Abnormal Psychology Chapter: PTSD and Evolutionary Psychology

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

What is the primary cause of PTSD according to doctors during WWI?

Evolutionary adaptations to stressful events

Physical concussion caused by exploding artillery (correct)

Psychological trauma

Genetic predisposition to anxiety disorders

According to an evolutionary perspective, what is expected about PTSD?

It would be more common in natural disasters than human-engineered disasters

It would primarily be a disease of modern life (correct)

It would be equally prevalent in all societies

It would primarily be a disease of ancient civilizations

What percentage of individuals exposed to natural disasters typically get PTSD?

About 50%

Less than 1%

Less than 10% (correct)

About 20%

What is the name of the condition that was believed to be caused by twisting or concussion of the spine during the Industrial Revolution?

Railway Spine (B) Signup and view all the answers

What type of disasters have a higher percentage of individuals getting PTSD?

Human-engineered disasters (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is PTSD seen as, according to the text?

A susceptibility to stress that overwhelms our normal defense against threats (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the minimum number of symptoms required to diagnose a Major Depressive Episode?

Five (B) Signup and view all the answers

According to Nesse (1991, 2000), what is the function of depression?

To keep us from spending energy on activities that are unlikely to contribute to our fitness (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is Depressive Realism?

When people have a lower opinion of themselves and their prospects for success (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the predicted trend of suicide rates according to evolutionary psychology?

Suicide rates should increase with age as reproductive value declines (A) Signup and view all the answers

According to Hagen (1999), what is one possible function of post-partum depression?

To negotiate greater investment from others (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of grief according to the text?

To serve as a deterrent to prevent harm and promote self-preservation (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the main purpose of anxiety in the face of threat?

To alter our thinking, behavior, and physiology in advantageous ways (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the consequence of having too little anxiety?

We are more likely to fall off cliffs, end up with snakes in our beds, and get lost (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the estimated percentage of the population that has experienced a clinical anxiety disorder?

15% of the population (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason why natural selection has not adjusted the anxiety mechanism to be always anxious?

Because it is not optimal due to the distressing nature of anxiety (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the main reason why the 'expensive' responses to danger are not expressed continually?

Because they are dangerous and cause bodily damage (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the 'Smoke Detector Principle' in the context of anxiety?

A principle that states the cost of getting killed is higher than the cost of responding to false alarms (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the proposed category of people with unrecognized anxiety disorders, according to Isaac Marks?

Those who have too little anxiety (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the potential benefit of a gene that enhances creativity, according to the text?

It can increase reproductive fitness (B) Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of faculty at a workshop did Andreasen find to have suffered either depression or manic depression?

80% (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is characterized by severe mood swings, depression, and manic phases?

Bipolar disorder (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the individual who wrote 40% of his compositions during a 2-year manic phase?

Robert Schumann (A) Signup and view all the answers

Why might the gene for schizophrenia still be present in the population despite its debilitating effects?

Because it conveys a creative advantage to those who carry the gene (B) Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of the population is affected by schizophrenia?

1% (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of coughing according to the text?

To expel foreign material from the respiratory tract (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the consequence of blocking the cough reflex excessively?

Increased risk of pneumonia (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the evolutionary perspective on the relationship between humans and pathogens?

An endless arms race (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the distinction between defenses and defects in the context of disease?

Defenses are beneficial, while defects are harmful (C) Signup and view all the answers

Why is it crucial to distinguish between defenses and defects in someone who is sick?

To determine the appropriate treatment (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the consequence of eliminating a defense mechanism in the body?

Increased risk of disease (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary advantage of being able to detect cat odor for mice?

It enables them to avoid the imminent arrival of the cat (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the potential drawback of prescribing a drug to dull the sense of smell in mice exposed to cat odor?

It would make them more susceptible to the cat's attack (B) Signup and view all the answers

Why might relocating the nostrils to the neck be disadvantageous?

It would make eating and breathing more difficult (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary challenge in redesigning the pickup truck to relocate the gasoline tanks within the frame?

It would require a major redesign of everything (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary concern for a pediatrician treating children with colds?

Managing the symptoms to improve quality of life (D) Signup and view all the answers

Why might a drug that dulls the sense of smell be undesirable for mice?

It would prevent them from detecting the cat's odor (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the potential benefit of a gene that causes sickle-cell anemia?

It provides resistance to malaria (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the potential cost of walking upright?

Predisposition to back problems (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the potential explanation for the persistence of disease-causing genes in a population?

They have hidden benefits (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of a sexually antagonistic gene?

A gene that benefits fathers at the expense of mothers (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the concept that describes the trade-offs between different traits?

Design compromises (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the key to understanding disease, according to the text?

Understanding the hidden benefits of apparent design flaws (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason for the prevalence of modern diseases such as heart disease and breast cancer?

Human bodies have not adapted to novel environments (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a novel environment that can lead to disease?

Population migration and skin cancer (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the reason why some genes that cause disease are still present in the population?

They were harmless in natural environments (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason why the body is vulnerable to disease, despite its sophisticated mechanisms?

The body is a bundle of careful compromises between different physiological processes. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between fatty diets and disease risk?

Fatty diets increase the risk of heart disease (D) Signup and view all the answers

What are defenses, according to Nesse and Williams (1995)?

Symptoms of disease, such as a dusky hue and deep cough. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between a defect and a defense in the context of disease?

A defect is a happenstance result with no particular utility, while a defense has a specific function. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the impact of artificial light on disease risk?

Artificial light increases the risk of cancer (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the reason why some genes that cause disease are still present in the population despite their negative effects?

Natural selection has not had time to eliminate them (B) Signup and view all the answers

Why can the immune system recognize and attack a million foreign proteins, but still fail to prevent disease?

The immune system is compromised by the body's careful compromises between different physiological processes. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the main reason why we cannot grow a replacement for a damaged finger, despite the body's ability to encode plans for an adult organism?

The body's careful compromises between different physiological processes limit its ability to regenerate tissue. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Why do we still get pneumonia, despite the immune system's ability to recognize and attack foreign proteins?

The immune system is compromised by the body's careful compromises between different physiological processes. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary role of fever in the body?

To combat infection (D) Signup and view all the answers

What happens when cold-blooded lizards are infected and cannot move to a warm place?

They are more likely to die (C) Signup and view all the answers

Why does Matt Kluger believe that using drugs to suppress fever can be harmful?

Because it can make people sicker and even die (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between body temperature and infection?

Body temperature is carefully regulated and increases when infected (D) Signup and view all the answers

How do cold-blooded lizards respond to infection?

They seek out a place warm enough to raise their body temperature (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of fever in the context of infection?