A.P. Psychology
Mr. Lewis
Stress Essay Test Question Options
1. Explain the effects of high population density on social behavior in rats.
Define and give an example of the following terms in your answer:
A. Behavioral sink: the behavioral reactions to a high density population
-Aggression
-Sexual Deviance
-Submissiveness
-Reproductive Abnormalities
-B,C,D fall under behavioral sink
B. Aggression: behavior with intent to harm others
-Dense Pop. leads to competition for necessities
-Competition leads to aggression
C. Submissiveness: behavior with intent to protect yourself from
aggression
-With aggression others are submissive to their dominance
D. Reproductive abnormalities: variances from normal reproductive
behaviors.
-The stress brought on by competition and aggression leads to
reproductive abnormalities
-suppression of maternal instinct
2. John has just learned that his wife has been diagnosed with cancer and she
was given only six months to live. He tells his friends that he feels total lack of
control in the situation. In the first few days after hearing the news what would
you expect to happen to John’s:

Lack of control causes stress which leads to reaction from the sympathetic
nervous system
o arteries supply blood to muscles-- relax in order to deliver more
blood
o blood flow to skin, kidneys, digestive tract reduced
o stress hormones released to blood flow
 1/2.) cortisol: released through increase in ACTH, indicating
adrenal glands to produce, levels normally peak in body in
early morning (wake up signal)
 4.) epinephrine: puts body in state of arousal, can cause
hypertension, increased release and activity in blood flow of
body chemistry can cause inflammation and add to chronic
stress burden.

o
4.) both cortisol and epinephrine facilitate movement from
bloodstream and storage organs into tissue where they are
needed to defend against infection
3.) underreaction of sympathetic nervous system leads to decrease
in production of
 B lymphocytes which protect against antigens by producing
antibodies
 T lymphocytes, which form in the thymus, attack cancer
cells, viruses, and foreign substances
 production decrease--- herpesvirus erupts, cancer
cells multiply
3. There is a dramatic increase in the likelihood of a person becoming ill or dying
during a brief period following the death of a spouse. Describe three specific
biological processes and three psychological processes that may contribute to
this effect.
Three biological processes
1. General Adaptation Syndrome- According to Selye, people react to stress
in three stages: Alarm reaction, resistance, and exhaustion.
2.
Stress depresses the immune system, making the body more likely to
become ill, due to the inability to fight off illnesses.
3.
The sleep-cycle is disrupted, because glucocorticoid levels increase,
causing someone to have difficulty sleeping. This is cyclical, and thus causes
people to become more stressed, and more likely to develop illness.
Three psychological processes
1. This will cause someone to withdraw themselves, a common effect of the
loss of a spouse. People with poor social connections are more likely to
develop illness.
2.
Psychophysiological illnesses- stress causes headaches and
hypertension. Hypertension increases the chances of chronic heart disease and
heart attacks.
3.
Perceived control- people who feel as though they have no control over a
situation are more vulnerable to ill health. Since someone has no control over
the death of their spouse, they will be more likely to become ill.
4. A classmate argues that “the best way to handle stress is to work harder and
meet life’s challenges head-on.” Evaluate both the strengths and the
weaknesses of your classmate’s position.
Strengths
1. get a lot accomplished, so you have less to worry about
2.
high intrinsic motivation
3.
If you are in control of the outcome and you accept the responsibility of
getting it done, then you have a stress relief when it’s complete. (drive-reduction)
Weaknesses
1. over-stress causes health issues (heart disease, decreased immune
system function)
2.
If arousal is too high, caused by a high-stress level, then accomplishing
tasks will be difficult
3.
If you spend too much time working to get the challenges finished, you
won’t have time to do other stress-relieving activities (social time, relaxation,
exercise)