PSY 346 - HEALTH PSYCH EXAM 1 QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE 2026
Which situation is an example of longitudinal research? - Answers A researcher compares the
performance of several different age groups on a test of memory as each group is tested
repeatedly over a period of years.
Dr. Rodriguez conducts a correlational study examining the association between body weight
and reading ability in a sample of 40 elementary school students. She visits a local school and
measures each child's weight and then administers a test of reading ability. If she finds that
reading ability tends to increase as body weight increases in her sample, she can conclude that:
- Answers body weight and reading ability are positively correlated.
Why do many health psychologists turn to qualitative research? - Answers When data are
presented in numbers, some information may be lost.
Dr. Yee has collected the medical records of thirty women who display symptoms of a chronic
illness. She has identified factors in their past records that have contributed to the development
of their current illness. This is an example of a(n) _____ research design. - Answers retrospective
The rate of _____ refers to the total number of cases of a specific illness in a given group of
people at a given time. - Answers morbidity
Maria believes that high doses of caffeine speed up a person's reaction time. In order to test her
hunch, she has five friends each drink three 8-ounce cups of coffee and then she measures how
quickly they are able to push a button when a tone is sounded. What is wrong with Maria's
research strategy? - Answers There is no control condition.
Why is it important for researchers to obtain informed consent? - Answers Participants need to
understand the procedures and agree to participate, especially if there are risks involved.
The procedure used to help ensure that the experimental and control groups do not differ in
any way that might affect the results of an experiment is called: - Answers random assignment.
Correlational research is most useful for: - Answers understanding the relationship between two
variables.
Dr. Meyers conducts an experiment to test the hypothesis that physical activity will result in
better exam performance. She randomly assigns half of her Psych 120 students to go for a brisk
20-minute walk before taking their final exam; the other half of the class sits quietly and listens
to music for 20 minutes before the exam. In this experiment, the amount of physical activity is
the __________ and exam performance is the ___________. - Answers independent variable;
dependent variable
, Based on a large survey of American adults during the COVID-19 pandemic, which generation
was MOST likely to report that their mental health had worsened? - Answers Gen Z
Health psychologists interested in understanding how stress "gets underneath the skin" to affect
the immune system have proposed the direct effects hypothesis which asserts that: - Answers
immunosuppression is part of the body's natural response to stress.
Cortisol is a: - Answers a hormone produced by the adrenal cortex that fights inflammation and
trigger the release of stored energy.
Which of these arguments is an example of the enhancement hypothesis of how combining
work and family relate to stress processes? - Answers Taking a job outside the home can provide
mothers with confidence and independence that are important to their well-being.
According to the glucocorticoid-receptor resistance model, chronic stress: - Answers interferes
with the immune system's sensitivity to hormones that regulate the inflammatory response.
The Social Readjustment Rating Scale has been criticized for all these reasons EXCEPT that it: -
Answers does NOT include both positive and negative life events.
Psychoneuroimmunology is a field that focuses on: - Answers how psychological factors affect
immunity through the neuroendocrine system
Minority stress theory attributes health disparities among minoritized populations to: - Answers
prejudice, hostility, and stigma toward minoritized populations
Dr. Kbenga wants to effectively and efficiently measure the levels of stress hormones related to
a stressful research lab task, as well as making sure that the results are reliable and quantifiable.
Which procedure would be the BEST one to use to garner the desired results? - Answers
collecting cortisol from a saliva sample
One of the weaknesses of Selye's concept of the General Adaptation Syndrome is that it: -
Answers ignores psychological factors such as cognitive appraisals
Learning to replace thoughts such as "I can't handle this" with "I can handle this" is part of: -
Answers cognitive restructuring.
The ___________ model maintains that social support has the most beneficial effects on health
during times of stress. - Answers buffering
Optimism can diminish stress-related elevations in hypertension, inflammation, and
immunosuppression by: - Answers shortening the duration of negative emotional arousal.
___________ involves efforts to reduce anxiety or distress experienced due to a stressful event.
- Answers Emotion-focused coping
Which situation is an example of longitudinal research? - Answers A researcher compares the
performance of several different age groups on a test of memory as each group is tested
repeatedly over a period of years.
Dr. Rodriguez conducts a correlational study examining the association between body weight
and reading ability in a sample of 40 elementary school students. She visits a local school and
measures each child's weight and then administers a test of reading ability. If she finds that
reading ability tends to increase as body weight increases in her sample, she can conclude that:
- Answers body weight and reading ability are positively correlated.
Why do many health psychologists turn to qualitative research? - Answers When data are
presented in numbers, some information may be lost.
Dr. Yee has collected the medical records of thirty women who display symptoms of a chronic
illness. She has identified factors in their past records that have contributed to the development
of their current illness. This is an example of a(n) _____ research design. - Answers retrospective
The rate of _____ refers to the total number of cases of a specific illness in a given group of
people at a given time. - Answers morbidity
Maria believes that high doses of caffeine speed up a person's reaction time. In order to test her
hunch, she has five friends each drink three 8-ounce cups of coffee and then she measures how
quickly they are able to push a button when a tone is sounded. What is wrong with Maria's
research strategy? - Answers There is no control condition.
Why is it important for researchers to obtain informed consent? - Answers Participants need to
understand the procedures and agree to participate, especially if there are risks involved.
The procedure used to help ensure that the experimental and control groups do not differ in
any way that might affect the results of an experiment is called: - Answers random assignment.
Correlational research is most useful for: - Answers understanding the relationship between two
variables.
Dr. Meyers conducts an experiment to test the hypothesis that physical activity will result in
better exam performance. She randomly assigns half of her Psych 120 students to go for a brisk
20-minute walk before taking their final exam; the other half of the class sits quietly and listens
to music for 20 minutes before the exam. In this experiment, the amount of physical activity is
the __________ and exam performance is the ___________. - Answers independent variable;
dependent variable
, Based on a large survey of American adults during the COVID-19 pandemic, which generation
was MOST likely to report that their mental health had worsened? - Answers Gen Z
Health psychologists interested in understanding how stress "gets underneath the skin" to affect
the immune system have proposed the direct effects hypothesis which asserts that: - Answers
immunosuppression is part of the body's natural response to stress.
Cortisol is a: - Answers a hormone produced by the adrenal cortex that fights inflammation and
trigger the release of stored energy.
Which of these arguments is an example of the enhancement hypothesis of how combining
work and family relate to stress processes? - Answers Taking a job outside the home can provide
mothers with confidence and independence that are important to their well-being.
According to the glucocorticoid-receptor resistance model, chronic stress: - Answers interferes
with the immune system's sensitivity to hormones that regulate the inflammatory response.
The Social Readjustment Rating Scale has been criticized for all these reasons EXCEPT that it: -
Answers does NOT include both positive and negative life events.
Psychoneuroimmunology is a field that focuses on: - Answers how psychological factors affect
immunity through the neuroendocrine system
Minority stress theory attributes health disparities among minoritized populations to: - Answers
prejudice, hostility, and stigma toward minoritized populations
Dr. Kbenga wants to effectively and efficiently measure the levels of stress hormones related to
a stressful research lab task, as well as making sure that the results are reliable and quantifiable.
Which procedure would be the BEST one to use to garner the desired results? - Answers
collecting cortisol from a saliva sample
One of the weaknesses of Selye's concept of the General Adaptation Syndrome is that it: -
Answers ignores psychological factors such as cognitive appraisals
Learning to replace thoughts such as "I can't handle this" with "I can handle this" is part of: -
Answers cognitive restructuring.
The ___________ model maintains that social support has the most beneficial effects on health
during times of stress. - Answers buffering
Optimism can diminish stress-related elevations in hypertension, inflammation, and
immunosuppression by: - Answers shortening the duration of negative emotional arousal.
___________ involves efforts to reduce anxiety or distress experienced due to a stressful event.
- Answers Emotion-focused coping
