Essentials of Abnormal
Psychology
Test 3 with multiple
choices
Exam Questions with 100% Correct
Answers and Rationales | Latest
Update | Grade A+ | 2026/2027
,What element of OCD applies to Richard (the case b. Magical thinking
described in the textbook), who was obsessed with the
idea that if he did not eat in a certain ritualistic way, he
would become possessed?
a. Need for symmetry
b. Magical thinking
c. Emotional reasoning.
d. Demonic obsessions
In the case of Richard, the patient with OCD described in c. ward off an imagined disaster.
the textbook, he was compelled to take very small steps
as he walked and to look back repeatedly. As with other
types of checking compulsions, Richard was trying to
a. restore a sense of safety and control.
b. reduce the possibility of contamination.
c. ward off an imagined disaster.
d. make sure he didn't make a mistake.
Normal, ordinary people who have occasional intrusive c. become anxious about having further intrusive thoughts.
thoughts with bizarre, sexual, or aggressive content
would not be considered to have OCD. However, they
would if they found the thoughts unacceptable or even
dangerous and also
a. use alcohol or other drugs to reduce anxiety.
b. develop insomnia and nightmares.
c. become anxious about having further intrusive
thoughts.
d. suffer from either posttraumatic stress disorder or
social phobia.
Which of the following would be an example of thought- c. Believing that thinking about an abortion is the moral equivalent of having an
action fusion in clients with OCD? abortion
a. Washing one's hands repeatedly to ward off germs
b. Taking only very small steps while walking to prevent
others from being in danger
c. Believing that thinking about an abortion is the moral
equivalent of having an abortion
d. Saving stacks of old newspapers or magazines
because they might be needed some day
What percentage of patients with panic disorder are free d. 60%
of panic as long as they stay on an effective drug?
a. 70%
b. 80%
c. 20%
d. 60%
Tony has thoughts about hating his rich uncle and b. a mental compulsion developed to neutralize his bad thoughts.
wishing he would somehow become a pauper. He
becomes very anxious about these thoughts because he
has developed the idea that if anything really happened
to his uncle's money, it would be his fault. For no
explainable reason, Tony starts mentally counting by odd
numbers each time he walks past his uncle's house and
discovers that this activity makes him less anxious.
Tony's behavior can be described as
a. a social phobia based on his fear of rich people.
b. a mental compulsion developed to neutralize his bad
thoughts.
c. an attempt to be better in math than his brother to gain
parental acceptance.
d. a compulsive ritual designed to make him like his
brother more.
,What happens when people with OCD attempt to b. The frequency of the obsessive thoughts increases over time
neutralize or suppress disturbing, intrusive thoughts?
a. The obsessive thoughts disappear
b. The frequency of the obsessive thoughts increases
over time
c. The frequency of the obsessive thoughts decreases
over time
d. This strategy has no effect on the obsessive thoughts
According to several cross-cultural research studies a. very similar across cultures.
reported in the textbook, the prevalence of OCD is
a. very similar across cultures.
b. lower in European countries.
c. higher in African nations.
d. virtually nonexistent in some cultures.
Phobias characterized by fear of public transportation or b. Situational phobias
enclosed places are called?
a. Blood-Injection-Injury Phobia
b. Situational phobias
c. Animal phobias
d. Natural environment type
The model of the etiology of obsessive-compulsive c. both biological and psychological vulnerabilities
disorder in the text suggests that in order for an
individual to develop OCD, ________ must be present.
a. biological vulnerability
b. psychological vulnerability
c. both biological and psychological vulnerabilities
d. neither biological nor psychological vulnerabilities
Regarding pharmacological treatments for obsessive- a. serotonin.
compulsive disorder, the most effective drugs are those
that inhibit the reuptake of the neurotransmitter called
a. serotonin.
b. dopamine.
c. noradrenaline.
d. epinephrine.
The behavioral process in which OCD patients are not a. exposure and response prevention.
permitted to carry out their compulsions while in the
presence of the anxiety-producing stimulus or situation is
called
a. exposure and response prevention.
b. Cognitive restructuring.
c. anxiety reduction therapy.
d. behavioral inhibition conditioning.
Major example of natural environment phobias are d. Snakes
EXCEPT?
a. Height
b. Storms
c. Water
d. Snakes
, Which of the following is an example of the treatment a. Gwen has an obsessive fear of contamination, which has led to compulsive
technique for OCD called exposure and response hand-washing rituals. Her therapist is treating her by making her touch dirty
prevention? laundry but not allowing her to wash for increasingly longer periods of time
afterward.
a. Gwen has an obsessive fear of contamination, which
has led to compulsive hand-washing rituals. Her
therapist is treating her by making her touch dirty laundry
but not allowing her to wash for increasingly longer
periods oftime afterward.
b. Alicia has an obsessive fear of contamination, which
has led to compulsive hand-washing rituals. Her
therapist is treating her by forcing her to wash her hands
repeatedly, even when she doesn't feel anxious.
c. Miley has religious obsessions. She feels that if she
doesn't read biblical passages every hour of the day, she
will do something evil. Her therapist is treating her by
having her attend religious services more frequently so
that good thoughts will replace the bad ones.
d. Christina has a hoarding compulsion. She becomes
anxious whenever she has to throw something away;
she even keeps stuff that she doesn't need and will
never use. Her therapist has arranged for all Christina's
junk to be removed and discarded when she is away
from home.
Research studies have shown that the therapeutic b. are reduced when the medication is discontinued.
benefits of medication for OCD
a. are permanent.
b. are reduced when the medication is discontinued.
c. continue even when the drug is discontinued.
d. are no more effective than a placebo.
Cognitive therapy is responsible for? d. All of these are correct.
a. Correcting negative assumptions about the trauma
b. Blaming oneself in some way
c. Feeling guilty
d. All of these are correct.
According the textbook, treatments for obsessive- d. Electro-shock therapy.
compulsive disorder have included all of the following
EXCEPT
a. medication
b. exposure and response prevention
c. psychosurgery
d. Electro-shock therapy
Mr. J suffers from a severe c. cingulotomy.
case of obsessive-compulsive disorder. His symptoms
have not responded to either medication or psychological
therapies. As a last resort, his therapist suggests the
possibility of a psychosurgical procedure, specifically an
operation called
a. lobotomy.
b. lobectomy.
c. cingulotomy.
d. cingulectomy.
What disorder causes the child to seldom seek out a a. Reactive attachment disorder
caregiver for protection and support?
a. Reactive attachment disorder
b. Disinhibited social engagement disorder
c. Adjustment disorder
d. Attachment disorder
Which type of compulsion has the highest prevalence a. Symmetry
rate?
a. Symmetry
b. Cleaning and contamination
c. Hoarding
d. Forbidden thoughts or actions
Psychology
Test 3 with multiple
choices
Exam Questions with 100% Correct
Answers and Rationales | Latest
Update | Grade A+ | 2026/2027
,What element of OCD applies to Richard (the case b. Magical thinking
described in the textbook), who was obsessed with the
idea that if he did not eat in a certain ritualistic way, he
would become possessed?
a. Need for symmetry
b. Magical thinking
c. Emotional reasoning.
d. Demonic obsessions
In the case of Richard, the patient with OCD described in c. ward off an imagined disaster.
the textbook, he was compelled to take very small steps
as he walked and to look back repeatedly. As with other
types of checking compulsions, Richard was trying to
a. restore a sense of safety and control.
b. reduce the possibility of contamination.
c. ward off an imagined disaster.
d. make sure he didn't make a mistake.
Normal, ordinary people who have occasional intrusive c. become anxious about having further intrusive thoughts.
thoughts with bizarre, sexual, or aggressive content
would not be considered to have OCD. However, they
would if they found the thoughts unacceptable or even
dangerous and also
a. use alcohol or other drugs to reduce anxiety.
b. develop insomnia and nightmares.
c. become anxious about having further intrusive
thoughts.
d. suffer from either posttraumatic stress disorder or
social phobia.
Which of the following would be an example of thought- c. Believing that thinking about an abortion is the moral equivalent of having an
action fusion in clients with OCD? abortion
a. Washing one's hands repeatedly to ward off germs
b. Taking only very small steps while walking to prevent
others from being in danger
c. Believing that thinking about an abortion is the moral
equivalent of having an abortion
d. Saving stacks of old newspapers or magazines
because they might be needed some day
What percentage of patients with panic disorder are free d. 60%
of panic as long as they stay on an effective drug?
a. 70%
b. 80%
c. 20%
d. 60%
Tony has thoughts about hating his rich uncle and b. a mental compulsion developed to neutralize his bad thoughts.
wishing he would somehow become a pauper. He
becomes very anxious about these thoughts because he
has developed the idea that if anything really happened
to his uncle's money, it would be his fault. For no
explainable reason, Tony starts mentally counting by odd
numbers each time he walks past his uncle's house and
discovers that this activity makes him less anxious.
Tony's behavior can be described as
a. a social phobia based on his fear of rich people.
b. a mental compulsion developed to neutralize his bad
thoughts.
c. an attempt to be better in math than his brother to gain
parental acceptance.
d. a compulsive ritual designed to make him like his
brother more.
,What happens when people with OCD attempt to b. The frequency of the obsessive thoughts increases over time
neutralize or suppress disturbing, intrusive thoughts?
a. The obsessive thoughts disappear
b. The frequency of the obsessive thoughts increases
over time
c. The frequency of the obsessive thoughts decreases
over time
d. This strategy has no effect on the obsessive thoughts
According to several cross-cultural research studies a. very similar across cultures.
reported in the textbook, the prevalence of OCD is
a. very similar across cultures.
b. lower in European countries.
c. higher in African nations.
d. virtually nonexistent in some cultures.
Phobias characterized by fear of public transportation or b. Situational phobias
enclosed places are called?
a. Blood-Injection-Injury Phobia
b. Situational phobias
c. Animal phobias
d. Natural environment type
The model of the etiology of obsessive-compulsive c. both biological and psychological vulnerabilities
disorder in the text suggests that in order for an
individual to develop OCD, ________ must be present.
a. biological vulnerability
b. psychological vulnerability
c. both biological and psychological vulnerabilities
d. neither biological nor psychological vulnerabilities
Regarding pharmacological treatments for obsessive- a. serotonin.
compulsive disorder, the most effective drugs are those
that inhibit the reuptake of the neurotransmitter called
a. serotonin.
b. dopamine.
c. noradrenaline.
d. epinephrine.
The behavioral process in which OCD patients are not a. exposure and response prevention.
permitted to carry out their compulsions while in the
presence of the anxiety-producing stimulus or situation is
called
a. exposure and response prevention.
b. Cognitive restructuring.
c. anxiety reduction therapy.
d. behavioral inhibition conditioning.
Major example of natural environment phobias are d. Snakes
EXCEPT?
a. Height
b. Storms
c. Water
d. Snakes
, Which of the following is an example of the treatment a. Gwen has an obsessive fear of contamination, which has led to compulsive
technique for OCD called exposure and response hand-washing rituals. Her therapist is treating her by making her touch dirty
prevention? laundry but not allowing her to wash for increasingly longer periods of time
afterward.
a. Gwen has an obsessive fear of contamination, which
has led to compulsive hand-washing rituals. Her
therapist is treating her by making her touch dirty laundry
but not allowing her to wash for increasingly longer
periods oftime afterward.
b. Alicia has an obsessive fear of contamination, which
has led to compulsive hand-washing rituals. Her
therapist is treating her by forcing her to wash her hands
repeatedly, even when she doesn't feel anxious.
c. Miley has religious obsessions. She feels that if she
doesn't read biblical passages every hour of the day, she
will do something evil. Her therapist is treating her by
having her attend religious services more frequently so
that good thoughts will replace the bad ones.
d. Christina has a hoarding compulsion. She becomes
anxious whenever she has to throw something away;
she even keeps stuff that she doesn't need and will
never use. Her therapist has arranged for all Christina's
junk to be removed and discarded when she is away
from home.
Research studies have shown that the therapeutic b. are reduced when the medication is discontinued.
benefits of medication for OCD
a. are permanent.
b. are reduced when the medication is discontinued.
c. continue even when the drug is discontinued.
d. are no more effective than a placebo.
Cognitive therapy is responsible for? d. All of these are correct.
a. Correcting negative assumptions about the trauma
b. Blaming oneself in some way
c. Feeling guilty
d. All of these are correct.
According the textbook, treatments for obsessive- d. Electro-shock therapy.
compulsive disorder have included all of the following
EXCEPT
a. medication
b. exposure and response prevention
c. psychosurgery
d. Electro-shock therapy
Mr. J suffers from a severe c. cingulotomy.
case of obsessive-compulsive disorder. His symptoms
have not responded to either medication or psychological
therapies. As a last resort, his therapist suggests the
possibility of a psychosurgical procedure, specifically an
operation called
a. lobotomy.
b. lobectomy.
c. cingulotomy.
d. cingulectomy.
What disorder causes the child to seldom seek out a a. Reactive attachment disorder
caregiver for protection and support?
a. Reactive attachment disorder
b. Disinhibited social engagement disorder
c. Adjustment disorder
d. Attachment disorder
Which type of compulsion has the highest prevalence a. Symmetry
rate?
a. Symmetry
b. Cleaning and contamination
c. Hoarding
d. Forbidden thoughts or actions
