d. describing how to control Juan's symptoms
TEST BANK FOR UNDERSTANDING ABNORMAL ANS: C REF: The Concerns of Abnormal Psychology
BEHAVIOR 10TH EDITION BY ROBERT MEYER (ISBN: OBJ: 1 MSC: Applied
978-0205036998)
Chapter 1: Abnormal Behavior
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which statement about abnormal psychology is accurate?
a. Abnormal psychology seeks to describe, explain, predict, and modify unusual behaviors.
b. Although abnormal psychology has made several gains in the past 20 years, it is not yet a
scientific field of study.
c. The subject matter of abnormal psychology is restricted to extremely bizarre behavior.
d. Most diagnoses of abnormality are based on two or three basic behavioral factors.
ANS: A REF: The Concerns of Abnormal Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: Factual
2. Psychopathology, or abnormal behavior, results primarily from .
a. genetic factors
b. environmental factors
c. sociocultural factors
d. an interaction of many factors
ANS: D REF: Introduction OBJ: 1 MSC: Factual
3. Dr. Thompson collects information in order to describe and draw inferences about an individual's
psychological disorder. Dr. Thompson is engaged in .
a. therapy
b. predicting dangerousness
c. psychodiagnosis
d. research
ANS: C REF: The Concerns of Abnormal Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: Applied
4. Dr. Kohn is a psychoanalyst, Dr. Edwards is a humanistic therapist, Dr. Peterson is a cognitive
behavioral therapist, and Dr. James is a Gestalt therapist. Each of them would likely have a different
for a client's abnormality.
a. time of onset
b. explanation
c. diagnosis
d. prognosis
ANS: B REF: The Concerns of Abnormal Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: Applied
5. A psychologist says, “Juan's abnormal behavior is likely due to a combination of biology and
inadequate interpersonal skills.” The psychologist is .
a. predicting the future symptoms of Juan
b. giving Juan a psychodiagnosis
, 6. Which statement regarding the prediction of abnormal behavior is accurate? 11. Clinical psychologists usually have degrees, unlike psychiatrists, who have degrees.
a. Even experienced professionals tend to overpredict future violence. a. bachelor's (B.S.); medical (M.D.)
b. Psychologists are not interested in predicting clients' future behavior. b. medical (M.D.); doctorate (Ph.D.)
c. Prediction is unrelated to understanding the cause of abnormality. c. doctorate (Ph.D. or Psy.D); medical (M.D.)
d. Psychologists tend to underpredict future violence. d. master's (M.S.); doctorate (Ph.D.)
ANS: A REF: The Concerns of Abnormal Psychology ANS: C REF: The Concerns of Abnormal Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: Conceptual OBJ: 1 MSC: Factual
7. One of Seung-Hui Cho's professors reported Cho's frightening behavior to many campus authorities. 12. Harold is a mental health professional who has a medical degree and prescribes antidepressants and
What reason did those authorities give her to explain why they could do nothing? antipsychotic medication for his patients. After graduating from medical school, he completed a
a. Cho's therapist did not feel he posed a danger to others. three-year residency in his field. We can guess that Harold is a .
b. There was no space in any of the local mental health facilities to house him. a. social worker
c. Cho did not make any overt threats against anyone. b. psychiatrist
d. When compared with that of his peer group, Cho's behavior was not considered odd. c. clinical psychologist
d. psychoanalyst
ANS: C REF: The Concerns of Abnormal Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: Applied ANS: B REF: The Concerns of Abnormal Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: Applied
8. When psychologists talk about modifying abnormal behavior, they mean they are .
a. attempting to understand the underlying cause of that behavior 13. Linda, Jayne, and Sheryl all are called “doctors.” All are mental health professionals. However, Linda
b. restricting the freedom of dangerous clients has a Psy.D., Jayne has an M.D., and Sheryl has a D.S.W. We can predict that .
c. attempting to anticipate the future behaviors of clients a. Sheryl is a psychiatrist
d. using therapy to improve client behavior b. Linda is a social worker
c. Linda is a clinical psychologist
ANS: D REF: The Concerns of Abnormal Psychology d. Jayne is a clinical psychologist
OBJ: 1 MSC: Factual
ANS: C REF: The Concerns of Abnormal Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: Applied
9. Which of the following defines therapy most accurately?
a. A program of systematic intervention designed to alter behavior, emotion, or thought
b. The scientific study of abnormal behavior. 14. Psychiatrists must have an M.D.; clinical psychologists must have a Ph.D. or Psy.D. Psychoanalysts
c. A system of observing abnormal behavior in an attempt to classify it must have .
d. The application of a theoretical model to explain the cause of abnormal behavior a. a master's (M.S.) degree
b. an M.D
ANS: A REF: 1 OBJ: The Concerns of Abnormal Psychology c. only a bachelor's (B.S.) degree
MSC: Factual d. their own intensive personal analysis from an experienced analyst
ANS: D REF: The Concerns of Abnormal Psychology
10. A psychologist develops several activities for clients aimed at helping them become more
OBJ: 1 MSC: Factual
self-disciplined and feel more confident about trying new behaviors. This example illustrates .
a. how epidemiological work is done in the field
15. Johanna is an M.D. who received intensive training in the ideas of Sigmund Freud. She also went
b. how therapy may be seen as an attempt to modify behavior
through her own psychoanalysis as part of this training. We can guess that Johanna is a .
c. the function of providing an explanation for abnormal behavior
a. psychoanalyst
d. the essential need for accurate psychodiagnosis
b. marriage and family counselor
ANS: B REF: The Concerns of Abnormal Psychology c. psychiatric social worker
OBJ: 1 MSC: Applied d. behaviorally oriented counseling psychologist
ANS: A REF: The Concerns of Abnormal Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: Applied
, Isabel tells Dr. Paz that the spirits she sees of her dead grandparents are causing her a great deal of
anxiety, although they have motivated her to seek her medical degree. Isabel lives in Brazil. If Dr. Paz
20. “You must understand the values and expectations of the society in which behavior occurs before you
diagnoses her as having a psychological disorder, he will likely attribute it to which criterion?
decide that abnormality exists.” This quote best reflects which view of abnormality?
e. deviance
a. traditional
f. distress
b. cultural relativism
g. dangerousness
c. epidemiological
h. dysfunction
d. cultural universality
ANS: B REF: Determining Abnormality OBJ: 2
ANS: B REF: Abnormal Behavior in Context: Sociopolitical and Cultural Limitations
MSC: Applied
OBJ: 3 MSC: Conceptual
16. One strength in using the deviance criterion is that it .
21. The concept of assumes that certain mental disorders exist across cultures; suggests that
a. uses an objective method of defining abnormal behavior
mental disorders may manifest differently and certain disorders may only be found in some cultures.
b. stresses the attainment of realistic goals
a. cultural universality; cultural relativism
c. examines how the individual views his or her own behavior
b. cultural relativism; cultural universality
d. accounts for the complexity of behavior observed in people from different cultures
c. cultural relativism; cultural constellation
ANS: A REF: Determining Abnormality OBJ: 2 d. cultural diversity; cultural universality
MSC: Conceptual
ANS: A REF: Abnormal Behavior in Context: Sociopolitical and Cultural Limitations
OBJ: 3 MSC: Conceptual
17. A psychologist defined mental retardation solely on the basis of how far from “normal” an individual's
IQ score is. The criterion used is .
22. The most fruitful approach to using multicultural criteria is to rely on .
a. abnormality
a. neither cultural universality nor cultural relativism
b. cultural relativism
b. the cultural relativism approach
c. cultural universality
c. the cultural universality approach
d. deviance
d. some combination of cultural relativism and cultural universality
ANS: D REF: Determining Abnormality OBJ: 2
ANS: D REF: Abnormal Behavior in Context: Sociopolitical and Cultural Limitations
MSC: Conceptual
OBJ: 3 MSC: Factual
18. Anita went to the mall. Suddenly she looked around and had no idea where she was, whether it was
23. Early psychological research, such as that by Emil Kraepelin, supported which assumption about
day or night, or even what day it was. Anita was experiencing .
abnormality?
a. a hallucination
a. cultural relativism
b. a delusion
b. cultural universality
c. disorientation
c. statistical norms
d. psychosis
d. psychopathological
ANS: C REF: Determining Abnormality OBJ: 2
ANS: B REF: Abnormal Behavior in Context: Sociopolitical and Cultural Limitations
MSC: Applied
OBJ: 3 MSC: Factual
19. Suree is studying to be a clinical psychologist from an accredited program. She will learn that, with
24. Juanita visits a mental health center. She complains that her fatigue, anxiety, and inability to sleep
respect to bias in diagnosing clients, .
keep her from enjoying life. If her symptoms are considered a form of abnormal behavior, it is because
a. even the most enlightened and well-intended mental health professionals may engage in
she is showing .
race, gender, and social class bias
a. delusions and hallucinations
b. psychologists are less likely than other mental health professionals to overpathologize
b. dysfunction
clients on the basis of race, gender, or social class
c. disorientation
c. clinical psychologists receive better training than other mental health professionals for
d. deviation from the norm
recognizing their tendency to hold prejudicial attitudes toward clients
d. mental health professionals are more likely to hold prejudicial attitudes and biases against ANS: B REF: Determining Abnormality OBJ: 2
males than against females MSC: Applied
ANS: A REF: Abnormal Behavior in Context: Sociopolitical and Cultural Limitations
OBJ: 3 MSC: Applied
, 25. Headache is to as delusions are to . 30. One way to assess dysfunction is in terms of the discrepancy between .
a. dysfunction; deviance a. thoughts and feelings
b. discomfort; deviance b. expectations and attitudes
c. deviance; dysfunction c. cultural norms and actual behavior
d. discomfort; dysfunction d. personal potential and actual performance
ANS: B REF: Determining Abnormality OBJ: 2 ANS: D REF: Determining Abnormality OBJ: 2
MSC: Factual MSC: Factual
26. Sensory misperceptions, which may include hearing voices others do not hear or seeing things other do 31. Teresa, normally an energetic mother of three small children, is suddenly unable to go shopping,
not see, are called . prepare meals, or even dress her children. Teresa's behavior illustrates the practical definition of
a. dysfunctions abnormality called .
b. disorientations a. disorientation
c. delusions b. discomfort
d. hallucinations c. dysfunction
d. deviance
ANS: D REF: Determining Abnormality OBJ: 2
MSC: Factual ANS: C REF: Determining Abnormality OBJ: 2
MSC: Applied
27. Mel has the mistaken belief that his father has stolen his identity and that his mother is trying to poison
him. Mel's mistaken beliefs illustrate . 32. According to Thomas Szasz, .
a. delusions a. mental illness is a fictional creation by society used to control and change people
b. disorientation b. the causes for most mental disorders will ultimately be found in brain pathology
c. underachievement c. individuals who are suffering from mental illnesses have biological diseases
d. hallucinations d. medication is far superior to psychotherapy in reducing the suffering of individuals with
mental disorders
ANS: A REF: Determining Abnormality OBJ: 2
MSC: Applied ANS: A REF: Abnormal Behavior in Context: Sociopolitical and Cultural Limitations
OBJ: 3 MSC: Factual
28. Jack carries on conversations with creatures only he can see in a language that no one else can
understand. Jack says the creatures instruct him to crush insects that only Jack can see. Jack is 33. A psychologist considers biological, psychological, social, and sociocultural dimensions when
experiencing . assessing behavior. This psychologist is using which model?
a. delusions a. psychogenic
b. discomfort b. cultural universality
c. hallucinations c. multipath
d. disorientation d. statistical deviance
ANS: C REF: Determining Abnormality OBJ: 2 ANS: C REF: Abnormal Behavior in Context: Sociopolitical and Cultural Limitations
MSC: Applied OBJ: 3 MSC: Conceptual
29. During a diagnostic interview, a psychiatrist asks the client if he or she knows what day it is, what his 34. The American Psychiatric Association has published a manual that is the most widely used
or her name is, and where he or she is. These questions are designed to assess . classification system of psychological disorders. It is called the .
a. disorientation a. International Classification of Diseases (ICD)
b. discomfort b. Physicians' Desk Reference (PDR)
c. subjective distress c. Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual (PDM)
d. dysfunction d. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)
ANS: A REF: Determining Abnormality OBJ: 2 ANS: D REF: Determining Abnormality OBJ: 2
MSC: Applied MSC: Factual