APPLICATION MODULE 1: Social Psychology and Health

MULTIPLE CHOICE

	1.	In psychology, the term rumination refers to the
a.	tendency to eat food thoroughly to aid digestion.	
b.	tendency to think about a stressful event over and over again.	
c.	digestive system dysfunction associated with exposure to multiple stressors.	
d.	illusion that we are in control of events.	

ANS:	B	DIF:	Easy	
REF:	Evolution and Health: Short-Term and Chronic Stress	OBJ:	AM1.1B
MSC:	Remembering		

	2.	Which of the following is an immediate effect of increased cortisol levels?
a.	reduced blood pressure	
b.	increased immune system activity	
c.	increased heart rate	
d.	blockage of the formation of traumatic memories	

ANS:	C	DIF:	Difficult	
REF:	Evolution and Health: Short-Term and Chronic Stress	OBJ:	AM1.1A
MSC:	Remembering		

	3.	Gabriel is experiencing psychosocial stress during a job interview. Which area of Gabriel’s brain is responsible for initially processing information related to this threat?
a.	the amygdala	c.	the fusiform gyrus	
b.	the basal ganglia	d.	the pineal gland	

ANS:	A	DIF:	Easy	
REF:	Evolution and Health: Short-Term and Chronic Stress	OBJ:	AM1.1A
MSC:	Applying

	4.	Because Kesa has been experiencing increased, prolonged stress as a result of going over negative events again and again in her mind, her psychologist has recommended that she try self-distancing. This means that she should
a.	engage in distracting activities to divert attention away from herself.	
b.	think more about her friends and family and less about herself.	
c.	jog regularly to take her mind off of her problems.	
d.	focus on her feelings from the perspective of a detached observer.	

ANS:	D	DIF:	Moderate	
REF:	Evolution and Health: Short-Term and Chronic Stress	OBJ:	AM1.1B
MSC:	Applying

	5.	Mikell has been thinking over and over again about a conflict she had with a coworker. As a consequence, she has allowed that stressful conflict to pervade her evenings and weekends when she is not at work. Her sister, Tori, also had a conflict with a coworker but seemed to forget about it almost immediately. When their friends are catching the common cold, which of these two will be more vulnerable to catching the cold as well?
a.	Mikell, because her elevated stress levels will make her immune system less effective	
b.	Tori, because her elevated stress levels will make her immune system less effective	
c.	Tori, because she is likely to spend more time socializing with her sick friends	
d.	Mikell, because she is likely to spend more time socializing with her sick friends	

ANS:	A	DIF:	Easy	
REF:	Evolution and Health: Short-Term and Chronic Stress	OBJ:	AM1.1B
MSC:	Applying

	6.	Which of the following best summarizes the purpose of activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which involves increased cortisol and temporary immune system suppression?
a.	to propagate the species through increased drive for reproduction	
b.	to increase survival value by storing up rather than expending energy reserves	
c.	to increase survival value by quickly responding to threats	
d.	to improve psychological health by suppressing memories of threatening events	

ANS:	C	DIF:	Difficult	
REF:	Evolution and Health: Short-Term and Chronic Stress	OBJ:	AM1.1A
MSC:	Evaluating

	7.	Eliot is from a lower socioeconomic status (SES) neighborhood than Carl. Which of the following is a likely reason why Eliot is at greater risk for increased stress and poorer physical health outcomes than Carl?
a.	Eliot is more likely to be exposed to violent crime.	
b.	Eliot is less likely to have access to recreational spaces and parks.	
c.	Eliot is less likely to have easy access to health care centers.	
d.	All of the above are correct.	

ANS:	D	DIF:	Easy	
REF:	Culture and Health: Class, Stress, and Health Outcomes	OBJ:	AM1.2A
MSC:	Applying

	8.	If we know that Jon left school after the eighth grade and has been working as a janitor for the past twenty years, what research-based predictions could we make about his health status?
a.	Jon is more likely to have chronically low levels of cortisol.	
b.	Jon is more likely to die at an earlier age than those in higher-status jobs.	
c.	Jon is less likely to develop heart disease because his job involves less stress.	
d.	If Jon has children, they will be less likely to die in infancy.	

ANS:	B	DIF:	Moderate	
REF:	Culture and Health: Class, Stress, and Health Outcomes	OBJ:	AM1.2A
MSC:	Applying

	9.	Richard is a fairly wealthy man. As part of a research study, Richard is asked to indicate which rung of a ladder best represents his socioeconomic rank. How is Richard most likely to respond?
a.	He will select one of the highest rungs.	
b.	He will select one of the middle rungs.	
c.	He will select one of the lowest rungs.	
d.	His response will depend on his subjective construal of his relative rank.	

ANS:	D	DIF:	Moderate	
REF:	Culture and Health: Class, Stress, and Health Outcomes	OBJ:	AM1.2A
MSC:	Applying

	10.	Diana and Julie are asked to give presentations at work with only ten minutes to prepare. Diana has a good friend in the audience, whereas Julie does not. Who is likely to become the most stressed during the presentation?
a.	Julie	
b.	Diana	
c.	They are likely to feel equally stressed.	
d.	Neither is likely to feel stressed.	

ANS:	A	DIF:	Easy	
REF:	Situational Factors and Health: Benefits of Social Connection	
OBJ:	AM1.3A	MSC:	Applying

	11.	Psychologist Shelley Taylor proposed that we can reduce stress and improve our own health by connecting with and providing support to others. The term she used for this approach is
a.	tend-and-befriend.	c.	self-distancing.	
b.	seek-and-assist.	d.	tit-for-tat.	

ANS:	A	DIF:	Easy	
REF:	Situational Factors and Health: Benefits of Social Connection	
OBJ:	AM1.3A	MSC:	Remembering		

	12.	Which of the following does the textbook NOT recommend as a means of reducing stress?
a.	seeking out stressful situations to stimulate resilience	
b.	practicing meditation	
c.	exercising regularly	
d.	cultivating positive emotions	

ANS:	A	DIF:	Easy	
REF:	Situational Factors and Health: Benefits of Social Connection	
OBJ:	AM1.3A	MSC:	Remembering		

	13.	Supporting and connecting with others ________ oxytocin, which in turn ________ cortisol levels.
a.	increases; decreases	c.	increases; increases	
b.	decreases; decreases	d.	decreases, increases	

ANS:	A	DIF:	Difficult	
REF:	Situational Factors and Health: Benefits of Social Connection	
OBJ:	AM1.3A	MSC:	Understanding		

	14.	Which of the following was NOT among the findings of Shelley Taylor’s research on women with breast cancer?
a.	Most women passively accepted their condition.	
b.	Older women felt grateful that they had been diagnosed as older rather than younger women.	
c.	Younger women felt grateful that they had more physical robustness to fight the disease.	
d.	Most women felt that they could control the course of the disease through diet and exercise.	

ANS:	A	DIF:	Moderate	
REF:	Construal and Health: Benefits of Perceived Control and Optimism	
OBJ:	AM1.4A	MSC:	Understanding		

	15.	Some patients in a nursing home were given opportunities that increased their sense of control. Compared with nursing home patients who did not have these same opportunities, those with an increased sense of control
a.	showed improvement in overall functioning.	
b.	were more likely to refuse opportunities to participate in group activities.	
c.	showed reduced happiness.	
d.	showed a decline in physical health.	

ANS:	A	DIF:	Easy	
REF:	Construal and Health: Benefits of Perceived Control and Optimism	
OBJ:	AM1.4A	MSC:	Remembering		

	16.	Which of the following was found in breast cancer patients who were evaluated by their physicians as having better responses to the disease?
a.	They relinquished control of their treatment to their doctors.	
b.	They reported having a sense of control over the course of the disease.	
c.	They were more likely to deny that they had cancer.	
d.	They were more likely to report intense anger at the cancer.	

ANS:	B	DIF:	Moderate	
REF:	Construal and Health: Benefits of Perceived Control and Optimism	
OBJ:	AM1.4A	MSC:	Remembering		

	17.	Which of the following is NOT likely a mechanism by which optimism is associated with better physical health?
a.	Optimists are more likely to engage in good health practices.	
b.	Optimists are more likely to respond to stress with less HPA axis activity.	
c.	Optimists are less likely to need to rely on others for support.	
d.	Optimists are more likely to develop good social support networks.	

ANS:	C	DIF:	Difficult	
REF:	Construal and Health: Benefits of Perceived Control and Optimism	
OBJ:	AM1.4B	MSC:	Understanding		

	18.	Glenda was recently placed in a nursing home, and her physical health has been gradually deteriorating. Accordingly to the textbook, which of the following would be most likely to improve her health?
a.	having the staff ensure that she is pampered	
b.	encouraging her to conserve her strength by resting	
c.	allowing her a greater sense of control	
d.	reducing stress by minimizing the amount of time visitors can stay	

ANS:	C	DIF:	Difficult	
REF:	Construal and Health: Benefits of Perceived Control and Optimism	
OBJ:	AM1.4B	MSC:	Applying

	19.	Sidney and Jane are suffering from a similar health condition. Sidney is optimistic that her health will improve, while Jane’s approach is to prepare herself for the worst. Which of the following outcomes is most likely?
a.	Sidney’s health condition will improve more than Jane’s.	
b.	Jane’s health condition will improve more than Sidney’s.	
c.	Though Sidney and Jane take different approaches, both approaches are likely to benefit their health.	
d.	Neither Sidney nor Jane’s approach will affect their health conditions.	

ANS:	A	DIF:	Moderate	
REF:	Construal and Health: Benefits of Perceived Control and Optimism	
OBJ:	AM1.4B	MSC:	Applying

	20.	Which of the following pieces of advice is likely to be most helpful for reducing stress and improving health outcomes?
a.	“Your good health is in your hands.”	
b.	“Just let go and leave your health up to fate.”	
c.	“Think positive.”	
d.	Both a and c are likely to be helpful.	

ANS:	D	DIF:	Easy	
REF:	Construal and Health: Benefits of Perceived Control and Optimism	
OBJ:	AM1.4A	MSC:	Applying

SHORT ANSWER

	1.	Explain how rumination may contribute to chronic stress and then describe one way that rumination can be reduced.

ANS:	
Rumination refers to the tendency to think about a stressful event over and over again, to the point where it becomes a continuous source of stress that touches on all facets of one’s life. Rumination can turn specific, short-term stressors into chronic, long-term stressors. Chronic stress, in turn, can expose the body to chronically high levels of cortisol, leading to health problems such as ulcers, heart disease, cancer, memory loss, increased vulnerability to the common cold, and premature cellular aging. One way to reduce rumination is to engage in self-distancing, which involves focusing on one’s feelings from the perspective of a detached observer. This approach can help people reflect on stressful events without becoming overwhelmed by negativity.

DIF:	Moderate	REF:	Evolution and Health: Short-Term and Chronic Stress
OBJ:	AM1.1B	MSC:	Applying

	2.	Explain how differences in the social and physical environments of upper- and lower-SES neighborhoods can contribute to health disparities.

ANS:	
People living in lower-SES neighborhoods are more likely to be exposed to air and water pollution, pesticides, and hazardous wastes, compared to those in upper-SES neighborhoods. Toxins like these can increase stress and can also harm the nervous system directly. In addition, lower-SES neighborhoods have fewer recreational spaces and parks, so residents have fewer opportunities to be outdoors, relax, and get exercise, which are important factors for reducing stress and improving health. Lower-SES neighborhoods also have a higher incidence of violent crime, and residents experience more pervasive feelings of threat. A fourth key difference is that lower-SES neighborhoods tend to have few healthy grocery stores or health care centers.

DIF:	Moderate	REF:	Culture and Health: Class, Stress, and Health Outcomes
OBJ:	AM1.2A	MSC:	Analyzing

	3.	What does research suggest about the relationship between close social connections and health outcomes? What factors are believed to explain this relationship?

ANS:	
Research suggests that people with stronger social connections tend to live longer than those with few meaningful social ties. In a study of breast cancer patients, for example, David Spiegel and his colleagues found that participants who engaged in weekly sessions of emotionally supportive group therapy with other breast cancer patients lived longer than those assigned to a nonintervention control group. Strong social connections are believed to protect health by reducing psychological and physiological stress. For example, in one study, participants who had a supportive person in the audience during a stressful public speech task, compared to those who did not, had lower blood pressure readings during the speech. According to the tend-and-befriend model developed by Shelley Taylor and her colleagues, the hormone oxytocin may also be an important factor: the presence of supportive social connections increases oxytocin, which in turn reduces cortisol levels.

DIF:	Difficult	REF:	Situational Factors and Health: Benefits of Social Connection
OBJ:	AM1.3A	MSC:	Evaluating

	4.	Imagine that you are designing a comprehensive stress reduction intervention for college students who are suffering from chronic health conditions. List two specific approaches that could be included in this intervention and describe how you would implement them. For each approach, provide one piece of evidence from the textbook that supports its role in reducing stress.

ANS:	
Approaches included in the stress reduction intervention should center on increasing social support, personal control, or optimism. Increasing social support could involve encouraging students to seek support from friends and family, to utilize counseling services on campus, to join support groups, or even to provide support to others. Evidence for the effectiveness of social support interventions comes from a variety of sources, including Janice Kiecolt-Glaser and her colleagues’ research on social connections and mortality, Shelley Taylor and her colleagues’ research on supportive audiences and the tend-and-befriend approach, and David Spiegel and his colleagues’ research on emotionally supportive group therapy. Increasing personal control could involve helping students construct narratives of their health condition that involve feelings of mastery, autonomy, and efficacy rather than helplessness. Evidence for this approach comes from Shelley Taylor and her colleagues’ research on breast cancer patients and from Ellen Langer and Judith Rodin’s research on nursing home residents. Increasing optimism could involve helping students transform pessimistic beliefs into optimistic beliefs. Evidence for this approach comes from Charles Carver and Michael Scheier’s research on optimism and recovery from coronary artery bypass surgery and breast cancer and from Shelley Taylor and colleagues’ research on optimistic HIV patients.

DIF:	Difficult	REF:	Situational Factors and Health: Benefits of Social Connection
OBJ:	AM1.3A	MSC:	Creating

	5.	Describe research that supports the role of perceived control in promoting good physical health.

ANS:	
Research suggests that a sense of control, which refers to feeling mastery, autonomy, and efficacy in influencing important life outcomes, can benefit health. For example, in one study, breast cancer patients who reported a sense of control over their situation, believing that through diet, exercise, and/or positive beliefs they could influence the course of their disease, responded better to the disease, as assessed by their physicians. In a study of nursing home residents, residents who were given a greater sense of personal responsibility and control, including the opportunity to care for a plant, showed greater increases in happiness and better overall functioning, as rated by the nurses.

DIF:	Moderate	REF:	Construal and Health: Benefits of Perceived Control and Optimism
OBJ:	AM1.4A	MSC:	Remembering