PSYC1030 Quiz 1

What is the three components of prejudice (tri-partite model)

• behavioral - discrimination

• affective - feelings of another group

• cognitive - beliefs about a group (stereotype)

What is the kernel of truth

core essence of a statement that can be considered true, even if the surrounding information is incorrect

What is benevolent sexism

Presents itself as complimentary but can still have harmful consequences. It often involves idealizing women who conform to traditional gender roles, while simultaneously reinforcing gender stereotypes and undermining women's agency.

What is hostile sexism

involves negative, antagonistic attitudes toward women who challenge traditional gender roles, viewing them as manipulative competitors and threats to male dominance

What is the impact of hostile sexism

since its easier to identify it can have a motivating impact to women who experience

What is the impact of benevolent sexism

harder to identify it can cause more long-term effects - confusion, decreased confidence, may alter their own sexism to match

What is stereotype threat

the increased likelihood for people to perform such stereotype because they’re distracted by their concerns of being stereotyped - affects people who identify try to remove themself from the stereotype

Explain what a self-fulfilling prophecy is

When our expectation of a person changes the way we interact with them, which can change their behavior in line with our expectations (expectations become reality)

What is primary aging?

the inherent, genetically programmed, and unavoidable biological processes of aging that occur with the passage of time in all individuals, regardless of external factors

What are some examples of primary aging

• visual acuity declines

• decline in bone density and muscle mass

• menopause

• hearing loss

• decreased resistance to infections

What is secondary aging

the aging processes that are influenced by environmental factors and lifestyle choices

What are some examples of secondary aging

• macular degeneration

• osteoporosis

• dementia

• depression

• type 2 diabetes

• high blood pressure

What are some things that can increase the chances of secondary aging

• smoking

• being overweight

• unhealthy lifestyle

Explain what heterogeneity is

Increase in age means people get more and more different from each other

Explain what a cohort effect is

people who’ve been born in a certain period of time and gone through a certain set of experiences will tend to share a relatively similar outlook

What is the prevalence of mental health in nursing homes

70-90% and those people make-up 6-7% of the population

What are some risk factors for depression

• disability

• newly diagnosed medical illness

• poor health status

• poor self-perceived health

• prior depression

What are some protective factors against depression

• great perceived social support

• regular physical exercise

• higher socio-economic status

What are some risk factors for anxiety

• poor general health

• physical or sexual abuse in childhood

• being a current smoker

What are some protective factors to anxiety

• great perceived social support

• regular physical exercise

• higher level of education

What are some psychotherapeutic interventions for anxiety in older adults

• CBT

• relaxation training

• supportive therapy

• problem solving therapy

• psychodynamic therapy

What are some symptoms of dementia

• memory loss that disrupts daily life

• Aphasia: new problems with words

• changes in mood or personality

• difficulty completing familiar tasks

How should you care for dementia patients

• person-centered care

• activity based therapies to keep them stimulated

• supportive therapies to help with symptoms of depression or anxiety

• environmental approaches

List the three responses to stress

• Fight or flight – survival mechanism – react quickly

• Rapid recognition of potentially harmful stimuli to mobilize the defence responses

• An array of neural and endocrine systems that mobilise physiological and psychological resources allowing response to the present challenge to homeostasis and overall well being

What does the release of hormones, epinephrine and glucocorticoids do in response to stressful situations

• Mobilize energy resources

• Increase blood pressure

• Turn off everything that's not essential to surviving right now - digestion, growth, reproduction

• Think more clearly

• Learning and memory are enhanced

• Sensory thresholds sharpened

How do modern stressors differ from ancient survival instincts

• Many modern life stressors are not life threatening

• Many modern life stressors are social

• Many modern life stressors are psychological

• We neither fight nor flee

How can the overexposure to cortisol and other stress hormones disrupt your body’s processes

• Digestive problems

• Headaches

• Heart disease

• Sleep problems

• Weight gain

• Immune system impairment

• Accelerated chromosomal DNA aging (telomeres)

• Memory and concentration impairment

• Anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues

What is primary appraisal

• evaluation of whether a stressor is perceived as a threat or a challenge

• Irrelevant: no implications for the individual's well-being

• Benign-Positive: positive or beneficial

• Stressful:

  • Threat - potential for future harm or loss

  • Challenge - opportunity for growth, mastery, or gain

  • harm/loss - damage has already occurred

What is secondary appraisal

• evaluation if necessary skills and resources for dealing with the stressor

• Personal Skills and Abilities: have the necessary skills and knowledge to manage the stressor.

• Social Support: have access to support from friends, family, or colleagues.

• Coping Strategies: available strategies or actions that can be taken to deal with the stressor

What are some stress management programs

• Teach coping skills that increase perceived control (secondary appraisal).

• Provide education on reframing stressors (changing negative threats into challenges)

What ares some Therapeutic Techniques for stress

• Help people identify and modify distorted appraisals (e.g., catastrophizing, negative self-talk).

• Encourage realistic assessments of resources and problem-solving strategies.

Implications of understanding appraisal

• Building Resilience

• Role of Mindfulness & Acceptance

List some sources of stress

• frustration

• conflict

• change

• pressure

How do emotions serve as a response to stress

• Alarm signal - negative emotions = warning system

  E.g. fear can mobilise physical and mental resources to confront threats

What are some physiological symptoms of stress

• increased heart rate and blood pressure

• rapid breathing

• release of stress hormones

• reduced digestion

How does the physiological system serve as a response to stress

• alarm system - initial shock and fight or flight activation w/ sharp rise in stress hormones

• resistance stage - continued release of stress hormones if the stressor persists = ‘new normal’

• exhaustion stage - If the stressor remains unresolved for too long, the body’s coping reserves become depleted = higher vulnerability due to illness and fatigue

List some behavioral adaptive coping mechanisms

• Problem-Focused Coping - Directly addresses the source of stress

• Emotion-Focused Coping - Manages emotional distress when the stressor is out of one’s control

• Seeking Social Support - Asking for help or emotional support can buffer stress and provide resources or new perspectives

• Short-Term Use of Defensive Coping - Momentary denial

Behavioral MALadaptive coping mechanisms

• Blaming Oneself & Learned Helplessness

• Lashing Out

• Indulging

• Defensive Coping

A clinical psychologist seeks to explain depression in an adult client in terms of his early childhood experiences. The psychologist is likely to be employing a

A psychodynamic approach

Jake's boss criticized his work. He immediately thinks, "I'm useless and will get fired." As a result, he feels anxious and avoids work the next day. Which component of the ABC model does his thought "I'm useless and will get fired." represent?

Belief

What does the ABC model stand for

Activating event, Beliefs and Consequences

What is the primary addition of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to Behavioural Therapy?

Emphasis on thoughts

Why are randomized controlled trials (RCTs) considered the gold standard in therapy evaluation?

They compare active treatments against placebo or alternative interventions with random assignment

For a diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder, how many symptoms must be demonstrated during a specific timeframe?

5 or more during the same 2-week period

How does cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) conceptualize the maintenance of depression?

Lack of positive reinforcement

Lisa has a severe fear of flying. She avoids airplanes at all costs, even if it means missing important family events. When she thinks about flying, she experiences intense anxiety, and if she were forced to board a plane, she would likely have a panic attack. What is the best treatment approach for her?

Exposure therapy with a hierarchy of fear-based situations

A person who scores high in neuroticism is likely to:

Experience mood swings, anxiety, and emotional instability.

According to the psychodynamic approach, what is the role of the ego in personality?

It mediates between the impulsive desires of the id and the moral constraints of the superego

According to twin studies, what is the primary finding regarding the nature vs. nurture debate in personality?

Genetic factors and non-shared environmental influences both play crucial roles in shaping personality

Which personality theory focuses on the impact of reinforcements and punishments on behaviour?

Behaviorist theory.

According to Horn and Cattell’s theory, which of the following is an example of crystallized intelligence (Gc)?

Knowing the meaning of a complex word

How do you calculate IQ

take a person's mental age, divide it by chronological age, and then multiply that number by 100

In the context of intelligence testing, what is the main purpose of factor analysis?

Determine the standard deviation

Alogia and avolition are both symptoms of schizophrenia. What type of symptoms are they?

Negative

Antipsychotic medications are generally better at treating which symptoms of schizophrenia?

Positive

A student frequently feels anxious before an exam, interpreting it as a threat to future success. Which of the following strategies best illustrates secondary appraisal in action?

Evaluating study skills, resources, and support to handle the exam effectively

Given that modern life stressors are often psychological rather than life-threatening, why can they still have harmful long-term effects on health?

Chronic activation of the same physiological stress systems (e.g., cortisol release) can disrupt bodily processes over time

In Hans Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome, which stage follows the initial Alarm stage if the stressor continues?

Resistance

After dementia, the most commonly occurring psychiatric disorder in later life is

Depression

Increasing heterogeneity with increasing age is the gerontological principle that refers to

people becoming increasing dissimilar as they age

Why should we measure

making the invisible visible

evidence based decisions

continuous improvement

real-world impact

What are the 4 types of tests used in psychology

1. aptitude test - focus on future capacity

2. achievement test - measure current knowledge

3. intelligence test - measure general cognitive functioning or specific cognitive abilities

4. personality test - measure enduring personal characteristics

How do we evaluate tests

standardisation

reliability

validity

bias

Explain the Binet-Simon scale of intelligence

Differentiate children who might need specialized help or alternative education, rather than assume all should follow the same classroom pace. e.g. a 7 year old may perform tasks that the majority of 8 year olds typically do, therefore they have the mental age of 8

How does the WAIS-IV organism intelligence

erbal Comprehension, Perceptual Reasoning, Working Memory, and Processing Speed. Full Scale IQ is derived from performance across all these areas, giving a broad measure of general cognitive ability.

What is intelligence?

learn and remember information

recognise concepts and their relations

reasoning and problem-solving