Psychology in Society

Question 1

The General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) stress process refers to

1) The appraisal of our ability to cope in a stressful situation.
2) The way the human body normally reacts to stressful situations.
3) The contextualisation of the stress process.
4) All of the above.

Answer 1

2) The way the human body normally reacts to stressful situations.

Question 2

During which phase of the GAS stress process does a person become physically ill due to prolonged exposure to a stressor?

1) The exhaustion phase.
2) The alarm and mobilisation phase.
3) The resistance phase.
4. The reaction phase.

Answer 2

1) The exhaustion phase.

Question 3

During dinner, your father explains that his job is stressful. However, he does not understand why his colleague, who does the same job, thinks otherwise. As a psychology student, you explain to him that

1) People use different coping strategies.
2) What one person sees as a personal ever, another sees as a micro event.
3) Whether or not somebody sees an event as threatening or challenging depends on their personality.
4) All of the above.

Answer 3

4) All of the above.

All options describe the appraisal of stress.

Question 4

Which of the following options about burnout is incorrect?

1) Burnout arises from prolonged exposure to stress.
2) Feelings of alienation, of being emotionally drained and empty are common.
3) The development of burnout is rapid and easy to identify.
4) Burnout is associated with decreased level of performance.

Answer 4

3) The development of burnout is rapid and easy to identify.

The phenomenon of burnout takes years to develop and is not easy to identify.

Question 5

The most correct statement regarding the relationship between stress and disease is that…

1) Stress is a direct cause of disease.
2) Acute stress acts as a catalyst for disease.
3) Chronic stress acts as catalyst for disease.
4) People react in a uniform manner to stress.

Answer 5

3) Chronic stress acts as catalyst for disease.

Question 6

Response specificity refers to…

1) the unique way individuals respond to stress that adversely affects their health.
2) the tendency of some individuals to respond to stress repeatedly.
3) the learned behaviours of individuals that live in adverse conditions for a prolonged period.
4) the increased level of sexual arousal experienced in the presence of specific stimuli.

Answer 6

1) the unique way individuals respond to stress that adversely affects their health.

Question 7

Xenophobic attacks in South Africa have caused some people to live in fear. As a result, many foreign people have lost their homes and valuables. This is an example of a ______ stressor.

1) personal
2) universal
3) community
4) micro

Answer 7

2) universal

Question 8

Which theory states that motivated behavior is mainly focused on reducing bodily tension?

1) Psychoanalytic theory
2) Homeostasis theory
3) Optimum arousal theory
4) Cognitive theory

Answer 8

2) Homeostasis theory

Question 9

Motivated behavior can be defined as…

1) a state of tension brought on by biological needs.
2) an action that is chosen deliberately and with a clear purpose.
3) a specific inborn behavioral pattern
4) perceptions and feelings about your environment

Answer 9

2) an action that is chosen deliberately and with a clear purpose.

Question 10

Mr Chen came home from work one evening dripping wet since it was raining, and he felt cold. When he got home, he realised that he did not have enough food to eat. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, which needs should Mr Cooper fulfil in this regard?

Answer 10

Physiological needs

Question 11

According to which theory is people’s behavior largely motivated by unconscious factors?

Answer 11

Psychoanalytic

Question 12

When employees are constantly threatened with losing their jobs they fail to develop self esteem and dignity at work. This relates to

Answer 12

Absence of security

Question 13

Union members are striking for higher wages. Amongst these members, there is a strong identification with the union because they are working towards a common goal. This is an example of group

Answer 13

Cohesion

relates to identification with group, as members work towards a common goal. Relates to strength of relationship among members and how they tend to defend the group against any threat or criticism.

Question 14

According to Freud, instincts have a source, a goal, an object, and an impetus. Which of the following statements relates to an impetus that informs an instinct.

1) The intensity or driving force that determines behavior
2) The part of the body where biological stimulation occurs.
3) The experience of satisfaction that results from the reduction or removal of the biological stimulation
4) Anything that mediates the reduction of the biological stimulation and offers psychological gratification

Answer 14

1) The intensity or driving force that determines behavior

It’s the driving force that determines behavior.

Question 15

Social categorisation can be describes as the process of

Answer 15

Grouping individuals on the basis of their similarities and differences on some characteristics.

Question 16

Explain the concept of social stereotyping

Answer 16

Thinking in an oversimplified and biased manner about members of the out-group.

Question 17

James argues that illiterate people are responsible for their own unemployment. As the group discussion progresses, James gathers more evidence to support his position and eventually, he believes that unemployed people are illiterate because they are lazy and therefore, do not want to work. This is an example of

Answer 17

Group polarisation.

You can see James views became more extreme during the discussion.

Question 18

What are the 3 main limitations of the GAS model?

Answer 18

1. GAS describes process of stress in general terms only.
2. GAS does not explain how something becomes a stressor.
3. GAS does not consider the context of coping behavior.

Question 19

Describe the Contextual model of stress.

Answer 19

This model takes the context of stress into account.
By describing the process of stress we need to consider the context in which the stress occurs and also our evaluation of the situation.
We perceive events in context and reactions as such.
Explains why not everyone is stressed the same way and by the same thing. Ie. I may get very stressed if i see a dog and you may not be stressed by a dog.

Question 20

What are the 4 assumptions of the Contextual Model of Stress?

Answer 20

1. Event does not have universal meaning. Persons perception very important.
2. Communities share beliefs and meanings.
3. When ever is perceived as +/- the community assigns the value. + life enriching. - life threatening.
4. Events gain meaning through perception.

Question 21

What are the 5 phases of the Contextual Model of Stress?

Answer 21

Phase 1:  Encounter potential stressors
Phase 2: Performing a primary appraisal
Phase 3: Experience stress
Phase 4: Performing a secondary appraisal
Phase 5:  Apply coping strategies

Question 22

What is stress?

Answer 22

Stress is recognised as an emotional response to the circumstances & events that threaten us and challenge our coping abilities. Physiological response to physical and psychological demands. Characteristic process develops over time.

Question 23

According to Lundberg and Peterson, personal meaning in understanding work has the following 3 dimensions;

Answer 23

Work centrality, social norms, and valued work goals.

Question 24

When women are not allowed to hold high positions in society, this is an example of -

Answer 24

Patriachal ideology. Which also means women are regarded as lower status than men.

Question 25

What role does privacy play in our lives?

Answer 25

Privacy establishes boundaries between us and others this creates space. It enables us to control how much others know about us. It also allows us the opportunity for self reflection.

Question 26

The manner in which elements of a group interact refers to ________ ?

Answer 26

Group structure.

Question 27

The shift towards self-agency and greater self reliance reflects a change in work ethic. Explain further

Answer 27

Yes, it reflects a change from mechanistic ethic to and ethic of self development

Question 28

Which theory postulates that people are motivated by their personalities, dispositions and values to work?

Answer 28

Need fulfilment.

Question 29

The notion that human systems function like living organisms, which change and evolve dynamically, led to the development of the ____________

Answer 29

Post-industrial ethics.

Question 30

Which theoretical approach takes into consideration the effect of violence on the individual, group, community, and social level?

Answer 30

Ecological approach

Question 31

A number of factors determine aggressive behaviour in people. Aggression in interpersonal relationships depends on…

a) whether the feelings produced by frustration are negative
b) whether aggressive cues are present in the situation
c) the frequency with which people come in to contact
d) a + b

Answer 31

d) a + b

a) whether the feelings produced by frustration are negative
b) whether aggressive cues are present in the situation

Question 32

What are the 4 factors identified by Gazziniga & Heatherton of affiliate relationships?

Answer 32

Proximity & familiarity
Similarity & Complementarity
Personal Attraction
Communication

Question 33

One of the factors of interpersonal attraction is complementarity. Describe further.

Answer 33

People that have similar attitudes, personality traits, and demographics tend to like eachother.

Question 34

What do concepts of privacy, territoriality, personal space and crowding have in common? All four concepts
characterise?

Answer 34

The social aspects of an environment. ie as a social system.

Question 35

Michael acted aggressively when others frustrated his goals. This is an example of attaining violent behavior through the ____________ approach.

Answer 35

frustration - aggression

These approaches explain violence as the outcome of frustration. When people are frustrated they become angry and anger leads to violent acts, especially if the frustration occurs in contexts that have previously been associated with violence.

Question 36

The organismic worldview encouraged freedom and led to a __________ ethic.

Answer 36

post-industrial

Question 37

The shift from people as machines to people as living, evolving systems is a shift from

Answer 37

dependency to autonomy. It is a shift towards self-agency and greater self reliance. But it means it’s also a change in work ethic.
Mechanistic ethic to self-development ethic.