cortisol is a hormone that

ATI RN

Psychology 101 Final Exam

1. Cortisol is a hormone that ________

A. is released by the hypothalamus and travels to the pituitary gland, causing it to respond.
B. the pituitary gland releases to stimulate the adrenal gland.
C. the adrenal gland produces that mobilizes the body to deal with stress.
D. reduces the reuptake of the monoamine neurotransmitters.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C. Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal gland that mobilizes the body to deal with stress. It helps regulate metabolism, reduce inflammation, and assist in memory formulation. Choice A is incorrect as cortisol is not released by the hypothalamus and does not travel to the pituitary gland. Choice B is incorrect as cortisol is not released by the pituitary gland but acts on it to regulate hormone production. Choice D is incorrect as cortisol does not reduce the reuptake of monoamine neurotransmitters.

2. Marissa wants to study people's emotional reactions to increases in temperature. Her classmate, Bernard, tells her that she should focus on observable behaviors rather than internal states in her study. Bernard's views are most similar to those found in?

A. The psychodynamic perspective.
B. The evolutionary perspective.
C. The behavioral perspective.
D. The biological perspective.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Bernard's advice to focus on observable behaviors aligns with the behavioral perspective. Behaviorists emphasize studying external actions rather than internal states to understand human behavior. The psychodynamic perspective (Choice A) focuses on unconscious processes, the evolutionary perspective (Choice B) on adaptation and natural selection, and the biological perspective (Choice D) on the biological underpinnings of behavior, making them less similar to Bernard's suggestion.

3. Cross-cultural research on stress demonstrates that ________.

A. Depression is a common response to life challenges in all countries studied.
B. Stress rarely leads to any evidence of illness in non-Western cultures.
C. Responses to stress vary cross-culturally.
D. Culture-specific reactions are not seen to respond to alterations in the environment.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Cross-cultural research on stress demonstrates that responses to stress vary cross-culturally. Choice A is incorrect because depression being a common response in all countries studied is not supported by cross-cultural research findings. Choice B is incorrect as it generalizes that stress rarely leads to illness in non-Western cultures, which is not universally true. Choice D is incorrect as culture-specific reactions can indeed respond to alterations in the environment, as observed in various cross-cultural studies.

4. Scientific research has demonstrated that the ________ parenting style is most likely to lead to healthy psychological development in children.

A. authoritative
B. authoritarian
C. permissive
D. neglectful/uninvolved

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A, authoritative. Authoritative parenting combines warmth and nurturing with reasonable limits and consistent discipline. This style promotes independence, self-regulation, and social competence in children, leading to healthy psychological development. Choice B, authoritarian parenting, is characterized by strict rules and harsh punishment without much warmth, which can lead to anxiety and lower self-esteem in children. Choice C, permissive parenting, involves few demands and little control, resulting in children lacking self-discipline and social skills. Choice D, neglectful/uninvolved parenting, is characterized by a lack of responsiveness to a child's emotional needs and can lead to various negative outcomes such as poor self-esteem and emotional issues.

5. Which field of psychology studies attitude change and group behavior?

A. Developmental psychology
B. Social psychology
C. Psychoanalysis
D. Psychometrics

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Social psychology. Social psychology specifically focuses on studying topics like attitude change and group behavior. Developmental psychology (Choice A) primarily deals with human growth and development across the lifespan. Psychoanalysis (Choice C) is a theoretical approach to psychology developed by Sigmund Freud focusing on the unconscious mind and childhood experiences. Psychometrics (Choice D) involves the measurement of psychological variables such as intelligence, personality traits, and abilities.