BBH Final Exam Prep Test Questions Solved
100% Correct
What is the optimal (best) approach to the measurement of stress? Justify your answer.
-biological markers - measures of cortisol
-observing individuals in environment/assessing environment (poverty)
-asking someone close to them ("is this person stressed?")
-self report ("are you stressed?")
trying to do as many of these as possible
When considering the impact of stress on health, is it the little things of the big things? That
is, are major life events the critical factor or is it the little, constant annoyances that are
most harmful to psychological and physical health?
-both daily hassles (misplacing something, getting stuck in traffic) and major life events (loss
of loved one, divorce) influence health and well-being -seem to potentiate each other
-if you undergo a big stressful event, you are more likely to deplete resources to deal with
little events
-if you are relatively free of big stressful events, you will have more resources to deal with little
life events
-if both are present it has the biggest stress impact and therefore more detrimental to health
What is coping? How can we distinguish "good" coping from "bad" coping, and how might
this vary according to the frame of reference (the perspective one takes)?
coping - efforts made by individuals to respond to (or "handle") stress
*JUST DEPENDS ON THE GOALS OF THE INDIVIDUAL
, "good" coping = anything that makes it go away/matches your goal
"what are you trying to achieve and is that the best way to go about it?" (depending on
the individual, whether or not it meets a coping outcome that person desires)
"bad" coping = not addressing the problem/suppressing
frame of reference is the perspective that you take, usually tied to your goal (ex. drinking -->
make it go away within a few hours even though it may be addressing the wrong outcome)
**Explain how individual differences in personality are related to coping.
-hardiness: view everyday demands of life as challenges rather than threats, less likely
to become aroused by stressful situations (more likely to better deal with numerous
health problems)
-optimism: look on the bright side of life, have a positive explanatory style and tend to
cope well with stress
-pessimism: negative explanatory style, explain failure as global, more likely to be depressed
and do not cope well
-resilience: be able to recover and accomplish goals despite previous
experiences -control
Some parents cope well with multiple roles whereas others do not. Explain the factors that
are associated with positive and negative outcomes associated with juggling family work
and family roles.
-supportive, active spouse instead of one that sits on the couch and does nothing (positive vs.
negative interactions)
-spill-over: bringing stress from work home and affecting your family with
it -young vs. old children, size (family dynamic)
What kind of evidence links social support and social integration to improved and/or
positive outcomes? When is social support not helpful?
100% Correct
What is the optimal (best) approach to the measurement of stress? Justify your answer.
-biological markers - measures of cortisol
-observing individuals in environment/assessing environment (poverty)
-asking someone close to them ("is this person stressed?")
-self report ("are you stressed?")
trying to do as many of these as possible
When considering the impact of stress on health, is it the little things of the big things? That
is, are major life events the critical factor or is it the little, constant annoyances that are
most harmful to psychological and physical health?
-both daily hassles (misplacing something, getting stuck in traffic) and major life events (loss
of loved one, divorce) influence health and well-being -seem to potentiate each other
-if you undergo a big stressful event, you are more likely to deplete resources to deal with
little events
-if you are relatively free of big stressful events, you will have more resources to deal with little
life events
-if both are present it has the biggest stress impact and therefore more detrimental to health
What is coping? How can we distinguish "good" coping from "bad" coping, and how might
this vary according to the frame of reference (the perspective one takes)?
coping - efforts made by individuals to respond to (or "handle") stress
*JUST DEPENDS ON THE GOALS OF THE INDIVIDUAL
, "good" coping = anything that makes it go away/matches your goal
"what are you trying to achieve and is that the best way to go about it?" (depending on
the individual, whether or not it meets a coping outcome that person desires)
"bad" coping = not addressing the problem/suppressing
frame of reference is the perspective that you take, usually tied to your goal (ex. drinking -->
make it go away within a few hours even though it may be addressing the wrong outcome)
**Explain how individual differences in personality are related to coping.
-hardiness: view everyday demands of life as challenges rather than threats, less likely
to become aroused by stressful situations (more likely to better deal with numerous
health problems)
-optimism: look on the bright side of life, have a positive explanatory style and tend to
cope well with stress
-pessimism: negative explanatory style, explain failure as global, more likely to be depressed
and do not cope well
-resilience: be able to recover and accomplish goals despite previous
experiences -control
Some parents cope well with multiple roles whereas others do not. Explain the factors that
are associated with positive and negative outcomes associated with juggling family work
and family roles.
-supportive, active spouse instead of one that sits on the couch and does nothing (positive vs.
negative interactions)
-spill-over: bringing stress from work home and affecting your family with
it -young vs. old children, size (family dynamic)
What kind of evidence links social support and social integration to improved and/or
positive outcomes? When is social support not helpful?
