PSY 5 - ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY

1. According to the authors of your textbook, the definition of a psychological disorder is associated with
___________.
a. stress
b. impaired functioning
c. culturally expected responses
d. psychotic symptoms

2. Regarding the criteria that define abnormality, it would be correct to state that
a. no one criterion has yet been developed that fully defines abnormality.
b. personal distress is the one criterion that defines abnormality.
c. the criteria differ depending on the cause of the psychological disorder.
d. the criteria differ depending on whether the individual has a psychological disorder or a
psychological dysfunction.

3. The criterion that because a particular behavior be atypical or not culturally expected is insufficient to define
abnormality
a. behavior that occurs infrequently is considered abnormal in every culture.
b. society is less willing to tolerate eccentricity in people who are productive.
c. behaviors vary very little from one culture to another.
d. many people behave in ways that deviate from the average, but this doesn't mean that they
have a disorder.

4. A psychological dysfunction refers to

a. a breakdown in cognitive functioning.
b. a breakdown in emotional functioning.
c. a breakdown in behavioral functioning.
d. any one or combination of the above

5. Behaviors that deviate from the norm are:

a. always seen as a disorder if they violate social norms.
b. considered a disorder regardless of culture.
c. typically seen as a disorder when they impair function.
d. never judged on the basis of the person who does them.

6. A male college student begins feeling sad and lonely. Although still able to go to classes and work at his
job, he finds himself feeling down much of the time and worrying about what is happening to him. Which
part of the definition of abnormality applies to his situation?
a. Personal distress
b. Cultural factors
c. Impaired functioning
d. Violation of societal norms

7. The typical profile or prototype of a disorder reflects the ___________ as described in DSM-IV as well as
those emerging from DSM-5.
a. theoretical perspectives on abnormality
b. treatments for mental disorders
c. causes of mental illness
d. diagnostic criteria for psychological disorders
8. Rocky Starr is a rocker who wears outlandish female makeup and women’s clothing when performing on
stage. This behavior is considered
a. more abnormal than that of a business man who suddenly starts to do so.
b. less abnormal than that of the business man because it contributes to his job success.
c. less abnormal than that of a female who wears makeup every day.
d. just as abnormal as that of the business man who starts wearing makeup.

9. The scientific study of psychological disorders is called __________.

a. psychopathology
b. psychoanalysis
c. pseudoscience
d. parapsychology

10. After college graduation, two of your friends are interested in careers in the helping professions. Anna
wants to become a psychiatrist; Carl plans on becoming a psychologist. Since you are taking a course in
Abnormal Psychology, they ask you for career advice. You would tell
a. Anna to apply to medical school and Carl to study psychology at the graduate level.
b. Carl to apply to medical school and Anna to study psychology at the graduate level.
c. both of them to apply to medical school.
d. both of them to apply to graduate school.

11. Dr. Okalemi Watabe is a mental health practioner. All of the following are ways in which she might
function as a scientist-practitioner EXCEPT
a. analyzing her own motivations and reasons for helping people with psychological problems.
b. evaluating her own assessments and treatments for effectiveness.
c. conducting research leading to new information about mental disorders and their treatments.
d. using the most current diagnostic and treatment procedures.

12. A ___________ is what first brought the individual to therapy; the ____________ represents the unique
combination of behaviors, thoughts, and feelings that make up a specific disorder.
a. diagnosis; symptoms
b. incidence, prevalence
c. clinical description; presenting problem
d. presenting problem; clinical description
13. Prevalence refers to
a. how many people in the population as a whole have a particular disorder.
b. how many new cases of a disorder occur during a given period of time.
c. the percentage of males and females who have a disorder.
d. how many people have recovered from a disorder in a given period of time.

14. Incidence refers to

a. how many people in the population as a whole have a disorder.
b. how many new cases of a disorder occur during a given period of time.
c. the percentage of males and females who have a disorder.
d. how many people have recovered from a disorder in a given period of time.

15. Statistical data are often relevant when discussing psychological disorders. For example, a researcher
might want to know how many new cases of depression are diagnosed each year, a figure called the
___________ of the disorder.
a. prevalence
b. incidence
c. recurrence
d. ratio
16. In terms of their typical patterns, schizophrenia follows a chronic course, while mood disorders,
including depression, follow a(n) _____________ course.
a. episodic
b. time-limited
c. guarded
d. insidious

17. A psychological disorder is described as having an acute onset if the symptoms develop __________,
while it has an insidious onset if the symptoms develop __________ .
a. suddenly; gradually
b. suddenly; atypically
c. gradually; atypically
d. atypically; suddenly

18. A disorder that comes on slowly is said to have a(n) _______ onset.
a. acute
b. chronic
c. insidious
d. overt

19. When Larry was diagnosed with schizophrenia, his family wanted to know how the disorder would
affect him and how it would progress. In medical terms, they wanted to know Larry's _______.
a. diagnosis
b. prognosis
c. psychosocial profile
d. pathology

20. Developmental psychopathology refers to the study of changes in

a. abnormal behavior.
b. normal behavior.
c. children's behavior, both normal and abnormal.
d. normal adolescent behavior.

21. Dr. Littlefox studies the origins and causes of psychological disorders, including the biological,
psychological, and social dimensions. Dr. Littlefox studies the ___________ of a disorder.
a. prognosis
b. etiology
c. outcome
d. psychopathology

22. At various times in history, in an attempt to explain problematic, irrational behavior, humans have
focused on supernatural causes that include all of the following EXCEPT
a. magnetic fields.
b. demons and evil spirits.
c. bodily humors.
d. the moon and stars.

23. The biological and psychological models or theories of abnormality derived originally from the ancient
Greek concept in which the
a. mind was considered separate from the body.
b. flow of bodily fluids affected behavior and personality.
c. female reproductive organs were associated with psychopathology.
d. movement of the planets influenced human behavior.
24. The best description of the multidimensional integrative approach to understanding psychopathology is
that it is based on
a. biological dimensions.
b. biological and psychological dimensions.
c. biological and psychological dimensions, as well as emotional influences.
d. biological and psychological dimensions, as well as emotional and developmental
influences.

25. Within the multidimensional integrative approach to understanding psychopathology, learned

helplessness is considered a(n) ______ dimension.
a. biological
b. psychological
c. emotional
d. psychological

26. The basis of the multidimensional integrative approach to understanding psychopathology is that each
dimension (psychological, biological, emotional, etc.)
a. operates independently.
b. is sufficient to cause pathology.
c. builds on the dimension that precedes it.
d. is influenced by the other dimensions.

27. Your uncle spent most of his teen years in a hospital undergoing treatment for a severe physical illness.
As an adult, he is rather shy and withdrawn, particularly around women. He has been diagnosed with social
phobia, which you believe is entirely due to lack of socialization during his teen years. Your theory or model
of what caused his phobia is ________.
a. multidimensional
b. integrative
c. one-dimensional
d. biological

28. According to the multidimensional integrative approach to psychopathology, the following statement is
true for most psychological disorders:
a. If one monozygotic twin has a particular disorder, the other twin will definitely have the disorder as
well
b. Monozygotic twins are no more likely to share psychological disorders than any other siblings
c. Monozygotic twins are no more likely to share disorders than any other two people selected at
random from the population
d. If one monozygotic twin has a particular psychological disorder, the other twin is more likely to
have the disorder than the rest of the population

29. Amanda is 12 years old, and her sister Samantha is five years old. While riding in a car with their
parents, the girls witness a major automobile accident where a number of people are injured. The girls react
very differently to the accident. This is probably due to
a. biological differences.
b. developmental differences.
c. psychological differences
d. sociocultural differences

30. The most accurate way to think of genes is that they

a. set boundaries for our development.
b. determine both our physical and psychological characteristics.
 c. determine physical but not psychological characteristics.
d. actually have very little to do with any of the characteristics that we display.

31. Referring to behavior and personality as polygenic means that both are
a. influenced by only a few genes, but each has a large effect.
b. influenced by many genes, with each individual gene contributing a relatively small effect.
c. influenced by individual genes only rarely.
d. a result of our genetic structure only.

32. The procedures referred to as quantitative genetics are used to

a. determine the effects of multiple genes.
b. provide genetic counseling.
c. correct genetic abnormalities.
d. test the multidimensional integrative model.

33. Most psychological disorders appear to be influenced by many individual genes rather than caused by
one single gene, a process referred to as ________ influence.
a. multigenic
b. polygenic
c. unigenic
d. morphogenic

34. Inga is a charming and intelligent young lady who is well-liked by family and friends. Approximately
______ of Inga’s enduring personality traits and cognitive abilities can be attributed to genetic influence.
a. 25%
b. 50%
c. 75%
d. 100%

35. The most recent estimates are that genetics contribute approximately __________ to the development of
personality characteristics such as shyness or activity level.
a. 10-20%
b. 30-50%
c. 75-85%
d. nothing

36. According to recent estimates, genetic contributions to the development of most psychological disorders
are __________________.
a. below 50%
b. above 50%
c. different for each disorder (estimates range from 0 to 100%)
d. nonexistent

37. Recent evidence regarding the genetic influence on most psychological disorders has shown that
a. single genes are usually responsible for psychological disorders.
b. genes that influence psychopathology are usually recessive.
c. there is no evidence that genes influence psychopathology.
d. multiple genes interact, with each gene contributing a small effect.
38. In the diathesis-stress model, "diathesis" refers to
a. an inherited disorder.
b. conditions in the environment that can trigger a disorder depending upon how severe the stressors
are.
c. an inherited tendency or condition that makes a person susceptible to developing a disorder.
 d. the inheritance of multiple disorders.

39. In the diathesis-stress model, "stress" refers to

a. life events, in combination with an inherited tendency, that trigger a disorder.
b. inherited tendencies, in combination with life events, that trigger a disorder.
c. defective genes.
d. exposure to very unusual and extreme environmental conditions.

40. According to the diathesis-stress model, psychopathology is the result of the

a. interaction between normal and defective or damaged genes.
b. stress level of an individual and how stress is managed in a person's life.
c. family history of an individual.
d. interaction of an inherited tendency and events in a person's life.

41. According to the diathesis-stress model, monozygotic twins raised in the same household will
a. not necessarily have the same disorders because of potential differences in their diathesis.
b. have the same disorders because their diathesis and stress are exactly the same.
c. not necessarily have the same disorders because of potential differences in their stress.
d. have no more likelihood of sharing a disorder than any other two randomly selected individuals
from the population.

42. According to the diathesis-stress model,

a. mental disorders will always develop given a certain level of stress.
b. once a diathesis for a particular disorder is inherited, the disorder will eventually develop.
c. an individual's inherited tendencies are not affected by stressful life events he or she encounters.
d. it is possible to inherit a diathesis and never develop a disorder.

43. The model that describes the development of psychopathology as a combination of an inherited
predisposition and the events that have occurred in the individual's life is called _____________.
a. diathesis-stress
b. genetic
c. bio-behavioral
d. psychoanalytic

44. In a landmark study by Caspi et. al. (2003), researchers studied the stressful life events and genetics of
847 individuals. For individuals who had at least four stressful life events, the risk of major depression
a. remained unchanged regardless of genetic makeup.
b. doubled if they possessed two short alleles of the gene being studied.
c. was reduced by half if they possessed two short alleles of the gene being studied.
d. was entirely related to the genetic makeup and not the number of life stressors.

45. The idea that our inherited tendencies influence the probability that we will encounter stressful life
events is a characteristic of the _________________.
a. diathesis-stress model
b. reciprocal gene-environment model
c. genetic model
d. psycho-social model

46. John has inherited a personality trait that makes him more likely to keep to himself than to socialize. As
a result, he does not have many friends and spends a lot of time alone. If John were to develop depression,
the model that would probably best explain this situation and the cause of his depression is
______________.
a. diathesis-stress
 b. biological
c. reciprocal gene-environment
d. interpersonal

47. The systematic evaluation and measurement of psychological, biological, and social factors in a person
with a possible mental disorder is known as clinical ________________.
a. assessment
b. interpretation
c. validation
d. standardization

48. The process of determining whether an individual's symptoms meet the criteria for a specific
psychological disorder is called _____________.
a. prognosis
b. diagnosis
c. classification
d. analysis

49.The process of clinical assessment is psychopathology has been equated to using a _________ to
determine the source of the problem.
a. funnel
b. hose
c. bucket
d. plow

50. In order to be useful, assessment techniques should be based on _______________.

a. beliefs
b. attitudes
c. evidence
d. assumptions

51. In the first interview with Frank, a patient described in the textbook, he stated that he had been having
intrusive thoughts that he tried to prevent by performing certain movements. Based on this information, you
might predict that Frank would be diagnosed with _____________.
a. major depressive disorder
b. obsessive-compulsive disorder
c. a personality disorder
d. schizophrenia

52. A measurement which is consistent is considered to be _____________.

a. valid
b. reliable
c. standardized
d. accurate

53. If the short version of a test yields the same results as a longer version, then you could conclude that the
brief version had _________ validity.
a. concurrent
b. divergent
c. predictive
d. excessive
54. Clifton had been experiencing a number of psychological issues, so he decided to go to a psychiatrist to
see what was wrong. Dr. A told him he had major depressive disorder. He decided to seek a second opinion.
Dr. B diagnosed him with generalized anxiety disorder. Wanting yet another opinion, he went to Dr. C who
told him he was obsessive-compulsive. This demonstrate poor _______________.
a. test-retest reliability
b. concurrent validity
c. descriptive validity
d. inter-rater reliability

55. The process of clinical assessment results in narrowing the focus to

a. concentrate on problem areas that seem most relevant.
b. consider a broad range of problems.
c. cover all possible problems.
d. concentrate on all problem areas equally.

56. In order to develop useful standards for a test, it is important to use a normative group that consists of a
a. small group of people who are very similar to each other.
b. large group of people who all share a key characteristic.
c. large group of very diverse people.
d. small group that differs from the population at large.

57. Which of the following is NOT one of the three basic concepts that help determine the value of a
psychological assessment procedure?
a. Reliability
b. Subjectivity
c. Validity
d. Standardization

58. Treminitia, who had recurrent headaches, fatigue, and loss of appetite, received different diagnoses from
several psychologists. In terms of assessment, this indicates a problem with _______.
a. reliability
b. subjectivity
c. validity
d. standardization

59. In terms of psychological assessment, which of the following describes the concept of validity?
a. Two or more "raters" get the same answers
b. An assessment technique is consistent across different measures
c. Scores are used as a norm for comparison purposes
d. An assessment technique measures what it is designed to measure

60. Mr. J., a 40-year-old recent immigrant to the United States, comes from a working-class background and
is just learning to speak English. He applies for a job and is given a test. His score is compared to others who
have taken the test, mostly young college graduates whose native language is English. Mr. J. thinks this is
unfair. In fact, this is an issue of __________.
a. reliability
b. classification
c. validity
d. standardization

61. A clinical interview should be based on information from the client’s ___________.
a. past behaviors, attitudes, and emotions
 b. interpersonal and social history
c. present behaviors, attitudes, and emotions
d. all of the above

62. In trying to understand and help an individual with a psychological problem, the psychologist will obtain
detailed information about the person's life as part of a _____________.
a. physical exam
b. clinical interview
c. mental status exam
d. brain scan

63. As part of a psychological assessment, a mental status exam is used to find out how a person thinks,
feels, and behaves; its primary purpose, however, is to determine
a. if a psychological disorder might be present.
b. what type of treatment should be used.
c. which medication would be most effective.
d. whether the individual also has a medical condition.

64. Observing appearance and behavior during a mental status exam

a. is simply done to give the appearance that the clinician is paying attention.
b. rarely yields useful information.
c. can yield clues regarding the presence of certain disorders.
d. may just confuse the diagnostic process.

65. In a mental status exam, a psychologist evaluates an individual's thought processes by

a. asking the person to read aloud.
b. listening to what the person says.
c. reading what the person has written.
d. evaluating the person's dreams.

66. When Abernathy went to a psychologist for the first time, the clinician asked him what the date was,
what time it was, what year was it, and where they were. Which category of a mental status exam do these
questions cover?
a. Thought processes
b. Appearance and behavior
c. Sensorium
d. Intellectual functioning

67. Determining mood and affect is an important part of the mental status exam. Although both of these
terms refer to feeling states of the individual, it would be correct to say that affect is more _____________
than mood.
a. immediate
b. severe
c. problematic
d. stable

68. A mental status exam covers all of the following categories EXCEPT ___________.
a. intellectual functioning
b. appearance
c. behavior
d. physical symptoms
69. In regard to a mental status exam, which of the following questions is NOT related to the concept of
sensorium?
a. What is today's date?
b. Where are you?
c. Who are you?
d. How old are you?

70. In a mental status exam, it is important to determine if the individual's sensorium is clear and if he/she is
"oriented times three." This refers to
a. person, place, and time.
b. day, month, and year of birth
c. ability to follow directions.
d. spatial orientation.