Week 9 Summary - Brain and Behaviour (Health, stress and coping)

30 Questions

Which factor is an additional consideration in decisions about health behaviors, according to the text?

Self-efficacy

According to James Prochaska and his colleagues, how many stages are involved in the process of successful change?

Which stage is characterized by the person not perceiving a health-related problem and having no intention of changing in the foreseeable future?

Precontemplation

What are common sources of stress according to the text?

Catastrophic events, life changes and strains, daily hassles

How does stress affect the functioning of the immune system?

It weakens the immune system

Which group of people is especially vulnerable to stress-related impairments of the immune system?

Elderly

In which group of individuals is the relationship between stress and the immune system especially important?

HIV-positive individuals without AIDS

Which system is linked to the cardiovascular system and its repeated activation in response to stressors has been associated with the development of coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke?

The sympatho-adreno-medullary (SAM) system

Which of the following reactions to stressors is most strongly linked to the development of hypertension later in life among healthy young adults?

Increased blood pressure

Which trait has been associated with the appearance of coronary heart disease when accompanied by irritability and impatience?

Hostility

What are the two major classifications of coping methods?

Problem-focused and emotion-focused

Which coping method involves efforts to alter or eliminate a source of stress?

Problem-focused coping

Which coping method is aimed at regulating the negative emotional consequences of the stressor?

Emotion-focused coping

What is the cognitive coping strategy that involves replacing catastrophic thinking with more constructive thoughts?

Cognitive restructuring

Which of the following best defines health psychology?

The study of psychological influences on health

According to the health belief model, which of the following is NOT a factor influencing health-related behavior?

Believing that changing behavior will not reduce the threat

Who developed one of the most influential health belief models?

Irwin Rosenstock

What is the main focus of health psychology?

Psychological influences on health

According to the health belief model, who is most likely to quit smoking?

Someone who believes the benefits of preventing cancer outweigh the difficulties of quitting

What is the cognitive approach to health psychology embodied in?

Health belief models

What is the purpose of the health belief model?

To predict health-related behaviors

Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a non-chemical method for coping with stress?

Prescription medications

What is one potential drawback of using prescription medications as a coping aid?

They may interfere with the ability to apply other coping strategies

Which physical method is described as one of the most popular for coping with stress?

Progressive muscle relaxation training

What does progressive muscle relaxation training involve?

Tensing a group of muscles for a few seconds and then releasing the tension

When might prescription medications be an appropriate coping aid?

During times of severe and acute stress, such as the sudden death of one’s child

What is one potential consequence of using drug effects to blunt stress responses?

Loss of perceived control over stressors

Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a non-chemical method for reducing physical stress reactions?