous system, and the
immune system is called:
•
•
•
•
A) health psychology
B) biopsychology
C) psychoneuroimmunology
D) stress psychology
7. The most important elements of the human
immune system are __________, which
are white blood cells that fight bacteria,
viruses, and other foreign invaders.
•
•
•
•
A) granulocytes
B) lymphocytes
C) histamines
D) killer t-cells
8. Corticosteroids are important stress
hormones, but they have some
negative properties that cause:
•
•
•
•
A) premature aging
B) cardiovascular disease
C) weakening of the immune system
D) all of the above
9. During the fight-or-flight response, the
adrenal medulla secretes the hormones
called__________, which include
adrenaline and noradrenaline.
•
•
•
•
A) catecholamines
B) acetylcholine and GABA
C) dopamine and serotonin
D) testosterone and
progesterone
10. During the _________ stage of the
general adaptation syndrome, the body
mobilizes its stress-fighting resources
in response to intense arousal.
•
•
•
•
A) resistance
B) exhaustion
C) alarm
D) breakdown
11. Social relationships have what
effect on stress?
•
•
•
•
A) They are stress-reducing
B) They have no effect on stress
C) They increase stress
D) They are helpful in reducing
stress but can also be a source of
stress
12. Among individuals in western
cultures, stress may be reduced by:
• A) being “talked out of it”
• B) increasing a realistic sense of
personal control
• C) using medication
• D) an increased sense of willpower
13. When explaining a recent failure,
Maurice used internal, stable, and
global explanations. Seligman
describes this as a __________style.
•
•
•
•
A) pessimistic explanatory
B) optimistic explanatory
C) dichotomous explanatory
D) robust explanatory
14. The critical component of a Type A
personality that best predicts the
onset of cardiac disease is:
•
•
•
•
A) pessimism
B) intense competitiveness
C) a sense of time urgency
D) hostility
15. Supportive behaviors perceived as
helpful to those under stress include
all of the following except:
• A) making sure the person knows that you
have been through the same stressful
situation in the past
• B) showing concern and interest
• C) expressing understanding about
why the person is upset
• D) helping the person with housework
16. Steve copes with stress by getting
drunk. He is demonstrating the
maladaptive strategy known as:
•
•
•
•
A) denial
B) escape-avoidance
C) distancing
D) positive reappraisal
17. In response to stress, women are
more likely to:
•
•
•
•
A) tend and befriend
B) give up and cry
C) fight or flee
D) engage Freudian defense
mechanisms
18. After the hurricane hit, those in the
affected communities helped each
other clear the wreckage. This behavior
demonstrates:
•
•
•
•
A) optimistic style
B) tending and befriending
C) emotion-focused coping
D) problem-focused coping
19. “Sure it hurt to get fired, but I learned
something from it. I am really a better
person for it.” This statement is an
example of:
•
•
•
•
A) denial
B) seeking social support
C) positive reappraisal
D) escape-avoidance
20. There are cultural differences in how
we respond to a stressor. For example,
in collectivist cultures, the emphasis is
placed on:
• A) controlling your reaction to the
stressful event
• B) problem-focused coping
• C) controlling the situation
• D) using rational denial to
psychologically change the event
21. The authors of your textbook
suggest all of the following as ways
of minimizing the negative effects
of stress except:
•
•
•
•
A) getting enough sleep
B) exercising regularly
C) avoiding alcohol
D) practicing relaxation
22. Which of the following is most likely to
be affected by the lack of sleep that
often accompanies stressful
situations?
•
•
•
•
A) concentration
B) reaction time
C) memory
D) All of the above can be
impaired by inadequate sleep
23. The relaxation technique called
________ involves focusing mental
attention, heightening awareness, and
quieting internal chatter.
•
•
•
•
A) self-hypnosis
B) progressive muscle relaxation
C) meditation
D) guided imagery
24. James smokes cigarettes “to relax,” he
says. Knowing what you know from the
chapter, you tell him:
• A) the use of stimulants like nicotine and
caffeine can actually increase the effects
of stress
• B) the only way cigarettes help is if he
uses a “light” brand of cigarette
• C) research shows that more nicotine can
be ingested through chewing tobacco if he
insists on using it at all
• D) all of the above
25. According to research, the health
benefits of being married are:
•
•
•
•
A) more pronounced for women then for men
B) more pronounced for men then for women
C) equally as important for men and women
D) more pronounced for older adults than for
younger adults
Stop here, or continue as a review
1. Our perception of a particular
stimulus as ‘stressful’ depends on:
• A) whether the stimulus is new or
familiar to us
• B) how life-threatening the stimulus is
• C) our cognitive appraisal of the
stimulus and our coping resources
• D) whether or not others are involved
2. Everyday minor events that annoy
and upset people are called:
•
•
•
•
A) stressors
B) daily hassles
C) life changes
D) normal setbacks
3. According to the Social Readjustment
Rating Scale by Holmes and Rahe, the
most stressful life change reported by
subjects is:
•
•
•
•
A) being fired from a job
B) the death of a spouse
C) the death of a parent
D) getting a divorce
4. When an individual or family moves from
one location to another and struggles to
learn and adapt to new norms and
expectations, they are experiencing
__________ stress.
•
•
•
•
A) acculturative
B) immigrant
C) accommodative
D) assimilative
5. Which of the following would not be a
topic of specific interest to a health
psychologist?
• A) How to effectively treat
schizophrenia
• B) Why some people don’t follow
medical advice
• C) How people respond to being ill
• D) How to promote healthenhancing behaviors
6. The scientific study that examines the
interconnections between psychological
processes, the nervous system, and the
immune system is called:
•
•
•
•
A) health psychology
B) biopsychology
C) psychoneuroimmunology
D) stress psychology
7. The most important elements of the human
immune system are __________, which
are white blood cells that fight bacteria,
viruses, and other foreign invaders.
•
•
•
•
A) granulocytes
B) lymphocytes
C) histamines
D) killer t-cells
8. Corticosteroids are important stress
hormones, but they have some
negative properties that cause:
•
•
•
•
A) premature aging
B) cardiovascular disease
C) weakening of the immune system
D) all of the above
9. During the fight-or-flight response, the
adrenal medulla secretes the hormones
called__________, which include
adrenaline and noradrenaline.
•
•
•
•
A) catecholamines
B) acetylcholine and GABA
C) dopamine and serotonin
D) testosterone and
progesterone
10. During the _________ stage of the
general adaptation syndrome, the body
mobilizes its stress-fighting resources
in response to intense arousal.
•
•
•
•
A) resistance
B) exhaustion
C) alarm
D) breakdown
11. Social relationships have what
effect on stress?
•
•
•
•
A) They are stress-reducing
B) They have no effect on stress
C) They increase stress
D) They are helpful in reducing
stress but can also be a source of
stress
12. Among individuals in western
cultures, stress may be reduced by:
• A) being “talked out of it”
• B) increasing a realistic sense of
personal control
• C) using medication
• D) an increased sense of willpower
13. When explaining a recent failure,
Maurice used internal, stable, and
global explanations. Seligman
describes this as a __________style.
•
•
•
•
A) pessimistic explanatory
B) optimistic explanatory
C) dichotomous explanatory
D) robust explanatory
14. The critical component of a Type A
personality that best predicts the
onset of cardiac disease is:
•
•
•
•
A) pessimism
B) intense competitiveness
C) a sense of time urgency
D) hostility
15. Supportive behaviors perceived as
helpful to those under stress include
all of the following except:
• A) making sure the person knows that you
have been through the same stressful
situation in the past
• B) showing concern and interest
• C) expressing understanding about
why the person is upset
• D) helping the person with housework
16. Steve copes with stress by getting
drunk. He is demonstrating the
maladaptive strategy known as:
•
•
•
•
A) denial
B) escape-avoidance
C) distancing
D) positive reappraisal
17. In response to stress, women are
more likely to:
•
•
•
•
A) tend and befriend
B) give up and cry
C) fight or flee
D) engage Freudian defense
mechanisms
18. After the hurricane hit, those in the
affected communities helped each
other clear the wreckage. This behavior
demonstrates:
•
•
•
•
A) optimistic style
B) tending and befriending
C) emotion-focused coping
D) problem-focused coping
19. “Sure it hurt to get fired, but I learned
something from it. I am really a better
person for it.” This statement is an
example of:
•
•
•
•
A) denial
B) seeking social support
C) positive reappraisal
D) escape-avoidance
20. There are cultural differences in how
we respond to a stressor. For example,
in collectivist cultures, the emphasis is
placed on:
• A) controlling your reaction to the
stressful event
• B) problem-focused coping
• C) controlling the situation
• D) using rational denial to
psychologically change the event
21. The authors of your textbook
suggest all of the following as ways
of minimizing the negative effects
of stress except:
•
•
•
•
A) getting enough sleep
B) exercising regularly
C) avoiding alcohol
D) practicing relaxation
22. Which of the following is most likely to
be affected by the lack of sleep that
often accompanies stressful
situations?
•
•
•
•
A) concentration
B) reaction time
C) memory
D) All of the above can be
impaired by inadequate sleep
23. The relaxation technique called
________ involves focusing mental
attention, heightening awareness, and
quieting internal chatter.
•
•
•
•
A) self-hypnosis
B) progressive muscle relaxation
C) meditation
D) guided imagery
24. James smokes cigarettes “to relax,” he
says. Knowing what you know from the
chapter, you tell him:
• A) the use of stimulants like nicotine and
caffeine can actually increase the effects
of stress
• B) the only way cigarettes help is if he
uses a “light” brand of cigarette
• C) research shows that more nicotine can
be ingested through chewing tobacco if he
insists on using it at all
• D) all of the above
25. According to research, the health
benefits of being married are:
•
•
•
•
A) more pronounced for women then for men
B) more pronounced for men then for women
C) equally as important for men and women
D) more pronounced for older adults than for
younger adults
Acknowledgments
• Step Up Created by:
John J. Schulte, Psy.D.
• Questions written by:
Jason S. Spiegelman, M.A., ABD
• Based on Discovering
Psychology 5e by
Hockenbury & Hockenbury
• Published by Worth
Publishers, 2010
Answers
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
C
B
B
A
A
C
B
D
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
A
C
D
B
A
D
A
B
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
A
D
C
A
C
D
C
A
25. B