PSY241 Exam Q&A (100+) | Stress, Coping, Health Behavior Motivation, CBT, Resilience | 2025/2026 | Psychology Department

This comprehensive document includes 100+ structured and fully answered exam questions for PSY241: Health Psychology, specifically tailored to Chapters 4–6 for the academic year 2025/2026 at [University Name]. It explores the physiological, psychological, and behavioral mechanisms of stress, various coping styles, and theories behind health behavior motivation. Topics are organized to facilitate understanding and recall for exam preparation, coursework review, or personal enrichment in health psychology, with definitions, models, applied examples, and key theorists. The material integrates psychological principles with biological systems and practical applications in modern health challenges. Main Topics Covered: Stress and Its Mechanisms: SAM and HPA axes, cortisol dynamics, chronic vs. acute stress, glucocorticoid resistance, stress-induced diseases Psychoneuroimmunology: How stress impacts the immune system via direct and indirect hypotheses Stress Measurement: Self-reports, Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA), cardiovascular reactivity (CVR), respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) Coping Mechanisms: Avoidance vs. approach coping, emotional approach vs. repression, Brief COPE inventory, gender differences in stress responses Resilience and Internal Resources: Optimism, perceived control, psychological control, spirituality, curiosity, social support systems Health Behavior Theories: Health Belief Model (HBM) Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) Transtheoretical Model (TTM) Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) Prevention Strategies: Primary, secondary, tertiary levels of intervention and real-world examples Stress Management Techniques: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), expressive writing, diaphragmatic breathing, MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction), gratitude journaling Community and Family Influence: Risky family models, health campaigns, message framing (gain/loss), and behavior modification via cognitive-behavioral approaches Ideal for: Undergraduate psychology and behavioral science students Medical, public health, and nursing students focusing on health behavior and psychosocial models Students preparing for PSY241 midterms/finals, MCAT, or behavioral sciences assessments Anyone interested in how psychology interacts with health outcomes, disease prevention, and mental wellness Keywords: stress, coping, health psychology, PSY241, SAM axis, HPA axis, cortisol, immunosuppression, psychoneuroimmunology, stress hormones, coping strategies, avoidance coping, approach coping, emotional regulation, resilience, perceived control, health belief model, theory of planned behavior, TTM, HAPA, health behavior change, CBT, stress management, RSA, CVR, MBSR, gratitude, expressive writing, stress appraisal, prevention, social support, positive psychology