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08
Student: ___________________________________________________________________________

1. Which of the following is true of people diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder (DID)?
A. They develop disorganized personalities
B. They develop integrated personalities
C. They develop multiple separate personalities
D. They develop interrelated personalities
2. People who chronically worry about being ill without any physiological reason, and have been checked
by medical professionals, would likely be diagnosed with which of the following disorders?
A. Somatization disorder
B. Hypochondriasis
C. Conversion disorder
D. Dissociative fugue
3. Which of the following is not a somatoform disorder?
A. Conversion disorder
B. Obsessive-compulsive disorder
C. Hypochondriasis
D. Body dysmorphic disorder
4. Which of the following is not a dissociative disorder?
A. Dissociative fugue
B. Dissociative amnesia
C. Depersonalization
D. Acute stress disorder
5. Which of the following refers to the class of disorders in which people experience significant physical
symptoms without an organic reason?
A. Dissociative disorders
B. Somatoform disorders
C. Psychotic disorders
D. Adjustment disorders
6. What is one of the difficulties in diagnosing somatoform disorders?
A. The person is probably faking the symptoms
B. The person has difficulty pinpointing the physical discomfort
C. The person may have a real physical problem
D. The person is looking for attention
7. A woman who believes she is pregnant, but a physical examination and laboratory tests are negative,
would likely be diagnosed with which of the following?
A. Pseudocyesis
B. Misconception syndrome
C. Psuedoexpectancy
D. Miscarriage
8. Which of the following statements is true?
A. Psychosomatic disorders refer to psychological disorders exacerbated by medical problems
B. Somatoform disorders are psychological symptoms exacerbated by physical illnesses
C. Malingering refers to an individual's psychological problems exacerbated by other psychological
disorders
D. Factitious disorders are the deliberate faking of symptoms to gain medical attention
9. Jonathan pretended to have a stomachache to avoid taking his algebra test. What is Jonathan's faking
behaviour referred to as?
A. Psychosomatic
B. Somatization
C. Malingering
D. Factitiousness
10. Bethany has hypertension. Her friends call her a worrier. Her worrying impacts her hypertension. What is
Bethany most likely experiencing?
A. Psychosomatic disorder
B. Somatoform disorder
C. Dissociative disorder
D. Acute stress disorder
11. Candice faked her symptoms to gain medical attention. She exaggerated these symptoms to the point that
exploratory surgery was conducted. What is Candice most likely suffering from?
A. Malingering
B. Factitious disorder
C. Generalized anxiety disorder
D. Somatization disorder
12. Mary created an illness in her younger daughter to draw attention to herself. What diagnosis would Mary
most likely receive?
A. Malingering
B. Factitious disorder with a known cause
C. Factitious disorder by proxy
D. Somatization disorder by proxy
13. Conversion disorder is characterized by which of the following?
A. Sensory and motor deficits
B. Loss of memory
C. Pain in different areas of the body
D. Sexual pain
14. Which of the following terms refers to an individual being unconcerned about his/her presenting
symptoms?
A. Dissociative fugue
B. La belle indifference
C. Ataque de nervios
D. Taijin kyofu-sho
15. Which of the following was a former term for conversion disorder?
A. Hysteria of women
B. Conversion hysteria
C. Somatoform hysteria
D. Hysteria disorder
16. Lorna found her dead husband in their bedroom. He had been shot in the chest. After experiencing the
incident, Lorna has been unable to see. What kind of symptoms is Lorna most likely experiencing?
A. Dissociative symptoms
B. Posttraumatic stress symptoms
C. Conversion symptoms
D. Malingering symptoms
17. According to ancient Greeks, which of the following is true of conversion disorder?
A. It was experienced by men who were having sexual dysfunctions
B. It was experienced by adolescents who were consistently exhibiting emotional and behavioural
disturbances
C. It was experienced by women whose wombs had dislodged and wandered
D. It was experienced by children with impulsive behaviours and attention problems
18. Anna O's (Bertha Pappenheim) most prominent complaints were associated with which disorder?
A. Factitious disorder
B. Conversion disorder
C. Somatization disorder
D. Hypochondriasis
19. Which of the following is a conversion symptom in which people lose feeling in their hands, and their
hand feels as if they are wearing a glove?
A. Finger anesthesia
B. Glove numbness
C. Finger numbness
D. Glove anesthesia
20. Jaclyn has been complaining for several weeks that she has lost the feeling in her hands. Her physical
exam revealed no nerve damage. However, Jaclyn insists that something is wrong because her hand feels
as though she has on a tight glove. Which disorder would Jaclyn most likely be diagnosed with?
A. Body dysmorphic disorder
B. Conversion disorder
C. Hypochondriasis
D. Somatization disorder
21. Who conceptualized the behavioural theory that argues that people with conversion disorder behave in
accordance with how someone with the real illness would act?
A. Watson and Horne
B. Bandura and Seligman
C. Ullman and Krasner
D. Ellis and Beck
22. What does Ullman and Krasner's behavioural theory of conversion disorder propose?
A. A person manifests the symptoms to due to posttraumatic stress disorder
B. A person develops conversion disorder by modeling parental behaviours
C. A person develops conversion symptoms to gain attention or support, or to avoid an aversive situation
D. The symptoms are created due to a person's inability to cope with daily life stressors
23. According to Trevor Hurwitz, conversion symptoms are typically preceded by a psychiatric illness, and
the individual uses the physical symptoms as a defense against increasing mental instability. Which of the
following disorders typically precedes conversation symptoms?
A. Depression
B. Schizophrenia
C. Dissociative identity disorder
D. Hypochondriasis
24. Which of the following is the most common medical problem found among people diagnosed with
conversion disorder?
A. Head injury
B. Abdominal pain
C. Back injuries
D. Internal injuries
25. Which of the following applies to the behavioural treatment of conversion disorder?
A. Behavioural treatments focus on the trauma by exposing the client to aversive stimuli associated with
the stressor
B.Behaviour treatments focus on systematic desensitization and exposure therapies to address the anxiety
associated with the trauma
C. Behavioural treatments use the thought-stopping techniques to reduce anxiety and to reduce intrusive
thoughts
D. Behavioural treatments use guided imagery techniques to identify the trauma themes
26. Gary has been diagnosed with conversion disorder. Which of the following is likely true of Gary?
A. He is amenable to receiving treatment
B. He has difficulty believing that something is wrong with him psychologically
C. He denies the existence of a traumatic experience
D. He cannot differentiate between reality and fantasy
27. Which of the following is not required to receive a diagnosis of somatization disorder?
A. Pain in four areas of the body
B. Two gastrointestinal symptoms
C. Three sexual pain symptoms
D. A neurological symptom
28. Which of the following is true concerning the symptoms of conversion disorder and somatization
disorder?
A Symptoms of conversion disorder may not include a sensory or motor loss of functioning, and
. symptoms of somatization must include a loss of memory
B Symptoms of conversion disorder must include a sensory or motor loss of functioning, and symptoms
. of somatization must include 4 pain areas
C Symptoms of conversion disorder must include 4 pain areas, and symptoms of somatization may not
. include a sensory or motor loss of functioning
DSymptoms of conversion disorder must include a sensory or motor loss of functioning, and symptoms
. of somatization must not include a sensory or motor loss of functioning
29. Which of the following is true of people diagnosed with pain disorder?
A. They must have complaints in multiple bodily areas
B. They complain of chronic anatomical pain
C. They must meet the same diagnostic criteria as somatization disorder
D. They present their complaints in vague, dramatic, or exaggerated ways
30. Scott has a sharp pain in his hip. The pain has disrupted his functioning because he can no longer stand
for extended periods of time. Because Scott has pain in only one area, what diagnosis will he most likely
receive?
A. Somatization disorder
B. Conversion disorder
C. Body dysmorphic disorder
D. Pain disorder
31. People diagnosed with somatization disorder frequently have histories of all of the following disorders,
except:
A. Substance abuse
B. Personality disorders
C. Anxiety disorders
D. Psychotic disorders
32. Which group tends to report the greatest somatization symptoms?
A. Children
B. Adolescents
C. Women
D. Men
33. Which of the following groups is least likely to be diagnosed with somatization disorder?
A. European North Americans
B. Asians
C. Native Canadians
D. Africans
34. Why are older adults more likely to express somatic complaints than are younger adults?
A. Older adults are more accepting of somatic symptoms than younger adults are
B Older adults who experience depression or anxiety are unable to express these emotional symptoms
. because of cultural upbringing and show their distress in bodily terms
C. Older adults are better at hiding their emotions than younger adults are
D Society encourages older adults to hide their emotions and thus they have no choice but to express their
. distress in terms of somatic symptoms
35. Which of the following problems are reported by 10 to 30 percent of children and adolescents?
A. Backaches and headaches
B. Headaches and stomach aches
C. Stomach-aches and knee joint pain
D. Knee joint pain and backaches
36. Which of the following is a medical syndrome associated with debilitating fatigue accompanied by
symptoms that mimic a viral infection?
A. Fatigue with unknown etiology
B. Chronic fatigue syndrome
C. Multiple etiology disorder
D. Fatigue disease
37. Herman has been diagnosed with somatization disorder. He often misinterprets his bodily symptoms,
which results in increased heart rate, rapid breathing, and dizziness. This maladaptive way of thinking is
linked to which theoretical perspective?
A. Cognitive theory
B. Behavioural theory
C. Psychodynamic theory
D. Existential theory
38. Herman has been diagnosed with somatization disorder. He often misinterprets his bodily symptoms,
which results in increased heart rate, rapid breathing, and dizziness. He states regularly, "If the pain
doesn't stop soon, then it will probably cause damage to other parts of my body." Herman is most likely
catastrophizing his symptoms. This catastrophizing is linked to which theoretical perspective?
A. Cognitive theory
B. Behavioural theory
C. Psychodynamic theory
D. Existential theory
39. According to the text, which medication led to significant improvements in somatization symptoms?
A. Tricyclics
B. MAOIs
C. SSRIs
D. Benzodiazepines
40. Which treatment focuses on helping clients recall events and memories that may have triggered the
somatization symptoms?
A. Psychodynamic therapy
B. Cognitive-behavioural therapy
C. Behavioural therapy
D. Existential therapy
41. What is the goal of cognitive therapy in the treatment of somatization disorder?
A. Challenging the maladaptive interpretations of physical symptoms and teach techniques for appropriate
interpretations
B. Identifying reinforcers that contribute to the manifestation of symptoms
C. Providing insight into somatization symptoms and discuss early childhood experiences
D. Designing a behaviour modification plan with punishers to discourage maladaptive ways of thinking
42. Which of the following disorders may appear similar in their presentation?
A. Somatization disorder and pain disorder
B. Somatization disorder and conversion disorder
C. Somatization disorder and hypochondriasis
D. Somatization disorder and body dysmorphic disorder
43. Sherry believes that she has a serious illness. She has had a headache for several days with no relief from
traditional over-the-counter medicines. The concern over her condition is causing extreme anxiety. Her
visit to the doctor revealed no organic reason for the headaches. Unsatisfied with the results, she goes to
several other medical professionals for treatment. Which of the following disorders would Sherry likely
meet criteria for?
A. Somatization disorder
B. Hypochondriasis
C. Conversion disorder
D. Acute stress disorder
44. Which of the following disorders would a client with hypochondriasis often meet diagnostic criteria for?

A. Generalized anxiety disorder


B. Acute stress disorder
C. Somatization disorder
D. Panic disorder
45. People with hypochondriasis will likely do all of the following, except:
A. Make several trips to medical professionals to validate their concerns
B. Reject the idea that the symptoms are psychologically based
C. Misinterpret any change in their physical symptoms as a sign of concern
D. Seek psychological treatment to understand their emotional distress
46. Based on the work of Canadian researchers looking into treatment interventions for hypochondriasis,
which of the following statements is correct?
A. Medications are by far the best treatment approach for patients with hypochondriasis
B.Compared to medication and other types of psychological therapies, CBT produces better results in
patients with hypochondriasis
C. Compared to medication and CBT, psychodynamic therapies produce better results in patients with
hypochondriasis
D. Medication, CBT, and psychodynamic therapies are equally effective for patients with
hypochondriasis
47. Women with BDD are often preoccupied with all of the following, except:
A. Breasts
B. Hips
C. Genitals
D. Weight
48. Men with BDD are often preoccupied with all of the following, except:
A. Excessive body hair
B. Small body build
C. Thinning hair
D. Weight gain
49. Patty believes that her nose is too big and that others are noticing the disfigurement of her nose. Her
anxiety has perpetuated to the point that she has refused to leave her house. Which disorder is Patty most
likely to meet criteria for?
A. Generalized anxiety disorder
B. Body dysmorphic disorder
C. Post-traumatic stress disorder
D. Acute stress disorder
50. Bobby believes that his small body frame is a deformation. He is convinced that women do not want men
with a small build. He has recently begun to exercise excessively, consume protein drinks, and hired a
personal trainer. Which disorder is Bobby most likely to meet criteria for?
A. Generalized anxiety disorder
B. Delusional disorder
C. Eating disorder not otherwise specified
D. Body dysmorphic disorder
51. At approximately what age does body dysmorphic disorder tend to begin?
A. 16 years
B. 26 years
C. 6 years
D. 38 years
52. In what year was body dysmorphic disorder added to the DSM?
A. 1952
B. 1987
C. 1980
D. 2000
53. Some theorists argue that body dysmorphic disorder is another form of which of the following anxiety
disorders?
A. OCD
B. PTSD
C. Panic disorder
D. GAD
54. Which of the following therapies helps clients gain insight into the real concerns behind their obsessions
with their body parts?
A. Psychoanalysis
B. Humanistic therapy
C. Existential therapy
D. Cognitive-behavioural therapy
55. Which of the following would not be considered a dissociative experience?
A. Daydreaming
B. Nightmares
C. Being absorbed in a movie
D. Not knowing what is going on around you
56. Daydreaming is considered a mild form of the following experience:
A. Somatization
B. Dissociation
C. Depersonalization
D. Existential
57. Dissociative experiences are especially common under which of the following conditions?
A. When a person is sleep-deprived and anxious
B. When a person is anxious and worried
C. When a person is worried and under stress
D. When a person is under stress and sleep-deprived
58. Sue has been up for 48 hours with her sick child. The family was in a car accident and the child was
seriously injured. Sue has had an episode in which she did not recognize her face in the mirror. What type
of experience did Sue most likely have?
A. Existential experience
B. Dissociative experience
C. Conversion experience
D. Somatization experience
59. Who conceptualized the idea that dissociation is a process in which systems of ideas are split off from
consciousness but are available through dreams and hypnosis?
A. Jean Piaget
B. Thomas Simon
C. Pierre Janet
D. Alfred Binet
60. In Hilgard's study on the "hidden observer" phenomenon, he argued that there are two modes of
consciousness. Which of the following represent the two modes of consciousness?
A. Repressive mode; active mode
B. Active mode; receptive mode
C. Receptive mode; suppressive mode
D. Suppressive mode; repressive mode
61. What does the "active mode" in Hilgard's study refer to?
A. The preconscious state of mind that creates pleasant memories
B The conscious state of mind that registers and stores information in memory without being aware that
. the information is being stored
C. The conscious short term or working memory that can only hold information up to 20 seconds
D. The conscious state of mind that includes a person's conscious plans, desires, voluntary actions
62. Which of the following statements is true concerning the active mode and receptive mode?
A. They typically act as separate entities
B. They typically join the experiences together so easily that the integration is not noticeable
C. They typically work together to create pleasant memories
D. They typically hide the true meaning of a person's dissociative experiences
63. What was dissociative identity disorder originally called?
A. Multiple personality syndrome
B. Multiple alters disorder
C. Multiple personality disorder
D. Multiple alters syndrome
64. Which of the following dissociative disorders is characterized by a person developing one or more
distinct personalities?
A. Dissociative identity disorder
B. Dissociative fugue
C. Dissociative amnesia
D. Depersonalization disorder
65. A person diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder may have several alters. What is an alter?
A. Another personality
B. A ceremonial pedestal
C. A means of creating pleasant experiences
D. An out-of-body experience
66. Which of the following is true of alter personalities of clients with dissociative identity disorder?
A. They are the same gender and the same age
B. They are the same gender but different ages
C. They are different genders and different ages
D. They are different genders and the same ages
67. Which of the following is true concerning dissociative identity disorder?
A. Females diagnosed with DID tend to be more aggressive than males diagnosed with DID
B. Males diagnosed with DID tend to be more aggressive than females diagnosed with DID
C. Females and males diagnosed with DID are equally aggressive
D. Neither males nor females diagnosed with DID show signs of aggression
68. Which of the following is the most common alter found in DID?
A. Helper
B. Host
C. Persecutor
D. Child
69. Christopher has been diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder. One of his alters handles the abuse
that is being inflicted on him, allowing Christopher to escape to safety. This alter is most likely which of
the following?
A. Helper alter
B. Host alter
C. Persecutor alter
D. Child alter
70. Which of the following is considered to be the most dangerous alter found in dissociative identity
disorder?
A. Helper alter
B. Host alter
C. Persecutor alter
D. Child alter
71. Christopher has been diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder. Arthur, his child alter, handles the
abuse that is being inflicted on him, allowing Christopher to escape to safety. Sandy, another alter is
very strong willed and wants to get rid of the other personalities by inflicting bodily harm. Sandy is most
likely which of the following alters?
A. Helper alter
B. Dominating alter
C. Persecutor alter
D. Child alter
72. Which of the following alters found in dissociative identity disorder offers advice to the other
personalities or performs behaviours the host is unable to handle?
A. Helper alter
B. Protector alter
C. Saintly alter
D. Child alter
73. Which of the following is true concerning dissociative identity disorder?
A. The host is always in control of the other alters
B. People diagnosed with DID have significant periods of amnesia for specific times and people in their
lives
C. The alters in DID have no awareness of each other
D. Persecutor alters are often responsible for the switching from one personality to another
74. Lucas reported to his therapist that he hears several voices in his head. Each voice seems different from
his and they seem to talk to each other. Lucas's symptoms seem representative of which disorder?
A. Child onset of schizophrenia
B. Bipolar disorder
C. Dissociative identity disorder
D. Adjustment disorder with psychotic features
75. Which of the following is false regarding children diagnosed with DID?
A. Children diagnosed with DID often experience alternating unstable emotions such as outbursts of anger
and deep depression
B. Children diagnosed with DID always present with psychotic symptoms
C. The school performance of children diagnosed with DID becomes erratic
D. Children diagnosed with DID hear voices inside their heads
76. Which of the following explains why dissociative identity disorder was rarely diagnosed prior to 1980?

A. The symptoms were rarely reported


B. There was no diagnostic category for DID in the DSM-II
C. The disorder lacked empirical evidence
D. The DSM did not exist
77. What were earlier cases of dissociative identity disorder often misdiagnosed as, given that patients
reported hearing voices in their heads?
A. Bipolar disorder with psychotic features
B. Schizophrenia
C. Major depressive disorder with psychotic features
D. Brief psychotic disorder
78. Which of the following helps clinicians provide a differential diagnosis between schizophrenia and
dissociative identity disorder?
A. Voices heard in schizophrenia are often experience as arising from outside the person's head
B. Schizophrenia does not include alters with different personalities, characteristics, or physical
appearances
C. Patients with DID do not experience flat affect or illogical associations
D. All of the above choices are important to the differential diagnosis
79. Where is a person most likely to receive a diagnosis of dissociative identity disorder?
A. Great Britain
B. India
C. United States
D. Japan
80. Which group is most likely to have dissociative experiences within and outside the United States?
A. Latinos
B. Europeans
C. Africans
D. Israelis
81. Most studies have found that people with dissociative identity disorder have a history of which of the
following?
A. Sexual or physical abuse
B. Kidnapping
C. Religious persecution
D. War
82. Which of the following is the most common contributor to dissociative identity disorder?
A. Genetic predisposition to the disorder
B. Chronic physical or sexual abuse during childhood
C. Low socio-economic family status
D. Being diagnosed with several other disorders
83. Jamie's mother's boyfriend repeatedly abused her. She has episodes in which she finds herself in strange
places and is unsure how she got there. People, whom she did not know, call her by a different name.
What kind of symptoms is Jamie most likely experiencing?
A. Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms
B. Dissociative identity disorder symptoms
C. Acute stress disorder symptoms
D. Generalized anxiety disorder symptoms
84. When does treatment for dissociative identity disorder appear to be most effective?
A. When the treatment is begun during childhood
B. When the treatment is begun during early adolescence
C. When the treatment is begun during late adolescence
D. When the treatment is begun during early adulthood
85. Which of the following is a treatment goal for dissociative identity disorder?
A. Helping clients to create a hierarchy of traumatic experiences and learning relaxation techniques to
handle the stressors
B. Helping the client work through the trauma to integrate all the alternative personalities into one
coherent personality
C. Identifying the traumatic experiences and implementing a behaviour modification program to reward
or punish the alters
D. Helping the host concentrate on health-enhancing behaviours using exercise and dietary supplements
86. Which of the following techniques is used heavily in psychotherapy to contact alternative personalities?

A. Channeling
B. Dream analysis
C. Hypnosis
D. Memory exercises
87. Which of the following is true of patients with dissociative identity disorder who are able to integrate
their personalities?
A. They are likely to relapse with more serious problems
B. They are likely to remain relatively free from the DID symptoms and reduce their use of medications
C. They still struggle with symptoms of other psychological disorders
D. They are encouraged to discontinue psychotherapy to measure the effectiveness of the treatment
88. Dissociative fugue is characterized by which of the following?
A. Inability to remember important information
B. Suddenly picking up and moving to a new place, assuming a new identity, and having no memory of
the previous identity
C. Major memory loss resulting from structural damage to the brain
D. Extreme emotional distress that result in major dissociative experiences
89. Verna has no idea how she ended up in her current surroundings. She feels comfortable and is not
bothered by the fact that she cannot remember her past. What is Verna most likely experiencing?
A. Fugue state
B. Dissociative state
C. Amnesic state
D. Unconscious state
90. All of the following are true concerning dissociative fugue, except:
A. A person who experiences fugue may return to his/her previous identity and home
B. A fugue state has the potential to last for days or years
C. Persons experiencing fugue states also suffer from multiple personalities
D. Recovering from a fugue states does not mean that the person will remember all events
91. Fugue states appear more common among people who have had which of the following experiences?
A. Severe childhood sexual abuse
B. Chronic emotional and physical abuse
C. Experimentation with illegal drugs
D. A history of amnesia that includes amnesia resulting from head trauma
92. Which of the following statements is true of dissociative fugue?
A. Clinicians typically use many of the same techniques for treating DID and dissociative fugue
B. Dissociative fugue is a prevalent condition
C. Dissociative fugue is very common among adolescents
D. Dissociative fugue is treatable as long as the clinician obtains an appropriate case history
93. Steven left his home abruptly without taking any of his belongings. He relocated to the next town.
However, he had difficulty understanding how he ended up in his new surroundings. Several months later
he returned to his old home with no memory of his absence. Steven will be most likely be diagnosed with
which of the following disorders?
A. Schizophrenia
B. Dissociative identity disorder
C. Dissociative Fugue
D. Depersonalization disorder
94. Dissociative amnesia is characterized by which of the following?
A. The person suddenly taking flight, moving to another area, and creating a new identity
B. One or more distinct personalities vying for control of the person
C. A person consistently feeling outside him/herself
D. The person having an inability to remember specific events, time periods, or personal information
95. What is the primary difference between the amnesia in dissociative amnesia and dissociative fugue?
APeople with dissociative amnesia typically leave home and create a new life for themselves in another
. area, whereas people with dissociative fugue do not take flight and create new identities
BPeople with dissociative fugue typically leave home and create a new life for themselves in another
. area, whereas people with dissociative amnesia do not take flight and create new identities
C People with dissociative amnesia typically create alternative personalities, whereas people with
. dissociative fugue typically do not create new identities
D People with dissociative fugue typically create alternative personalities, whereas people with
. dissociative amnesia do not create new identities
96. Which of the following is correct of amnesia?
A. Organic amnesia and psychogenic amnesia both involve anterograde amnesia
B Organic amnesia involves anterograde amnesia and psychogenic amnesia involves retrograde amnesia
. and rarely involves anterograde amnesia
C. Organic amnesia and psychogenic amnesia both involve retrograde amnesia
D Organic amnesia involves retrograde amnesia and psychogenic amnesia involves anterograde amnesia
. and rarely involves retrograde amnesia
97. Karen had a hiking accident that resulted in head trauma. She now has difficulty remembering new
information. What type of amnesia resulted from Karen's accident?
A. Anterograde
B. Infantile
C. Hysteria
D. Retrograde
98. Marsha has an early onset of dementia. It is becoming increasingly difficult for her to remember her past.
Sometimes she forgets her children's names. What type of amnesia is Marsha most likely suffering from?

A. Anterograde
B. Infantile
C. Hysteria
D. Retrograde
99. Which of the following is true concerning organic amnesia?
A. Organic amnesia is often caused by psychosocial factors
B. Organic amnesia typically involves anterograde and retrograde amnesia
C. Organic amnesia is caused by trauma resulting from brain injury
D. Organic amnesia results from early childhood unconscious conflicts
100.Korsakoff's psychosis is characterized by which of the following?
A. Global retrograde amnesia associated with severe alcohol consumption
B. Anterograde amnesia resulting from structural damage to the brain
C. Anterograde and retrograde amnesia due to organic and psychological factors
D. A fugue state that results in the loss of identity and the creation of a new identity
101.Which of the following statements is true?
A. Psychogenic amnesia frequently occurs following the consumption of red wine
B. Malingering is not a problem when diagnosing amnesia
C. Approximately 25 to 45 percent of people arrested for homicide claim to have amnesia
D. Most perpetrators of homicide appear to be in psychotic state during and after the incident
102.Depersonalization disorder is characterized by which of the following?
A. The person suddenly taking flight, moving to another area, and creating a new identity
B. One or more distinct personalities vying for control of the person
C. Experiences in which the person feels detached from his/her mental processes or body
D. The person's inability to remember specific events, time periods, or personal information
103.Michelle feels as though she is floating outside her body. She is seemingly aware of her environment.
What type of experience is Michelle most likely having?
A. Depressive experience
B. Depersonalization experience
C. Somatic experience
D. Psychotic experience
104.Which of the following is the least likely to be associated with depersonalization?
A. Alcohol use
B. Drug use
C. Sleep deprivation
D. Poor diet
105.Most people who report depersonalization experiences also report all of the following, except:
A. Childhood cognitive deficits
B. Childhood emotional abuse
C. Childhood physical abuse
D. Childhood sexual abuse
106.Brown has a history of drinking heavily nightly before going to bed. One morning his family accused him
of kicking the dog, breaking several dishes, and being verbally abusive. Brown says he has no memory of
the incident. What is Brown's memory loss likely related to?
A. Korsakoff's psychosis
B. PTSD
C. Generalized anxiety disorder
D. Dissociative amnesia
107.Which of the following is not a dissociative disorder?
A. Korsakoff's syndrome
B. Hypochondriasis
C. Dissociative identity disorder
D. Depersonalization disorder
108.Which of the following statements is false?
APsychiatrists surveyed in the United States and Canada found that less than one-quarter believe strong
. empirical evidence exists that the dissociative disorders represent valid diagnoses
B.Critics argue that clinicians may reinforce a client's suggestibility that they are exhibiting dissociative
identity disorder symptoms
CThe idea that repressed childhood memories of sexual abuse can be recalled accurately in adulthood
. during psychotherapy has been validated and accepted across mental health professionals
D. Most of the evidence of repressed memories comes from studies of people who abused or self-report
abuse
109.Dissociation is a process in which different parts of an individual's identity, memories, or consciousness
become split off from one another.
True False
110.A group of disorders in which people experience significant physical symptoms for which there is no
apparent organic cause are somatoform disorders.
True False
111.A woman who believes she is pregnant but physical examination and tests confirm she is not would be
diagnosed with a factitious disorder.
True False
112.Psychosomatic disorders are medical disorders in which people have a physical illness or defect worsened
by psychological factors.
True False
113.To fake a symptom or disorder in order to avoid an unwanted situation is called malingering.
True False
114.Factitious disorders are also referred to as the Munchausen's syndrome.
True False
115.People who suffer from factitious disorder by proxy include parents who have faked or created illnesses
in their children in order to gain attention for themselves.
True False
116.People who lose sensory or motor functioning in parts of their bodies without an organic reason may be
experiencing conversion symptoms.
True False
117.A conversion symptom in which people lose all feeling in one hand is called complete anesthesia.
True False
118.According to Trevor Hurwitz, conversion symptoms are typically preceded by a psychotic episode in
which the individual uses the physical symptoms as a defense against increasing mental instability.
True False
119.A person with somatization disorder has complaints only about chronic headaches.
True False
120.People with pain disorder complain about chronic pain.
True False
121.Someone diagnosed with body dysmorphic disorder is preoccupied with a part of his/her body that he/she
believes is falling off.
True False
122.Dissociative identity disorder is also known as multiple personality disorder.
True False
123.A person who has multiple personalities that are trying to control each other has an alter ego association
disorder.
True False
124.The multiple personalities seen in DID are also referred to as alters.
True False
125.The function of the child alter in DID is typically to handle abuse that the host is unable to handle.
True False
126.The alter personality in DID that is the protector is called the saviour personality.
True False
127.A person with dissociative fugue will suddenly pick up and move to a new place, assume a new identity,
and have no memory of his/her previous identity.
True False
128.Fugue refers to the complete loss of memory.
True False
129.Psychogenic amnesia is caused by brain injury, drug overdose, or accidents.
True False
130.Forgetfulness is a term used for the inability to remember new information.
True False
131.The inability to remember information from the past is known as retrograde amnesia.
True False
132.People who have frequent episodes in which they feel detached from their own mental processes or
bodies may be diagnosed with depersonalization disorder.
True False
133._____________ is a process in which different parts of an individual's identity, memories, or
consciousness become split off from one another.
________________________________________
134.A group of disorders in which people experience significant physical symptoms for which there is no
apparent organic cause are called ___________.
________________________________________
135.A woman who believes she is pregnant but a physical examination and tests confirm she is not would be
diagnosed with _______________.
________________________________________
136.Medical disorders involving physical illnesses worsened by psychological factors are known as
__________.
________________________________________
137.To fake a symptom or disorder for external gain is called __________.
________________________________________
138.To deliberately fake an illness to gain medical attention is called ______________________.
________________________________________
139.Factitious disorders are also referred to as ___________.
________________________________________
140.Susan fakes the illness of her daughter to gain attention for herself. This condition is called
___________.
________________________________________
141.Today, Anna O's disorder would be called _________.
________________________________________
142.A conversion symptom in which people lose all feeling in one hand is called __________.
________________________________________
143.A person must have pain complaints in at least 4 areas of the body to receive the diagnosis of
____________.
________________________________________
144._____________ and ___________ are quite similar and may be variations of the same disorder.
________________________________________
145.People with _____________ are excessively preoccupied with a part of their bodies that they believe is
defective.
________________________________________
146.The new name for multiple personality disorder is ___________.
________________________________________
147.Multiple personalities with distinct qualities are referred to as _______.
________________________________________
148.The alter that does not age along with the individual is referred to as the ______.
________________________________________
149.A ____________ inflicts pain or punishment on the other personalities.
________________________________________
150.The alter personality that is the protector is called the __________ personality.
________________________________________
151._____________ is a condition in which a person suddenly picks up and moves to a new place, assumes a
new identity, and has no memory of his/her previous identity.
________________________________________
152.People who have large gaps in their memory or knowledge of themselves, but are aware there are gaps
are said to have ____________.
________________________________________
153.____________ is caused by brain injury resulting from disease, drugs, accidents, or surgery.
________________________________________
154.The loss of the ability to remember new information is known as ___________ amnesia.
________________________________________
155.The loss of the ability to remember information from the past is known as ______________ amnesia.
________________________________________
156.A person who feels detached from him/herself and the environment is experiencing ___________.
________________________________________
157.What are some of the challenges a psychologist might have in diagnosing dissociative fugue?
158.Differentiate between somatization disorder and pain disorder.

159.Differentiate between somatoform disorders, psychosomatic disorders, malingering, and factitious


disorders.

160.Sydney was a popular 17-year-old who attended a suburban high school near Washington, DC. During
the spring of her senior year, Sydney became preoccupied with her appearance and began to look
constantly for her own image in windows and mirrors. In particular, Sydney began to notice that her nose
was abnormally shaped. Her friends all told her that she was crazy when she expressed her concern, so
she stopped talking about it to them. She began to apply makeup in an attempt to offset what she believed
to be the contemptible contour of her nose. She started wearing her hair loosely, holding her head down
much of the time so that her face was partially obscured, and brushing her hair excessively to encourage
it to fall forward around her face. Her distress grew and she repeatedly begged her parents to let her
have surgery to correct the shape of her nose, which by now she regarded as hideous. Her pleas turned
to volatile arguments when her parents told her that her nose was fine and that they would not agree to
surgery. Sydney started finding excuses not to go out with her friends and refused to date because she
could not stand the thought of anyone looking at her up close. She stayed home in her room, staring for
hours in the mirror. She refused to attend her senior prom or graduation ceremony. After high school,
Sydney got a job as a night security guard, so that she could isolate herself as much as possible and not
been seen by others. During the next seven years, she had five surgeries to correct the shape of her nose.
Each time, she became even more dissatisfied and obsessed with her appearance. Although everyone who
knew Sydney thought she looked fine, she remained obsessed and tormented by her "defect". According
to your text, what diagnosis should Sidney receive? Code the diagnosis on the correct axis and provide a
brief overview of the disorder. How would a cognitive-behavioural therapist treat this disorder?

161.Discuss the controversy that surrounds diagnosing dissociative disorders.


162.Consider Anna O's (Bertha Pappenheim) case study presented in the text. How did this case study
contribute to our current understanding of somatoform disorders?

163.Your friend is writing a crime novel. His main character will commit homicide and claim amnesia for
the event. Your friend asks your help in making the amnesic scenario more believable. What can you tell
your friend that would make his amnesic character's story credible?

164.Describe dissociative identity disorder. Include the symptoms, causes, and treatments.
08 Key
1. Which of the following is true of people diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder (DID)?
(p. 280) A. They develop disorganized personalities
B. They develop integrated personalities
C. They develop multiple separate personalities
D. They develop interrelated personalities
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #1
2. People who chronically worry about being ill without any physiological reason, and have been
(p. 272) checked by medical professionals, would likely be diagnosed with which of the following disorders?

A. Somatization disorder
B. Hypochondriasis
C. Conversion disorder
D. Dissociative fugue
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #2
3. Which of the following is not a somatoform disorder?
(p. 262) A. Conversion disorder
B. Obsessive-compulsive disorder
C. Hypochondriasis
D. Body dysmorphic disorder
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #3
4. Which of the following is not a dissociative disorder?
(p. 279) A. Dissociative fugue
B. Dissociative amnesia
C. Depersonalization
D. Acute stress disorder
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #4
5. Which of the following refers to the class of disorders in which people experience significant physical
(p. 262) symptoms without an organic reason?
A. Dissociative disorders
B. Somatoform disorders
C. Psychotic disorders
D. Adjustment disorders
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #5
6. What is one of the difficulties in diagnosing somatoform disorders?
(p. 262) A. The person is probably faking the symptoms
B. The person has difficulty pinpointing the physical discomfort
C. The person may have a real physical problem
D. The person is looking for attention
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #6
7. A woman who believes she is pregnant, but a physical examination and laboratory tests are negative,
(p. 262) would likely be diagnosed with which of the following?
A. Pseudocyesis
B. Misconception syndrome
C. Psuedoexpectancy
D. Miscarriage
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #7
8. Which of the following statements is true?
(p. 262) A. Psychosomatic disorders refer to psychological disorders exacerbated by medical problems
B. Somatoform disorders are psychological symptoms exacerbated by physical illnesses
C. Malingering refers to an individual's psychological problems exacerbated by other psychological
disorders
D. Factitious disorders are the deliberate faking of symptoms to gain medical attention
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #8
9. Jonathan pretended to have a stomachache to avoid taking his algebra test. What is Jonathan's faking
(p. 262) behaviour referred to as?
A. Psychosomatic
B. Somatization
C. Malingering
D. Factitiousness
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #9
10. Bethany has hypertension. Her friends call her a worrier. Her worrying impacts her hypertension.
(p. 262) What is Bethany most likely experiencing?
A. Psychosomatic disorder
B. Somatoform disorder
C. Dissociative disorder
D. Acute stress disorder
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #10
11. Candice faked her symptoms to gain medical attention. She exaggerated these symptoms to the point
(p. 262) that exploratory surgery was conducted. What is Candice most likely suffering from?
A. Malingering
B. Factitious disorder
C. Generalized anxiety disorder
D. Somatization disorder
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #11
12. Mary created an illness in her younger daughter to draw attention to herself. What diagnosis would
(p. 262- Mary most likely receive?
263)
A. Malingering
B. Factitious disorder with a known cause
C. Factitious disorder by proxy
D. Somatization disorder by proxy
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #12
13. Conversion disorder is characterized by which of the following?
(p. 264) A. Sensory and motor deficits
B. Loss of memory
C. Pain in different areas of the body
D. Sexual pain
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #13
14. Which of the following terms refers to an individual being unconcerned about his/her presenting
(p. 264) symptoms?
A. Dissociative fugue
B. La belle indifference
C. Ataque de nervios
D. Taijin kyofu-sho
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #14
15. Which of the following was a former term for conversion disorder?
(p. 264) A. Hysteria of women
B. Conversion hysteria
C. Somatoform hysteria
D. Hysteria disorder
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #15
16. Lorna found her dead husband in their bedroom. He had been shot in the chest. After experiencing the
(p. 264) incident, Lorna has been unable to see. What kind of symptoms is Lorna most likely experiencing?

A. Dissociative symptoms
B. Posttraumatic stress symptoms
C. Conversion symptoms
D. Malingering symptoms
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #16
17. According to ancient Greeks, which of the following is true of conversion disorder?
(p. 264) A. It was experienced by men who were having sexual dysfunctions
B. It was experienced by adolescents who were consistently exhibiting emotional and behavioural
disturbances
C. It was experienced by women whose wombs had dislodged and wandered
D. It was experienced by children with impulsive behaviours and attention problems
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #17
18. Anna O's (Bertha Pappenheim) most prominent complaints were associated with which disorder?
(p. 261) A. Factitious disorder
B. Conversion disorder
C. Somatization disorder
D. Hypochondriasis
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #18
19. Which of the following is a conversion symptom in which people lose feeling in their hands, and their
(p. 265) hand feels as if they are wearing a glove?
A. Finger anesthesia
B. Glove numbness
C. Finger numbness
D. Glove anesthesia
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #19
20. Jaclyn has been complaining for several weeks that she has lost the feeling in her hands. Her physical
(p. 265) exam revealed no nerve damage. However, Jaclyn insists that something is wrong because her hand
feels as though she has on a tight glove. Which disorder would Jaclyn most likely be diagnosed with?

A. Body dysmorphic disorder


B. Conversion disorder
C. Hypochondriasis
D. Somatization disorder
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #20
21. Who conceptualized the behavioural theory that argues that people with conversion disorder behave in
(p. 266) accordance with how someone with the real illness would act?
A. Watson and Horne
B. Bandura and Seligman
C. Ullman and Krasner
D. Ellis and Beck
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #21
22. What does Ullman and Krasner's behavioural theory of conversion disorder propose?
(p. 266) A. A person manifests the symptoms to due to posttraumatic stress disorder
B. A person develops conversion disorder by modeling parental behaviours
C. A person develops conversion symptoms to gain attention or support, or to avoid an aversive
situation
D. The symptoms are created due to a person's inability to cope with daily life stressors
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #22
23. According to Trevor Hurwitz, conversion symptoms are typically preceded by a psychiatric illness,
(p. 266) and the individual uses the physical symptoms as a defense against increasing mental instability.
Which of the following disorders typically precedes conversation symptoms?
A. Depression
B. Schizophrenia
C. Dissociative identity disorder
D. Hypochondriasis
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #23
24. Which of the following is the most common medical problem found among people diagnosed with
(p. 266) conversion disorder?
A. Head injury
B. Abdominal pain
C. Back injuries
D. Internal injuries
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #24
25. Which of the following applies to the behavioural treatment of conversion disorder?
(p. 267) A. Behavioural treatments focus on the trauma by exposing the client to aversive stimuli associated
with the stressor
B. Behaviour treatments focus on systematic desensitization and exposure therapies to address the
anxiety associated with the trauma
C. Behavioural treatments use the thought-stopping techniques to reduce anxiety and to reduce
intrusive thoughts
D. Behavioural treatments use guided imagery techniques to identify the trauma themes
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #25
26. Gary has been diagnosed with conversion disorder. Which of the following is likely true of Gary?
(p. 267) A. He is amenable to receiving treatment
B. He has difficulty believing that something is wrong with him psychologically
C. He denies the existence of a traumatic experience
D. He cannot differentiate between reality and fantasy
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #26
27. Which of the following is not required to receive a diagnosis of somatization disorder?
(p. 267) A. Pain in four areas of the body
B. Two gastrointestinal symptoms
C. Three sexual pain symptoms
D. A neurological symptom
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #27
28. Which of the following is true concerning the symptoms of conversion disorder and somatization
(p. 267- disorder?
268)
A Symptoms of conversion disorder may not include a sensory or motor loss of functioning, and
. symptoms of somatization must include a loss of memory
B Symptoms of conversion disorder must include a sensory or motor loss of functioning, and
. symptoms of somatization must include 4 pain areas
C Symptoms of conversion disorder must include 4 pain areas, and symptoms of somatization may not
. include a sensory or motor loss of functioning
DSymptoms of conversion disorder must include a sensory or motor loss of functioning, and
. symptoms of somatization must not include a sensory or motor loss of functioning
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #28
29. Which of the following is true of people diagnosed with pain disorder?
(p. 268) A. They must have complaints in multiple bodily areas
B. They complain of chronic anatomical pain
C. They must meet the same diagnostic criteria as somatization disorder
D. They present their complaints in vague, dramatic, or exaggerated ways
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #29
30. Scott has a sharp pain in his hip. The pain has disrupted his functioning because he can no longer
(p. 268) stand for extended periods of time. Because Scott has pain in only one area, what diagnosis will he
most likely receive?
A. Somatization disorder
B. Conversion disorder
C. Body dysmorphic disorder
D. Pain disorder
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #30
31. People diagnosed with somatization disorder frequently have histories of all of the following
(p. 268) disorders, except:
A. Substance abuse
B. Personality disorders
C. Anxiety disorders
D. Psychotic disorders
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #31
32. Which group tends to report the greatest somatization symptoms?
(p. 268) A. Children
B. Adolescents
C. Women
D. Men
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #32
33. Which of the following groups is least likely to be diagnosed with somatization disorder?
(p. 268- A. European North Americans
269)
B. Asians
C. Native Canadians
D. Africans
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #33
34. Why are older adults more likely to express somatic complaints than are younger adults?
(p. 269) A. Older adults are more accepting of somatic symptoms than younger adults are
B Older adults who experience depression or anxiety are unable to express these emotional symptoms
. because of cultural upbringing and show their distress in bodily terms
C. Older adults are better at hiding their emotions than younger adults are
D Society encourages older adults to hide their emotions and thus they have no choice but to express
. their distress in terms of somatic symptoms
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #34
35. Which of the following problems are reported by 10 to 30 percent of children and adolescents?
(p. 269) A. Backaches and headaches
B. Headaches and stomach aches
C. Stomach-aches and knee joint pain
D. Knee joint pain and backaches
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #35
36. Which of the following is a medical syndrome associated with debilitating fatigue accompanied by
(p. 270) symptoms that mimic a viral infection?
A. Fatigue with unknown etiology
B. Chronic fatigue syndrome
C. Multiple etiology disorder
D. Fatigue disease
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #36
37. Herman has been diagnosed with somatization disorder. He often misinterprets his bodily symptoms,
(p. 270- which results in increased heart rate, rapid breathing, and dizziness. This maladaptive way of thinking
271)
is linked to which theoretical perspective?
A. Cognitive theory
B. Behavioural theory
C. Psychodynamic theory
D. Existential theory
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #37
38. Herman has been diagnosed with somatization disorder. He often misinterprets his bodily symptoms,
(p. 270- which results in increased heart rate, rapid breathing, and dizziness. He states regularly, "If the pain
271)
doesn't stop soon, then it will probably cause damage to other parts of my body." Herman is most
likely catastrophizing his symptoms. This catastrophizing is linked to which theoretical perspective?

A. Cognitive theory
B. Behavioural theory
C. Psychodynamic theory
D. Existential theory
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #38
39. According to the text, which medication led to significant improvements in somatization symptoms?
(p. 271)

A. Tricyclics
B. MAOIs
C. SSRIs
D. Benzodiazepines
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #39
40. Which treatment focuses on helping clients recall events and memories that may have triggered the
(p. 271) somatization symptoms?
A. Psychodynamic therapy
B. Cognitive-behavioural therapy
C. Behavioural therapy
D. Existential therapy
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #40
41. What is the goal of cognitive therapy in the treatment of somatization disorder?
(p. 270- A. Challenging the maladaptive interpretations of physical symptoms and teach techniques for
271)
appropriate interpretations
B. Identifying reinforcers that contribute to the manifestation of symptoms
C. Providing insight into somatization symptoms and discuss early childhood experiences
D. Designing a behaviour modification plan with punishers to discourage maladaptive ways of
thinking
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #41
42. Which of the following disorders may appear similar in their presentation?
(p. 272) A. Somatization disorder and pain disorder
B. Somatization disorder and conversion disorder
C. Somatization disorder and hypochondriasis
D. Somatization disorder and body dysmorphic disorder
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #42
43. Sherry believes that she has a serious illness. She has had a headache for several days with no relief
(p. 272- from traditional over-the-counter medicines. The concern over her condition is causing extreme
273)
anxiety. Her visit to the doctor revealed no organic reason for the headaches. Unsatisfied with the
results, she goes to several other medical professionals for treatment. Which of the following disorders
would Sherry likely meet criteria for?
A. Somatization disorder
B. Hypochondriasis
C. Conversion disorder
D. Acute stress disorder
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #43
44. Which of the following disorders would a client with hypochondriasis often meet diagnostic criteria
(p. 272- for?
273)
A. Generalized anxiety disorder
B. Acute stress disorder
C. Somatization disorder
D. Panic disorder
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #44
45. People with hypochondriasis will likely do all of the following, except:
(p. 273) A. Make several trips to medical professionals to validate their concerns
B. Reject the idea that the symptoms are psychologically based
C. Misinterpret any change in their physical symptoms as a sign of concern
D. Seek psychological treatment to understand their emotional distress
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #45
46. Based on the work of Canadian researchers looking into treatment interventions for hypochondriasis,
(p. 273) which of the following statements is correct?
A. Medications are by far the best treatment approach for patients with hypochondriasis
B. Compared to medication and other types of psychological therapies, CBT produces better results in
patients with hypochondriasis
C. Compared to medication and CBT, psychodynamic therapies produce better results in patients with
hypochondriasis
D. Medication, CBT, and psychodynamic therapies are equally effective for patients with
hypochondriasis
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #46
47. Women with BDD are often preoccupied with all of the following, except:
(p. 273) A. Breasts
B. Hips
C. Genitals
D. Weight
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #47
48. Men with BDD are often preoccupied with all of the following, except:
(p. 273) A. Excessive body hair
B. Small body build
C. Thinning hair
D. Weight gain
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #48
49. Patty believes that her nose is too big and that others are noticing the disfigurement of her nose. Her
(p. 273- anxiety has perpetuated to the point that she has refused to leave her house. Which disorder is Patty
275)
most likely to meet criteria for?
A. Generalized anxiety disorder
B. Body dysmorphic disorder
C. Post-traumatic stress disorder
D. Acute stress disorder
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #49
50. Bobby believes that his small body frame is a deformation. He is convinced that women do not want
(p. 273- men with a small build. He has recently begun to exercise excessively, consume protein drinks, and
275)
hired a personal trainer. Which disorder is Bobby most likely to meet criteria for?
A. Generalized anxiety disorder
B. Delusional disorder
C. Eating disorder not otherwise specified
D. Body dysmorphic disorder
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #50
51. At approximately what age does body dysmorphic disorder tend to begin?
(p. 274) A. 16 years
B. 26 years
C. 6 years
D. 38 years
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #51
52. In what year was body dysmorphic disorder added to the DSM?
(p. 275) A. 1952
B. 1987
C. 1980
D. 2000
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #52
53. Some theorists argue that body dysmorphic disorder is another form of which of the following anxiety
(p. 275) disorders?
A. OCD
B. PTSD
C. Panic disorder
D. GAD
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #53
54. Which of the following therapies helps clients gain insight into the real concerns behind their
(p. 275) obsessions with their body parts?
A. Psychoanalysis
B. Humanistic therapy
C. Existential therapy
D. Cognitive-behavioural therapy
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #54
55. Which of the following would not be considered a dissociative experience?
(p. 277) A. Daydreaming
B. Nightmares
C. Being absorbed in a movie
D. Not knowing what is going on around you
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #55
56. Daydreaming is considered a mild form of the following experience:
(p. 276) A. Somatization
B. Dissociation
C. Depersonalization
D. Existential
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #56
57. Dissociative experiences are especially common under which of the following conditions?
(p. 276) A. When a person is sleep-deprived and anxious
B. When a person is anxious and worried
C. When a person is worried and under stress
D. When a person is under stress and sleep-deprived
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #57
58. Sue has been up for 48 hours with her sick child. The family was in a car accident and the child was
(p. 276- seriously injured. Sue has had an episode in which she did not recognize her face in the mirror. What
277)
type of experience did Sue most likely have?
A. Existential experience
B. Dissociative experience
C. Conversion experience
D. Somatization experience
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #58
59. Who conceptualized the idea that dissociation is a process in which systems of ideas are split off from
(p. 276) consciousness but are available through dreams and hypnosis?
A. Jean Piaget
B. Thomas Simon
C. Pierre Janet
D. Alfred Binet
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #59
60. In Hilgard's study on the "hidden observer" phenomenon, he argued that there are two modes of
(p. 278- consciousness. Which of the following represent the two modes of consciousness?
279)
A. Repressive mode; active mode
B. Active mode; receptive mode
C. Receptive mode; suppressive mode
D. Suppressive mode; repressive mode
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #60
61. What does the "active mode" in Hilgard's study refer to?
(p. 278) A. The preconscious state of mind that creates pleasant memories
B. The conscious state of mind that registers and stores information in memory without being aware
that the information is being stored
C. The conscious short term or working memory that can only hold information up to 20 seconds
D. The conscious state of mind that includes a person's conscious plans, desires, voluntary actions
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #61
62. Which of the following statements is true concerning the active mode and receptive mode?
(p. 278) A. They typically act as separate entities
B. They typically join the experiences together so easily that the integration is not noticeable
C. They typically work together to create pleasant memories
D. They typically hide the true meaning of a person's dissociative experiences
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #62
63. What was dissociative identity disorder originally called?
(p. 278) A. Multiple personality syndrome
B. Multiple alters disorder
C. Multiple personality disorder
D. Multiple alters syndrome
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #63
64. Which of the following dissociative disorders is characterized by a person developing one or more
(p. 280) distinct personalities?
A. Dissociative identity disorder
B. Dissociative fugue
C. Dissociative amnesia
D. Depersonalization disorder
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #64
65. A person diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder may have several alters. What is an alter?
(p. 280) A. Another personality
B. A ceremonial pedestal
C. A means of creating pleasant experiences
D. An out-of-body experience
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #65
66. Which of the following is true of alter personalities of clients with dissociative identity disorder?
(p. 280) A. They are the same gender and the same age
B. They are the same gender but different ages
C. They are different genders and different ages
D. They are different genders and the same ages
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #66
67. Which of the following is true concerning dissociative identity disorder?
(p. 280) A. Females diagnosed with DID tend to be more aggressive than males diagnosed with DID
B. Males diagnosed with DID tend to be more aggressive than females diagnosed with DID
C. Females and males diagnosed with DID are equally aggressive
D. Neither males nor females diagnosed with DID show signs of aggression
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #67
68. Which of the following is the most common alter found in DID?
(p. 280- A. Helper
281)
B. Host
C. Persecutor
D. Child
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #68
69. Christopher has been diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder. One of his alters handles the abuse
(p. 280- that is being inflicted on him, allowing Christopher to escape to safety. This alter is most likely which
281)
of the following?
A. Helper alter
B. Host alter
C. Persecutor alter
D. Child alter
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #69
70. Which of the following is considered to be the most dangerous alter found in dissociative identity
(p. 281) disorder?
A. Helper alter
B. Host alter
C. Persecutor alter
D. Child alter
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #70
71. Christopher has been diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder. Arthur, his child alter, handles the
(p. 281) abuse that is being inflicted on him, allowing Christopher to escape to safety. Sandy, another alter is
very strong willed and wants to get rid of the other personalities by inflicting bodily harm. Sandy is
most likely which of the following alters?
A. Helper alter
B. Dominating alter
C. Persecutor alter
D. Child alter
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #71
72. Which of the following alters found in dissociative identity disorder offers advice to the other
(p. 281) personalities or performs behaviours the host is unable to handle?
A. Helper alter
B. Protector alter
C. Saintly alter
D. Child alter
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #72
73. Which of the following is true concerning dissociative identity disorder?
(p. 281- A. The host is always in control of the other alters
282)
B. People diagnosed with DID have significant periods of amnesia for specific times and people in
their lives
C. The alters in DID have no awareness of each other
D. Persecutor alters are often responsible for the switching from one personality to another
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #73
74. Lucas reported to his therapist that he hears several voices in his head. Each voice seems different
(p. 280- from his and they seem to talk to each other. Lucas's symptoms seem representative of which
282)
disorder?
A. Child onset of schizophrenia
B. Bipolar disorder
C. Dissociative identity disorder
D. Adjustment disorder with psychotic features
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #74
75. Which of the following is false regarding children diagnosed with DID?
(p. 282) A. Children diagnosed with DID often experience alternating unstable emotions such as outbursts of
anger and deep depression
B. Children diagnosed with DID always present with psychotic symptoms
C. The school performance of children diagnosed with DID becomes erratic
D. Children diagnosed with DID hear voices inside their heads
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #75
76. Which of the following explains why dissociative identity disorder was rarely diagnosed prior to
(p. 282) 1980?
A. The symptoms were rarely reported
B. There was no diagnostic category for DID in the DSM-II
C. The disorder lacked empirical evidence
D. The DSM did not exist
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #76
77. What were earlier cases of dissociative identity disorder often misdiagnosed as, given that patients
(p. 283) reported hearing voices in their heads?
A. Bipolar disorder with psychotic features
B. Schizophrenia
C. Major depressive disorder with psychotic features
D. Brief psychotic disorder
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #77
78. Which of the following helps clinicians provide a differential diagnosis between schizophrenia and
(p. 282- dissociative identity disorder?
283)
A. Voices heard in schizophrenia are often experience as arising from outside the person's head
B. Schizophrenia does not include alters with different personalities, characteristics, or physical
appearances
C. Patients with DID do not experience flat affect or illogical associations
D. All of the above choices are important to the differential diagnosis
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #78
79. Where is a person most likely to receive a diagnosis of dissociative identity disorder?
(p. 283) A. Great Britain
B. India
C. United States
D. Japan
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #79
80. Which group is most likely to have dissociative experiences within and outside the United States?
(p. 283) A. Latinos
B. Europeans
C. Africans
D. Israelis
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #80
81. Most studies have found that people with dissociative identity disorder have a history of which of the
(p. 283) following?
A. Sexual or physical abuse
B. Kidnapping
C. Religious persecution
D. War
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #81
82. Which of the following is the most common contributor to dissociative identity disorder?
(p. 283- A. Genetic predisposition to the disorder
284)
B. Chronic physical or sexual abuse during childhood
C. Low socio-economic family status
D. Being diagnosed with several other disorders
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #82
83. Jamie's mother's boyfriend repeatedly abused her. She has episodes in which she finds herself in
(p. 279- strange places and is unsure how she got there. People, whom she did not know, call her by a different
285)
name. What kind of symptoms is Jamie most likely experiencing?
A. Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms
B. Dissociative identity disorder symptoms
C. Acute stress disorder symptoms
D. Generalized anxiety disorder symptoms
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #83
84. When does treatment for dissociative identity disorder appear to be most effective?
(p. 285) A. When the treatment is begun during childhood
B. When the treatment is begun during early adolescence
C. When the treatment is begun during late adolescence
D. When the treatment is begun during early adulthood
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #84
85. Which of the following is a treatment goal for dissociative identity disorder?
(p. 285) A. Helping clients to create a hierarchy of traumatic experiences and learning relaxation techniques to
handle the stressors
B. Helping the client work through the trauma to integrate all the alternative personalities into one
coherent personality
C. Identifying the traumatic experiences and implementing a behaviour modification program to
reward or punish the alters
D. Helping the host concentrate on health-enhancing behaviours using exercise and dietary
supplements
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #85
86. Which of the following techniques is used heavily in psychotherapy to contact alternative
(p. 285) personalities?
A. Channeling
B. Dream analysis
C. Hypnosis
D. Memory exercises
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #86
87. Which of the following is true of patients with dissociative identity disorder who are able to integrate
(p. 285) their personalities?
A. They are likely to relapse with more serious problems
B. They are likely to remain relatively free from the DID symptoms and reduce their use of
medications
C. They still struggle with symptoms of other psychological disorders
D. They are encouraged to discontinue psychotherapy to measure the effectiveness of the treatment
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #87
88. Dissociative fugue is characterized by which of the following?
(p. 285) A. Inability to remember important information
B. Suddenly picking up and moving to a new place, assuming a new identity, and having no memory
of the previous identity
C. Major memory loss resulting from structural damage to the brain
D. Extreme emotional distress that result in major dissociative experiences
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #88
89. Verna has no idea how she ended up in her current surroundings. She feels comfortable and is not
(p. 285- bothered by the fact that she cannot remember her past. What is Verna most likely experiencing?
286)
A. Fugue state
B. Dissociative state
C. Amnesic state
D. Unconscious state
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #89
90. All of the following are true concerning dissociative fugue, except:
(p. 286- A. A person who experiences fugue may return to his/her previous identity and home
287)
B. A fugue state has the potential to last for days or years
C. Persons experiencing fugue states also suffer from multiple personalities
D. Recovering from a fugue states does not mean that the person will remember all events
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #90
91. Fugue states appear more common among people who have had which of the following experiences?
(p. 287)

A. Severe childhood sexual abuse


B. Chronic emotional and physical abuse
C. Experimentation with illegal drugs
D. A history of amnesia that includes amnesia resulting from head trauma
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #91
92. Which of the following statements is true of dissociative fugue?
(p. 287) A. Clinicians typically use many of the same techniques for treating DID and dissociative fugue
B. Dissociative fugue is a prevalent condition
C. Dissociative fugue is very common among adolescents
D. Dissociative fugue is treatable as long as the clinician obtains an appropriate case history
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #92
93. Steven left his home abruptly without taking any of his belongings. He relocated to the next town.
(p. 286- However, he had difficulty understanding how he ended up in his new surroundings. Several months
287)
later he returned to his old home with no memory of his absence. Steven will be most likely be
diagnosed with which of the following disorders?
A. Schizophrenia
B. Dissociative identity disorder
C. Dissociative Fugue
D. Depersonalization disorder
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #93
94. Dissociative amnesia is characterized by which of the following?
(p. 287) A. The person suddenly taking flight, moving to another area, and creating a new identity
B. One or more distinct personalities vying for control of the person
C. A person consistently feeling outside him/herself
D. The person having an inability to remember specific events, time periods, or personal information
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #94
95. What is the primary difference between the amnesia in dissociative amnesia and dissociative fugue?
(p. 285-
289)
APeople with dissociative amnesia typically leave home and create a new life for themselves in
. another area, whereas people with dissociative fugue do not take flight and create new identities
BPeople with dissociative fugue typically leave home and create a new life for themselves in another
. area, whereas people with dissociative amnesia do not take flight and create new identities
C People with dissociative amnesia typically create alternative personalities, whereas people with
. dissociative fugue typically do not create new identities
D People with dissociative fugue typically create alternative personalities, whereas people with
. dissociative amnesia do not create new identities
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #95
96. Which of the following is correct of amnesia?
(p. 287- A. Organic amnesia and psychogenic amnesia both involve anterograde amnesia
288)
B Organic amnesia involves anterograde amnesia and psychogenic amnesia involves retrograde
. amnesia and rarely involves anterograde amnesia
C. Organic amnesia and psychogenic amnesia both involve retrograde amnesia
D Organic amnesia involves retrograde amnesia and psychogenic amnesia involves anterograde
. amnesia and rarely involves retrograde amnesia
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #96
97. Karen had a hiking accident that resulted in head trauma. She now has difficulty remembering new
(p. 287) information. What type of amnesia resulted from Karen's accident?
A. Anterograde
B. Infantile
C. Hysteria
D. Retrograde
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #97
98. Marsha has an early onset of dementia. It is becoming increasingly difficult for her to remember
(p. 287- her past. Sometimes she forgets her children's names. What type of amnesia is Marsha most likely
288)
suffering from?
A. Anterograde
B. Infantile
C. Hysteria
D. Retrograde
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #98
99. Which of the following is true concerning organic amnesia?
(p. 287) A. Organic amnesia is often caused by psychosocial factors
B. Organic amnesia typically involves anterograde and retrograde amnesia
C. Organic amnesia is caused by trauma resulting from brain injury
D. Organic amnesia results from early childhood unconscious conflicts
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #99
100. Korsakoff's psychosis is characterized by which of the following?
(p. 288) A. Global retrograde amnesia associated with severe alcohol consumption
B. Anterograde amnesia resulting from structural damage to the brain
C. Anterograde and retrograde amnesia due to organic and psychological factors
D. A fugue state that results in the loss of identity and the creation of a new identity
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #100
101. Which of the following statements is true?
(p. 289) A. Psychogenic amnesia frequently occurs following the consumption of red wine
B. Malingering is not a problem when diagnosing amnesia
C. Approximately 25 to 45 percent of people arrested for homicide claim to have amnesia
D. Most perpetrators of homicide appear to be in psychotic state during and after the incident
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #101
102. Depersonalization disorder is characterized by which of the following?
(p. 289) A. The person suddenly taking flight, moving to another area, and creating a new identity
B. One or more distinct personalities vying for control of the person
C. Experiences in which the person feels detached from his/her mental processes or body
D. The person's inability to remember specific events, time periods, or personal information
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #102
103. Michelle feels as though she is floating outside her body. She is seemingly aware of her environment.
(p. 289) What type of experience is Michelle most likely having?
A. Depressive experience
B. Depersonalization experience
C. Somatic experience
D. Psychotic experience
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #103
104. Which of the following is the least likely to be associated with depersonalization?
(p. 289) A. Alcohol use
B. Drug use
C. Sleep deprivation
D. Poor diet
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #104
105. Most people who report depersonalization experiences also report all of the following, except:
(p. 289) A. Childhood cognitive deficits
B. Childhood emotional abuse
C. Childhood physical abuse
D. Childhood sexual abuse
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #105
106. Brown has a history of drinking heavily nightly before going to bed. One morning his family accused
(p. 288) him of kicking the dog, breaking several dishes, and being verbally abusive. Brown says he has no
memory of the incident. What is Brown's memory loss likely related to?
A. Korsakoff's psychosis
B. PTSD
C. Generalized anxiety disorder
D. Dissociative amnesia
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #106
107. Which of the following is not a dissociative disorder?
(p. 278- A. Korsakoff's syndrome
289)
B. Hypochondriasis
C. Dissociative identity disorder
D. Depersonalization disorder
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #107
108. Which of the following statements is false?
(p. 289- APsychiatrists surveyed in the United States and Canada found that less than one-quarter believe
292)
. strong empirical evidence exists that the dissociative disorders represent valid diagnoses
B. Critics argue that clinicians may reinforce a client's suggestibility that they are exhibiting
dissociative identity disorder symptoms
CThe idea that repressed childhood memories of sexual abuse can be recalled accurately in adulthood
. during psychotherapy has been validated and accepted across mental health professionals
D. Most of the evidence of repressed memories comes from studies of people who abused or self-
report abuse
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #108
109. Dissociation is a process in which different parts of an individual's identity, memories, or
(p. 276- consciousness become split off from one another.
277)
TRUE
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #109
110. A group of disorders in which people experience significant physical symptoms for which there is no
(p. 262) apparent organic cause are somatoform disorders.
TRUE
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #110
111. A woman who believes she is pregnant but physical examination and tests confirm she is not would be
(p. 262) diagnosed with a factitious disorder.
FALSE
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #111
112. Psychosomatic disorders are medical disorders in which people have a physical illness or defect
(p. 262) worsened by psychological factors.
TRUE
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #112
113. To fake a symptom or disorder in order to avoid an unwanted situation is called malingering.
(p. 262) TRUE
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #113
114. Factitious disorders are also referred to as the Munchausen's syndrome.
(p. 262) TRUE
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #114
115. People who suffer from factitious disorder by proxy include parents who have faked or created
(p. 262- illnesses in their children in order to gain attention for themselves.
263)
TRUE
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #115
116. People who lose sensory or motor functioning in parts of their bodies without an organic reason may
(p. 264) be experiencing conversion symptoms.
TRUE
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #116
117. A conversion symptom in which people lose all feeling in one hand is called complete anesthesia.
(p. 265) FALSE
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #117
118. According to Trevor Hurwitz, conversion symptoms are typically preceded by a psychotic episode
(p. 266) in which the individual uses the physical symptoms as a defense against increasing mental
instability.
FALSE
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #118
119. A person with somatization disorder has complaints only about chronic headaches.
(p. 267) FALSE
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #119
120. People with pain disorder complain about chronic pain.
(p. 268) TRUE
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #120
121. Someone diagnosed with body dysmorphic disorder is preoccupied with a part of his/her body that he/
(p. 273- she believes is falling off.
274)
FALSE
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #121
122. Dissociative identity disorder is also known as multiple personality disorder.
(p. 278- TRUE
282)

Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #122
123. A person who has multiple personalities that are trying to control each other has an alter ego
(p. 280- association disorder.
282)
FALSE
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #123
124. The multiple personalities seen in DID are also referred to as alters.
(p. 280- TRUE
282)

Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #124
125. The function of the child alter in DID is typically to handle abuse that the host is unable to handle.
(p. 280- TRUE
281)

Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #125
126. The alter personality in DID that is the protector is called the saviour personality.
(p. 280- FALSE
281)

Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #126
127. A person with dissociative fugue will suddenly pick up and move to a new place, assume a new
(p. 285- identity, and have no memory of his/her previous identity.
287)
TRUE
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #127
128. Fugue refers to the complete loss of memory.
(p. 285- FALSE
287)

Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #128
129. Psychogenic amnesia is caused by brain injury, drug overdose, or accidents.
(p. 287- FALSE
288)

Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #129
130. Forgetfulness is a term used for the inability to remember new information.
(p. 287- FALSE
288)

Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #130
131. The inability to remember information from the past is known as retrograde amnesia.
(p. 287- TRUE
288)

Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #131
132. People who have frequent episodes in which they feel detached from their own mental processes or
(p. 289) bodies may be diagnosed with depersonalization disorder.
TRUE
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #132
133. _____________ is a process in which different parts of an individual's identity, memories, or
(p. 276- consciousness become split off from one another.
278)
Dissociation
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #133
134. A group of disorders in which people experience significant physical symptoms for which there is no
(p. 262) apparent organic cause are called ___________.
somatoform disorders
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #134
135. A woman who believes she is pregnant but a physical examination and tests confirm she is not would
(p. 262) be diagnosed with _______________.
pseudocyesis
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #135
136. Medical disorders involving physical illnesses worsened by psychological factors are known as
(p. 262) __________.
psychosomatic disorders
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #136
137. To fake a symptom or disorder for external gain is called __________.
(p. 262) malingering
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #137
138. To deliberately fake an illness to gain medical attention is called ______________________.
(p. 262) factitious disorder
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #138
139. Factitious disorders are also referred to as ___________.
(p. 262) Munchhausen's syndrome
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #139
140. Susan fakes the illness of her daughter to gain attention for herself. This condition is called
(p. 262- ___________.
263)
factitious disorder by proxy
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #140
141. Today, Anna O's disorder would be called _________.
(p. 264- conversion disorder
266)

Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #141
142. A conversion symptom in which people lose all feeling in one hand is called __________.
(p. 265) glove anesthesia
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #142
143. A person must have pain complaints in at least 4 areas of the body to receive the diagnosis of
(p. 267) ____________.
somatization disorder
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #143
144. _____________ and ___________ are quite similar and may be variations of the same disorder.
(p. 267- Somatization disorder; hypochondriasis
273)

Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #144
145. People with _____________ are excessively preoccupied with a part of their bodies that they believe
(p. 273- is defective.
274)
body dysmorphic disorder
Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #145
146. The new name for multiple personality disorder is ___________.
(p. 276- dissociative identity disorder
280)

Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #146
147. Multiple personalities with distinct qualities are referred to as _______.
(p. 280- alters
281)

Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #147
148. The alter that does not age along with the individual is referred to as the ______.
(p. 280) child alter
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #148
149. A ____________ inflicts pain or punishment on the other personalities.
(p. 281) persecutor personality
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #149
150. The alter personality that is the protector is called the __________ personality.
(p. 281) helper
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #150
151. _____________ is a condition in which a person suddenly picks up and moves to a new place,
(p. 285- assumes a new identity, and has no memory of his/her previous identity.
286)
Dissociative fugue
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #151
152. People who have large gaps in their memory or knowledge of themselves, but are aware there are gaps
(p. 287- are said to have ____________.
288)
dissociative amnesia
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #152
153. ____________ is caused by brain injury resulting from disease, drugs, accidents, or surgery.
(p. 287) Organic amnesia
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #153
154. The loss of the ability to remember new information is known as ___________ amnesia.
(p. 287) anterograde
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #154
155. The loss of the ability to remember information from the past is known as ______________
(p. 287- amnesia.
288)
retrograde
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #155
156. A person who feels detached from him/herself and the environment is experiencing ___________.
(p. 289) depersonalization disorder
Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #156
157. What are some of the challenges a psychologist might have in diagnosing dissociative fugue?
(p. 285-
287)
Key terms and concepts that may be included in student responses:

• fugue states may be common in people who are highly hypnotizable


• no accurate estimate of the prevalence of fugue states
• the disorder is rare
• potential problems in gathering a case history

Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #157
158. Differentiate between somatization disorder and pain disorder.
(p. 267-
268)
Key terms and concepts that may be included in student responses:

• somatization disorder-characterized by a long history of complaints about physical symptoms; no


medical causes can be found; symptoms must present in 4 pain areas (pain symptoms, gastrointestinal
symptoms, sexual symptoms, neurological symptoms)
• pain disorder-characterized by complaints of chronic pain in 1 or more anatomical sites;
psychological factors play an important part in the onset and maintenance of the pain

Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #158
159. Differentiate between somatoform disorders, psychosomatic disorders, malingering, and factitious
(p. 262- disorders.
264)

Key terms and concepts that may be included in student responses:

• somatoform disorders-characterized by a long history of complaints about physical symptoms;


no medical causes can be found; symptoms must be present in 4 pain areas (pain symptoms,
gastrointestinal symptoms, sexual symptoms, neurological symptoms)
• psychosomatic disorders-actual physical illness or defects are present; psychological factors
exacerbate the problem
• malingering-people faking symptoms or disorder for external gain; no psychological or physical
problems exist
• factitious disorder-symptoms or illnesses are faked to gain medical attention; factitious disorder by
proxy-deliberate faking of symptoms or illnesses of another person to gain attention for oneself
• examples should be representative of diagnostic criteria

Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #159
160. Sydney was a popular 17-year-old who attended a suburban high school near Washington, DC. During
(p. 273- the spring of her senior year, Sydney became preoccupied with her appearance and began to look
275)
constantly for her own image in windows and mirrors. In particular, Sydney began to notice that
her nose was abnormally shaped. Her friends all told her that she was crazy when she expressed her
concern, so she stopped talking about it to them. She began to apply makeup in an attempt to offset
what she believed to be the contemptible contour of her nose. She started wearing her hair loosely,
holding her head down much of the time so that her face was partially obscured, and brushing her
hair excessively to encourage it to fall forward around her face. Her distress grew and she repeatedly
begged her parents to let her have surgery to correct the shape of her nose, which by now she regarded
as hideous. Her pleas turned to volatile arguments when her parents told her that her nose was fine
and that they would not agree to surgery. Sydney started finding excuses not to go out with her friends
and refused to date because she could not stand the thought of anyone looking at her up close. She
stayed home in her room, staring for hours in the mirror. She refused to attend her senior prom or
graduation ceremony. After high school, Sydney got a job as a night security guard, so that she could
isolate herself as much as possible and not been seen by others. During the next seven years, she had
five surgeries to correct the shape of her nose. Each time, she became even more dissatisfied and
obsessed with her appearance. Although everyone who knew Sydney thought she looked fine, she
remained obsessed and tormented by her "defect". According to your text, what diagnosis should
Sidney receive? Code the diagnosis on the correct axis and provide a brief overview of the disorder.
How would a cognitive-behavioural therapist treat this disorder?

Key terms and concepts that may be included in student responses:

• the correct diagnosis-body dysmorphic disorder (BDD); coded on Axis I


• body dysmorphic disorder-characterized by a preoccupation with a part of the body that is believed
to be defective; elaborate attempts to change these body parts; may lose touch with reality; may
develop severe impairment in functioning; depression, OCD symptoms
• treatment-challenge maladaptive cognitions about the body; exposure to feared situations concerning
the body; extinguish anxiety about the body parts (relaxation techniques); prevent compulsive
responses to body parts that are perceived to be defective

Learning Objective: 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 #160
161. Discuss the controversy that surrounds diagnosing dissociative disorders.
(p. 289-
292)
Key terms and concepts that may be included in student responses:

• dissociative identity disorder and dissociative amnesia appear to be the most controversial
• dissociative identity disorder-skeptics argue that the disorder is artificially created in suggestible
clients; clinicians are too quick to diagnose; can badger clients into believing they have the disorder
• dissociative amnesia-repressed memory of childhood sexual abuse associated with dissociative
amnesia may lack validity; unreliability of self-reports; opponents of repressed memory question the
methods and conclusions of studies that support repressed memories of childhood abuse

Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #161
162. Consider Anna O's (Bertha Pappenheim) case study presented in the text. How did this case study
(p. 261- contribute to our current understanding of somatoform disorders?
262)

Key terms and concepts that may be included in student responses:

• Anna O. suffered from what is now called somatoform disorder-physiological symptoms but no
organic cause
• Breuer argued the symptoms were the result of painful memories or emotions that Anna O. was
unable to confront, treatment included the " talking cure"
• Breuer collaborated with Freud in writing about Anna O.; descriptions of the talking cure launched
psychoanalysis as a form of psychotherapy; the case study was important to early theorizing by
Breuer, Freud, and other psychoanalysts

Learning Objective: N/A


Nolen - Chapter 08 #162
163. Your friend is writing a crime novel. His main character will commit homicide and claim amnesia for
(p. 287- the event. Your friend asks your help in making the amnesic scenario more believable. What can you
289)
tell your friend that would make his amnesic character's story credible?

Key terms and concepts that may be included in student responses:

• amnesia is considered either organic or psychogenic


• organic amnesia-caused by brain injuries (disease, drugs, accidents, or surgery); the inability to
remember new information (anterograde amnesia)
• psychogenic amnesia-caused by psychological factors; inability to remember past information
(retrograde amnesia)
• believability of the amnesia-retrograde amnesia; could be organic or psychogenic cause (get hit
over the head or cruel victimization); amnesia should include lost personal information; alcohol
intoxication can result in amnesia (person forgets only the events occurring during the period of
intoxication)

Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #163
164. Describe dissociative identity disorder. Include the symptoms, causes, and treatments.
(p. 278-
285)
Key terms and concepts that may be included in student responses:

• dissociative identity disorder-characterized by one or more distinct personalities vying for control;
each personality has a different way of preceding and relating to the world; each personality takes
control over the hosts behaviour on a regular basis
• prevalence of the disorder is approximately 1%; skeptics argue that the disorder is artificially created
in suggestible clients; clinicians are too quick to diagnose; can badger clients into believing they have
the disorder
• symptoms-multiple personalities or alters (child alter; persecutor personality; helper personality);
self-destructive behaviour; dissociative episodes (amnesic periods or blank spells); hypervigilance;
exaggerated startle response; outburst of anger; depression; severe anxiety
• causes-associated with sexual or physical abuse during childhood; other traumas include natural
disasters, war, famine, and religious persecution; alters serve as coping mechanisms; possible
biological influences; may run in families which suggests a biological influence
• treatments-psychodynamic-goal is to integrate alter personalities into one coherent personality;
identify functions of each alter and "work through" the trauma; hypnosis; drug therapy
(antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications); drug therapy used as an adjunct to supportive
psychotherapy

Learning Objective: 2
Nolen - Chapter 08 #164
08 Summary
Category # of Questions
Learning Objective: 1 79
Learning Objective: 2 84
Learning Objective: N/A 1
Nolen - Chapter 08 164
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
ogni bisogno che sia forte in lui o che egli abbia interesse a
diffondere. Ho quindi paura che anche l’idea di progresso sia una
idea rovesciabile o una illusione, come la bellezza, che dipende
dall’interesse. Ciascuno se la foggia a modo suo, come gli piace. Per
un filosofo il mondo progredisce quando cresce il numero delle teste
che si interessano ad problemi della metafisica; per un calzolaio,
quando diminuisce il numero dei piedi che vanno scalzi. Lei ha detto
che noi non siamo da più dei Romani solo perchè fumiamo e
beviamo del thè: ma non so se un mercante di tabacco o di thè
sarebbero dello stesso parere. Lei ha dimostrato che la nostra epoca
è la più progressiva della storia: si potrebbe rovesciare il suo
ragionamento e dimostrare che noi decadiamo. Lei diceva poco fa
che la Francia è vecchia e gli Stati Uniti sono giovani. E se,
capovolgendo la tesi, io dimostrassi che è meglio esser vecchi che
giovani, se la Francia è vecchia?
— Sarei proprio curioso di assistere a un simigliante spettacolo —
disse tra incredulo, sarcastico e impazientito l’Alverighi.
— Se non fosse troppo tedioso per tutti.... — rispose il Rosetti.
Protestammo tutti che no: il Rosetti si schermì un po’ mentre
l’Alverighi aspettava tacendo. Alla fine il Rosetti si decise e
incominciò:
— Gli Stati Uniti sono giovani, dunque: difatti crescono a vista di
occhi: in cinquanta anni si sono impadroniti di un continente vasto
come l’Europa; e non riposano ancora: infiltrano il Messico e il
Canadà; hanno ghermito in un baleno, di là dal Pacifico, le Filippine,
sorvegliano il Giappone e adocchiano la Cina. La Francia invece!
Vive sul suo piccolo territorio come il rigattiere nella sua piccola
bottega, fabbricando che cosa? dei busti, dei cappellini, dei profumi,
dei pettini, dei gioielli e altre simili frivolezze femminili, per non
parlare di altre risorse che.... Basta: ci intendiamo. Coltiva le arti, è
vero: e ammettiamolo, pure, in modo mirabile: ma insomma da un
popolo di quaranta milioni il mondo ha diritto di esigere qualcosa di
più che statue, quadri e mobili eleganti, specialmente quando questo
popolo possiede un così vasto impero. Ma che fa la Francia delle
sue colonie? Le cova amorosamente con gli occhi: ma non osa di
toccarle come un amante timido; fa mille progetti, li abbandona, li
ripiglia, poi alla fine si risolve a eseguirne uno: ma con quanta
prudenza, santo Iddio! Di qui a mill’anni forse quell’impero sarà un
impero. Se ci fossero gli Americani, invece! La Francia si spopola, e
gli Stati Uniti sino un milione di uomini hanno ricevuto in un anno
dall’Europa e dall’Asia e hanno dato lavoro a tutti! Sorvoliamo, se vi
piace, sull’indisciplina che si infiltra in tutti gli ordini sociali, sul vizio
dell’ubriachezza, sull’incremento di delitti: ma e i conflitti religiosi e
filosofici? In America religioni, sette e dottrine vivono accanto in
pace; Chicago, la città del grano e dei porci, ha persino convocato a
congresso, nel cuore delle immense e pingui pianure dell’ovest, le
religioni del mondo. Nella nuova Bisanzio, invece, i cattolici, i
protestanti, gli ebrei, i frammassoni, i liberi pensatori, i socialisti, gli
anarchici rissano furiosamente dalla mattina alla sera intorno a Dio,
alla giustizia, allo stato, alla morale, ai principii dell’educazione:
segno che la Francia non ha più nè religione, nè giustizia, nè stato,
nè morale, nè educazione; e non l’ha perchè invecchia; perchè
invece di uscire arditamente nel mondo alla gran gesta nuova degli
uomini che è la conquista della terra, si rincantuccia ad ascoltare
una infinita turba discorde di intellettuali gelosi, orgogliosi e fanatici,
che disputano rabbiosamente intorno a questi problemi insolubili!
L’America no: l’America conquista il mondo: opera e tollera, non
discute e perseguita!
— Tutte cose che mi paion vere, anzi verissime! — disse l’Alverighi.
Il Rosetti riaccese il sigaro spentosi nel discorrere; e mentre agitava
nell’aria il fiammifero per smorzarlo:
— Verissime? — rispose. — Aspetti un momento: e gliele rovescio
tutte. Non negherò che gli Stati Uniti abbiano fatte grandi cose: ma
con quali mezzi, se non vi dispiace! Quegli ottanta o novanta milioni
di uomini, quanti sono? hanno bisogno di stare al largo. Nove milioni
di chilometri quadrati, un territorio grande più che l’Europa, anzi
neppur questo basta: rosicchiano il Messico e il Canadà, hanno
prese le Filippine e adocchiano l’America del Sud. Alla grazia, che
appetito! Un po’ di discrezione, signori, vien voglia di dire: non ci
siete voi soli, nel mondo, se non vi dispiace; guardate la Francia,
quante cose essa sa fare sopra un territorio di poco più che
cinquecentomila chilometri quadrati: vasto appena quanto uno dei
vostri Stati. Intanto nutre quaranta milioni di uomini: senza
prodigalità americane, certamente: ma quando mai lo spreco fu da
lodare? E non li nutre soltanto: ma mantiene viva e vigorosa la più
completa tra le culture del mondo, perchè non le manca nessuna
delle parti che insieme compongono una civiltà: nè la letteratura, nè
l’arte, nè la scienza, nè la filosofia, nè il diritto, nè la gentilezza del
costume e dei modi, nè le armi, nè l’agricoltura, nè l’industria, nè il
commercio, nè il denaro e la banca. Procede a incivilire i nuovi
territori troppo lentamente, si dice: ma non c’è motivo di farne
meraviglia o rimprovero; perchè essa non sfrutta solo terre, miniere
e mercati, ma cerca di incivilire davvero, mutar cioè idee e
sentimenti. Ma che dico sulla terra? Anche nel cielo la Francia apre
nuove vie all’uomo. Chi ci ha insegnato a conquistare il firmamento e
non con il volo degli areoplani soltanto, ma anche con la volontà ed il
pensiero? Sicuro. Giudicate come volete la separazione delle Chiese
dallo Stato: ma nessuno negherà che tutti gli ardimenti e le novità
del passato scolorano a petto di questo, buono o cattivo che sia, lo
dirà l’avvenire.... Poichè con quella legge, per la prima volta nella
storia del mondo, un popolo si è tolto di sotto al protettorato di Dio e
ha osato incoronarsi sovrano di sè medesimo! No, la Francia non
conosce la tolleranza americana, e va lodata per questo: biasimata
invece per la sua tolleranza deve essere l’America dove nessuno si
cura delle altrui credenze e tutti vivono in pace, perchè tutti
prepongono i beni materiali ai beni ideali. La tolleranza americana è
figlia del materialismo. L’indisciplina — si dice — l’alcoolismo, il
numero dei delitti e dei divorzi.... Ma la vita è una cascata turbinosa
e non una elegante fontana di giardino: il disordine, come voi lo
chiamate, non è che l’impeto stesso con cui essa si muove dal
passato al futuro. Del resto vorremmo noi piuttosto ritrovare nel gran
territorio dell’America settentrionale otto o dieci Francie e ciascuna
con la sua Parigi: o preferiremmo che in tutta l’Europa stesse al
largo da sola un’altra America popolata di ottanta o novanta milioni
di uomini? È vero che gli Americani hanno conquistato in mezzo
secolo un continente grande come l’Europa: ma l’hanno conquistato,
lasciandosi alle spalle degli immensi deserti. Quanto più sicura,
anche se più lenta, di questa frettolosa e sommaria conquista, la
conquista dell’Europa, fatta a passo a passo, senza lasciare vuoto o
incoltivato, alle spalle, neppure un palmo di terra! No: l’americano
abbozza e non può che abbozzare. Per finire alla perfezione una
civiltà ci vogliono dei popoli preparati diversamente! Naturalmente la
popolazione non cresce molto e non può crescere, in Francia, come
non cresce e non può crescere in nessun paese di alta civiltà, come
non cresce, ad esempio, nella nuova Inghilterra. Non basta contarli
gli uomini: occorre anche pesarli....
A questo punto irruppero di nuovo sul ponte, gridando e
schiamazzando anche più di prima, ma precipitando dalla scaletta
del ponte superiore, i due mercanti astigiani e il codazzo che li
seguiva, ingrossato. Di nuovo fummo costretti a tacere.
— Mi pare che abbiano alzato tutti il gomito — disse il Cavalcanti.
E solo quando furono dileguati il Rosetti, sorridendo, riprese:
— E su questo metro, a volere, si potrebbe continuare per un pezzo!
Insomma dubito assai che si possa definire il progresso; perchè ogni
progresso guardato a rovescio è regresso. Chi non vuole ammettere
che il sandalo è mal fatto, può sempre dire, come Leo, che è
sbagliato il suo piede. Leo ci ha dato, senza saperlo, un piccolo
saggio di filosofia del progresso....
L’Alverighi non rispose: e per la prima volta prese la parola
l’ammiraglio che sino ad allora aveva ascoltato attentissimo, ma in
silenzio.
— A me pare tuttavia — disse — che un criterio sicuro per misurare
il progresso ci sia....
— E quale? — chiese il Rosetti.
Ma il condurre a termine una disputa di tanta ampiezza, in mezzo ai
tripudi della festa equatoriale, era impresa troppo difficile. In quel
momento sopraggiunse il Vazquez: e ci disse che erano le undici e
mezzo; che egli desiderava finire la giornata del passaggio bevendo
«una copa» in compagnia «de los savios del Cordova»; ci invitava
perciò a sospendere i dotti ragionamenti che avevano durato un bel
pezzo e ad andare con lui nella sala da pranzo. Dopo qualche
esitanza e vari complimenti cedemmo all’invito, seguendolo. Alla
mensa di mezzo riccamente imbandita il Vazquez fece sedere alla
sua destra la Gina: poi disse che il posto di sinistra era riserbato alla
signora Feldmann, se l’ammiraglio volesse esser così cortese da
cercarla per la nave e invitarla: l’ammiraglio acconsentì, pur
dichiarando di ignorare se fosse ancora in piedi ed uscì: noi ci
sedemmo a piacere. Nel mezzo della tavola infiorata si ergevano
parecchie bottiglie di Champagne, circondate da molte vivande
fredde: tra le quali carni e frutta della terra argentina che l’accorto
ospite aveva per amore della patria lontana disposte con arte tra le
altre vivande: quelle lingue di bue in scatola, che sono una delle
ghiottonerie più prelibate dell’Argentina: parecchie scatole della
deliziosa marmellata di mele cotogne che gli Argentini chiamano
«membrillo»: delle magnifiche e grossissime pesche sciroppate, che
venivano da Mendoza. Chiacchierammo aspettando la signora
Feldmann, che venne di lì a un momento, a braccio dell’ammiraglio
— invece di coricarsi, come aveva divisato, spaventata dal caldo e
dal chiasso si era rifugiata in un cantuccio del ponte superiore a
leggere — e appena essa si fu seduta, le bottiglie detonarono e
incominciò la cena. Il gustarne che facemmo ci trasse a discorrere
delle vivande argentine: tutti le lodammo e non per cortesia, ma
sinceramente; lieto e inorgoglito il Vazquez ci ringraziò, come fanno
spesso gli Americani quando sono contenti degli elogi tributati alla
loro patria, mostrandoci i tesori dell’Argentina: quegli infiniti tesori
che essa abbandona così volentieri a quanti osino venire da lungi a
farle una dolce violenza soltanto.
— Sono le più belle pesche del mondo, non è vero? — diceva in
spagnuolo. — Ebbene vogliono sapere quanto guadagna il mio
amico che coltiva queste pesche? Il conto è presto fatto.... Ogni
albero di sei anni produce circa seicento pesche: dieci pesche per
scatola fanno, per ogni albero, sessanta scatole. Ogni scatola, quel
mio amico, la vende mezza piastra. Il che fa trenta pesos di reddito
lordo per albero. Piantando trecento peschi per ettaro, e ci stanno al
largo, abbiamo un reddito di novemila pesos: un po’ meno di
ventimila franchi. La spesa necessaria a coltivarle e prepararle
ammonta a circa la metà: il profitto dunque, per ogni ettaro, è di
diecimila franchi. Diecimila franchi! Non c’è coltivazione al mondo più
lucrosa: nè l’alfalfa, nè il grano, nè il lino....
Questo discorso elettrizzò l’Alverighi, che:
— Tranne l’uliveto, però, tranne l’uliveto — corresse: e ci raccontò
come nella provincia di Mendoza un ettaro di uliveto poteva fruttare
perfino tredicimila franchi.
Il Vazquez confermò, aggiunse: chi mosse domande e chi fece delle
osservazioni: i nuovi discorsi furono appiglio all’Alverighi a rinvigorire
di più vistose pennellate il quadro della prodigiosa opulenza
argentina, che il suo amico aveva incominciato a tracciare
sobriamente: e così a poco a poco, in mezzo a un cinguettare
francese, italiano, spagnuolo, noi vedemmo il filosofo italiano voltato
in agricoltore e l’agricoltore argentino rimasto quel che era nato,
deporre ai nostri piedi, come in una visione, i tesori della vasta
repubblica. Con prolissità imaginosa e ineguale il primo, con l’enfasi
succinta e dignitosa propria dei signori di lingua spagnuola il
secondo, ci descrissero ambedue la nuova terra promessa: ci
trasportarono a volo sulla pampa infinita, cui è limite l’irraggiungibile
linea dell’orizzonte sempre eguale; tra i campi di alfalfa, sui quali la
falce taglia e ritaglia ogni anno, sin dove l’occhio giunge, l’erba dalle
foglioline d’oro; in mezzo al fervore delle mietiture, nelle estati
ardenti, quando la Cerere transatlantica vuota il grembo ricolmo di
spiche sulle provincie di Buenos-Aires, di Santa Fè e di Cordova; e
da villaggio a villaggio, mentre le trebbiatrici rombano, i mietitori
cantano e i convogli carichi di grano si avviano lenti verso il mare,
corre come un tripudio di vittoria: ci mostraron da lungi i floridi vigneti
di Mendoza, le verdi boscaglie tucumanesi della canna da zucchero,
i secolari boschi di quebracho così duri alla dura bipenne: ci
introdussero nella melanconica solitudine verde delle vaste
estancias, dove sugli alti e cupi boschetti di eucaliptus, sulle ruote
dei solitari mulini a vento giranti lontane, sui bassi tetti dispersi delle
stalle e sull’azzurro tremolare delle lagune passa alto, lento e nero
sul grande cielo turchino, il volo silenzioso dei grandi stormi di
uccelli. E sfilarono pure innanzi a noi, condotti quasi a mano e
chiamati per nome, gli orgogli dell’Argentina: quel tal shorthorn del
signor Alfredo Martinez de Hoz, quel tale Holmer II, razza di
Hereford, del signor Perreyra Iraola che, non so più in quale
esposizione, avevano debellati tutti i concorrenti inglesi: i progenitori
delle nuove razze che l’Argentina alleva per il mondo, famosi per la
eccellenza ed il prezzo: quel tal celeberrimo toro che fu pagato da un
argentino centodiecimila franchi, quarantamila franchi più che non
sia mai stato pagato dall’origine del mondo e in tutto il mondo
nessun animale cornuto: il famoso cavallo «Diamond Jubilee»
pagato a re Edoardo VII da Ignazio Correas un milione di lire: la
cabaña di quei milledugento montoni Lincoln di purissimo sangue,
tra i quali il signor Covo voleva, nelle stalle del signor Wright,
scegliere i campioni più belli; ma eran tutti così belli che li comprò
tutti, scrivendo sull’atto uno chèque di cinquantamila lire sterline. A
poco a poco fummo tutti arraffati da questo vortice pulverulento di
milioni: presto la conversazione trapassò al rincaro — o come si dice
in America — alla valorizzazione delle terre, alle fortune fatte
dormendo tranquillamente dai savi che seppero posare a tempo il
capo sopra una zolla della madre terra: e non in Argentina soltanto,
ma in Brasile e nell’America del Nord: e chi citò un fatto e chi un altro
e chi un altro ancora. Io solo tacevo: e pensavo.... Era l’effetto dei
discorsi fatti in tutta quella lunga giornata? Era l’effetto dell’avere
spensieratamente bevuto e il solito fenomeno che un primo principio
di ebbrezza suol far nascere in me, disponendo l’anima a un
melanconico senso della nullità di tutte le cose? Era effetto insieme
della filosofia rimestata in quel giorno e del troppo Champagne
bevuto? Non so: ma mi pareva che, volgendomi a guardare dalla
fine di quella lunga giornata equatoriale, alla luce dei discorsi che
avevamo tenuti in quei dì e nei precedenti, il mondo intero si
allontanasse come nel crepuscolo di un sogno.... Che cosa era
quell’equatore che noi avevamo tutto il giorno desiderato? Una linea
immaginaria. Tracciare con la mente una linea immaginaria,
desiderarla, sforzarsi di raggiungerla, tripudiare per averla
oltrepassata, quando nessun mutamento è stato operato
nell’universo.... Ma che altro sono la gloria, la potenza, la felicità, il
sapere? Che è la vita, se non un eterno passaggio dell’equatore, un
continuo sforzarsi per raggiungere qualche linea immaginaria;
immaginaria la bellezza, immaginaria la verità: immaginario il
progresso, immaginario tutto, anche.... In quel momento, per caso, la
signora Feldmann mi guardò, proprio mentre con la mano toccava
sul petto nudo le perle; e sorrise. Gesto usato come il sorriso: ma
non so perchè, il gesto e il sorriso mi parvero in quel momento
alludere discretamente, e per me solo che solo potevo capire, alla
falsità delle perle. Sì: anche la bellezza era dunque illusione.... E
perciò pure illusione l’amore? Mi sentivo l’anima tra oppressa e
beata, triste e gioiosa: ascoltavo distrattamente i discorsi e non
ristavo dal bere: mentre il mondo continuava ad avvilupparsi in una
mistica nebbia.... Quando a un tratto, l’Alverighi, come spesso
accade agli Europei arricchiti in America, fu preso dalla smania di
incitare alla ricchezza i neghittosi rimasti in Europa, raccontando e
quasi gridando in piazza le proprie fortune.
— Ma questo è nulla, a confronto di quel che abbiamo fatto e
faremo, il signor Vazquez ed io, nella provincia di Mendoza. Lo dica
lei, signor Vazquez.
E il signor Vazquez, composto e dignitoso, raccontò che quattro anni
prima egli e l’Alverighi avevano comprato nel territorio di San
Rafaele, da un inglese, centoventimila ettari ancora incolti tranne
mille ettari, sui quali passavano però tre ferrovie e che li avevano
comprati per cinque milioni: un milione all’acquisto: il rimanente in
quattro anni. Avevano poi domandato e ottenuto il diritto di acqua, a
condizione di scavare un certo numero di canali e di mettere le terre
a coltivazione, in dodici anni. Ma a questo punto l’Alverighi,
impaziente forse perchè il Vazquez parlava troppo lento e pacato, lo
interruppe, continuando egli:
— Ci siamo addirittura dissanguati, signori miei: sì, dissanguati: lui
cioè no, perchè è più ricco molto di me, ma io sì: mi son cacciato nei
debiti sino agli occhi; ma non importa! Abbiamo scavati i canali e
abbiamo incominciato a spezzettare ventimila ettari in piccoli lotti....
A quest’ora li abbiamo già venduti: duecentocinquanta lire l’ettaro:
abbiamo dunque pagata tutta la terra e ci restano centomila ettari....
Un bell’affaruccio, non è vero? Ma non siamo che al principio del
principio: il bello verrà tra qualche anno: andiamo appunto a Parigi a
cercare i capitali per fare altri canali e le strade, per iniziare alcuni
pueblos: faremo una società: e poi spezzeremo la proprietà in piccoli
campi per venderli a chi vuol coltivare la frutta.... Cinquanta milioni,
vogliamo cavarne: e creeremo la California dell’Argentina! Ma
perchè, ma perchè gli uomini si scervellano tanto in Europa per
guadagnar poche migliaia di franchi, arzigogolando tanti espedienti?
Perchè si contentano di raccogliere le briciole del banchetto sotto la
tavola, quando tanti posti sono ancora vuoti alla mensa di onore?
Vengano in Argentina, vengano tutti; per tutti c’è posto, laggiù;
comprino terre; son milioni sicuri, come è sicuro che domani il sole si
leverà! Non c’è rischio: il mondo avrà pur sempre bisogno di grano,
di carne, di lana: l’Argentina non teme nulla: succeda quel che vuol
succedere, le terre continueranno a crescere di valore, sinchè noi
che le abbiamo comperate o i nostri figli diventeranno per lo meno
miliardari.... Che paese! Che paese! E lei ingegnere, lei che è stato
ed ha fatto fortuna in America, pensa che il progresso è una
illusione? Una illusione quando si vedono di queste cose? di questi
portenti? di questi miracoli? Neghi il progresso, se le piace, quanto
vuole: ma oggi io, l’ultimo e il più oscuro degli uomini, perchè sono
emigrato in Argentina, io posso aver la gloria dei sovrani antichi. Io
farò quel che fecero Alessandro, Cesare, Augusto, Costantino; io
fonderò una città, sì una città nel mezzo di quel terreno; e le darò il
mio nome! Sarà da principio un pueblo: poi ingrandirà a città; e poi,
chi sa? un giorno sarà una capitale. E si chiamerà Alveriga!
Non so perchè, ma questo discorso, pieno di tanti particolari
concreti, mise in fuga quella dolce illusione e quel soave stordimento
che il mondo fosse tutto un bel sogno. Una realtà massiccia, solida,
greve e quasi brutale apparve a un tratto, in mezzo ai mistici fumi
dello Champagne, simile ad un iceberg nella nebbia: la ricchezza. E
mi sentii inquieto e come a disagio in faccia a me stesso.

IV.

Il giorno seguente, uscendo dalla cabina verso le dieci — nessuno fu


mattiniero quel giovedì — incontrai sul ponte di passeggiata
l’ammiraglio. Gli raccontai in succinto i discorsi fatti con la signora
Feldmann, e gli esposi, un po’ cautamente da prima, le riflessioni
maturate nella notte e durante la mattina. Come cioè quel pronto e
spietato sparlar del marito con il primo venuto non mi piacesse e mi
facesse un po’ diffidare delle smanie di cui ero stato testimone il
martedì sera. L’ammiraglio sorrise; e poi:
— Sa perchè — disse — ieri sera ho riso, a sentire che la signora
Feldmann dubita del cervello di suo marito? Perchè parecchie volte,
a Rio, il signor Feldmann mi ha detto che sua moglie era un po’
pazza!
E non aggiunse altro: ma le parole e più il tono con cui furono dette
mi confermarono, come supponevo da un pezzo, che l’ammiraglio
fosse meglio informato delle scissure della famiglia che non dicesse:
cercai quindi di farlo parlare.
— Ma lei è dunque amico della famiglia Feldmann? — chiesi.
Mi rispose che aveva conosciuto il marito, quando aveva condotta a
New-York l’armata brasiliana — i Loeventhal erano i banchieri del
Brasile — e che quando era venuto a Rio il Feldmann aveva cercato
di praticarlo molto, forse perchè era uomo che le grandi dignità e
posizioni abbagliavano assai. Mi raccontò pure che il padre del
Feldmann era un banchiere di Varsavia originario di Francoforte; e
che cugino del Loeventhal, già stabilito a New-York, era stato da
questo indotto, ai tempi della guerra di secessione, a concorrere ai
prestiti dell’Unione; che questi prestiti erano stati il principio di altri e
maggiori affari; che il giovane Federico, mandato presso i
Loeventhal a impratichirsi delle cose americane, era poi rimasto in
America. Mi disse infine che il Feldmann aveva accettato da un
consorzio di banche e dal governo l’incarico di studiare quel che
l’America settentrionale potrebbe tentare nella America meridionale,
per prepararsi ad entrar nella diplomazia della repubblica: «un altro
capriccio di mia moglie» diceva il marito: «una delle tante fantasie di
mio marito» diceva la moglie. Quando però tentai di farlo parlare
intorno alle intime cose della famiglia, ripetendogli la domanda già
fatta alcuni giorni prima, chiedendogli se marito e moglie andavano,
sì o no, d’accordo, mi rispose che lo pensava: ma con la stessa
imprecisione che mi sapeva di reticenza.
Mentre indugiavamo, passeggiando, in questi discorsi,
sopraggiunsero il Cavalcanti e l’Alverighi.
— Ammiraglio, — gridò l’Alverighi appena lo vide, — mi dica, mi dica
quale sarebbe secondo lei il criterio sicuro del progresso? Il mio
buon amico Vazquez capitò, ieri sera, cinque minuti troppo presto!
L’ammiraglio, che mi parve da principio un po’ impacciato da questa
irruente curiosità, si schermì alquanto; poi alla fine, arrossendo come
uno scolaro timido che deve subire un esame:
— Ma il mondo — disse — è un ordine.... Tutto vi obbedisce a leggi
immutabili; i pianeti che girano nello spazio! la palla che esce dalla
bocca del cannone! la pianta che cresce! l’elica che girando spinge
questa nave! l’uomo, il suo pensiero, i popoli, le civiltà!... A leggi
immutabili ma oscure, nascoste, difficili a scoprire: quindi l’uomo da
principio si imaginò che l’universo fosse un caos di forze capricciose;
e perciò ebbe paura, sragionò, inferocì, commise ogni sorta di follie
e di violenze. Fu ignorante, egoista e crudele. Ma i pianeti non
hanno aspettato che Newton e Keplero nascessero, per girare
secondo le leggi di Newton e di Keplero. E così l’uomo obbedisce
alle leggi della sua natura, anche quando le ignora: male e con molti
falli finchè le ignora, meglio e con maggiore precisione a mano a
mano che le conosce: quindi anche alla legge del progresso, che lo
spinge a passare dall’egoismo all’altruismo, dal disordine all’ordine,
scoprendo le leggi che regolano il meraviglioso ordine dell’Universo.
Prima crea le scienze matematiche, poi le scienze fisiche e
chimiche, poi le scienze biologiche; scopre le leggi del numero e
dello spazio, del movimento, della materia e della vita. Ora si
accinge a far l’ultimo passo.... Sta cioè investigando le leggi della
natura umana, e della vita sociale, per ridurre ad ordine anche il
caos delle passioni e degli egoismi, la famiglia come lo Stato....
«Ordine e progresso» sta scritto sulla bandiera gialla e verde del
Brasile.
— Augusto Comte, Augusto Comte! — dissi sorridendo. Avevo
riconosciuto il semplice e ingenuo spirito d’ordine dell’America latina,
nel fervore con cui l’ammiraglio annunciava al mondo il governo
universale della scienza.
— Lei immedesima dunque scienza e progresso — osservò il
Cavalcanti.
L’ammiraglio assentì: aggiunse che le conoscenze scientifiche si
potevano sommare, cosicchè c’era anche un criterio quantitativo del
progresso: tanto è vero che oggi uno studente di liceo è un fisico più
dotto di Galileo e un chimico più sapiente di Lavoisier. L’Alverighi
non consentì nè fece osservazioni; osservò solo che le ricchezze
dell’America sono state e sono il più possente motore del progresso
scientifico. Ragionammo poi di Augusto Comte.
— A proposito, — interruppe l’Alverighi — il signor Cavalcanti mi ha
detto che a Rio de Janeiro si pratica il Culto dell’Umanità fondato dal
Comte. Ci sarebbe perfino un tempio, costruito ad imitazione del
Pantheon di Parigi....
L’ammiraglio accennò di sì: il Cavalcanti disse che la repubblica è
stata fondata in Brasile dai comtisti: io raccontai che a Rio avevo
visitato in Rua Benjamin Constant il piccolo tempio dell’Umanità,
ragionando piacevolmente di molte cose con il gran sacerdote, il
signor Texeira Mendes. La campana ci chiamò alla colazione; alla
quale il Rosetti non era presente: ragionammo quindi di cose frivole,
prima; e poi di Maddalena e di Antonio. La mia signora era scesa
nella terza classe, la mattina, per vedere Maddalena e
raccomandarle di badare al medico più che al marito: ma con scarso
effetto. Essa ci raccontò che Maddalena si era a sua volta lagnata
del dottor Montanari, ripetendo parola per parola le accuse già
mosse da Antonio: come cioè il medico non le desse nessuna
medicina, si divertisse per farle dispetto a isolarla dai suoi compagni
di viaggio. «Sono forse una carcerata?» aveva detto. Si ragionò un
po’ degli stolidi errori in cui il popolo si incaponisce nelle cose della
medicina, della pervicacia con cui diffida dei dottori.... Ma il dottore
insistè a sostenere che Antonio voleva far morire sua moglie: il
Cavalcanti chiese per qual ragione Maddalena fosse così docile e
sottomessa al marito: la mia signora raccontò che anche prima di
andare in America Antonio comandava a bacchetta; e Maddalena, o
per debolezza, o perchè avvilita dalla sua colpa, ne subiva la volontà
prepotente. Ma qui tutti furono d’accordo nel dichiarare che
Maddalena era una sciocca, perchè insomma, sì, aveva commesso
un errore: ma non per questo era giusto cadesse, vita natural
durante, nella schiavitù del marito, il quale abusava veramente
troppo della sua ipocrita magnanimità. L’opinione si fece più avversa
ad Antonio: cosicchè neppure l’Alverighi aprì bocca per difenderlo.
Solo la mia signora osservò che Antonio aveva sempre trattato
benissimo, senza parzialità, come il suo, il figlio altrui; e infine pregò
il dottore di somministrare qualche droga, anche inutile, a
Maddalena, tanto per accontentare in lei l’ubbia popolare dei
farmaci. Finita la colazione, e dopo aver saputo che a mezzogiorno
eravamo arrivati al terzo grado e ventiduesimo minuto di latitudine
settentrionale, al ventisettesimo grado e trentottesimo minuto di
longitudine, ci ritirammo alla siesta.
Quando uscii verso le quattro mi parve che il «Cordova» rullasse un
poco: non ci badai: e incontrato il dottore, scesi con lui nella terza
classe per parlare con quella siciliana, vittima delle amorose smanie
dell’intendente paulistano. Era una donna di forse trenta anni — si
chiamava Orsola — bruna, alta, piuttosto bella, poveramente vestita;
ma aveva una faccia dura e in quella degli occhi mobili e inquieti,
che non mi piacquero. Invitata dal dottore mi raccontò prolissamente
e con innumerevoli divagazioni, parentesi e ripetizioni, in un italiano
infarcito di dialetto e di portoghese, la sua storia. Le chiesi perchè
non avesse ricorso al console italiano, e mi rispose che non
potevano uscire dalla fazenda, perchè erano sorvegliati; che non
avevano potuto scrivere perchè erano ambedue analfabeti; che non
avevano potuto far scrivere da qualche loro compagno di fazenda
perchè tutti avevano paura. Le chiesi perchè non si fossero fermati a
San Paolo, a far valere le proprie ragioni, invece di imbarcarsi
precipitosamente: mi rispose che se non fossero scappati sarebbero
stati accusati di furto e di truffa per i debiti che l’intendente
ingiustamente imputava loro. Tentai di dimostrarle che anzi, almeno
se le cose erano proprio andate come essa diceva, l’intendente
avrebbe potuto passare egli un brutto quarto d’ora! Ma non ci fu
verso: a lei lo aveva detto l’oste del villaggio vicino alla fazenda, che
stava in Brasile da trenta anni: e i miei argomenti si spuntarono
contro tanta autorità.
Risalii sul ponte di sopra, perplesso. Le risposte erano state pronte, i
particolari precisi, le diverse parti del racconto legate a dovere:
eppure.... Il racconto, non so perchè, mi metteva in sospetto. Ma
mentre, pensando a queste cose, salivo la scalette di prua, mi
accorsi che il vapore rullava e beccheggiava con forza. Guardai
l’Oceano: non era in furia, nè schiumante di marosi, ma dondolava
pacato, molle, gonfio, in valloncelli e montagnole, che non avevan
forza di rompersi. Eppure il vapore si moveva come in tempesta:
onde non fui punto sorpreso, quando la cameriera, passando, mi
avvertì che la mia signora si era sentita male. Corsi alla sua cabina;
le feci sorbire un certo farmaco contro il mal di mare che le aveva
prescritto nella traversate dall’Havre a New-York il medico della
«Savoie», efficacissimo; stetti presso di lei sinchè si assopì. Uscii
quindi sul ponte di passeggiata, che era deserto; salii sul ponte delle
imbarcazioni, sperando trovarci qualcuno: e difatti, dalla parte di
babordo, sotto vento, vidi seduti a cerchio l’ammiraglio, il Cavalcanti,
l’Alverighi: una quarta sedia stava vuota tra di loro. Al primo sguardo,
di lontano, dai gesti e dai volti, capii subito che discutevano
animatamente; e di fatti:
— Ma che la scienza sia falsa, poi, falsa per sua natura! — diceva
l’ammiraglio con impeto, quasi con sdegno, mentre io occupavo la
sedia vuota. — Le pare a lei, signor Ferrero, che il mondo sia un
gran disordine e che la scienza sia falsa? — aggiunse, scorgendomi,
e a modo di saluto.
— Alla grazia, che rovesciamento! — pensai tra me.
Il Cavalcanti mi raccontò come un’ora prima incontratisi tutti tre con il
signor Rosetti erano ritornati sul discorso fatto alla mattina intorno
alla scienza; e che allora il signor Rosetti aveva chiesto
all’ammiraglio se egli credeva, come il popolano, che la scienza
fosse vera, incominciando poi un discorso, per dimostrare che egli
era di questa opinione perchè seguace di Augusto Comte: e che
Augusto Comte aveva avuto il torto di non calcare la via aperta dal
sommo Kant e di non studiare le facoltà dello spirito prima di
adoperarle a scrutare il grande mistero; e quindi aveva commesso
l’errore di accettare il mondo quale glielo presentavano i sensi:
proprio come fa il contadino e l’operaio. Ma poi non aveva potuto
terminare la sua dimostrazione, perchè si era sentito indisposto e si
era ritirato.
— Ed io ne seguirò il nobile esempio — disse all’improvviso
l’Alverighi, che era stato (oh meraviglia!) sino allora zitto zitto. —
Questo è un mare impossibile.
E salutatici, se ne partì in fretta.
— Ci voleva il mal di mare — disse sorridendo l’ammiraglio — per
farlo star zitto!
Si alzò, si avvicinò al parapetto: guardò l’Oceano, scosse la testa.
— È quello che i marinai del suo paese chiamano il mare a
giardinetto.... Il mare morto, l’avanzo di una tempesta. Guardi l’onda
come batte di traverso, sul fianco, nella parte posteriore, dove negli
antichi velieri mettevano dei fiori, il giardinetto. Soltanto gli stomaci
forti resistono.... Mi rallegro con il suo. Ma la sala da pranzo sarà
deserta, questa sera.
Esplorò un istante l’Oceano e il cielo, con l’occhio indifferente e
sicuro del marinaio avvezzo a coteste vicende. Poi volgendosi verso
di me, d’improvviso:
— Ma dica, signor Ferrero: delle idee di quella fatta sono discusse
sul serio, oggi, dai filosofi?
Pago della dottrina del Comte, l’ammiraglio non aveva cercata altra
filosofia. E come ebbi fatto cenno di sì con il capo, mi guardò un
istante tacendo, scosse la testa, alzò le braccia, e poi:
— Ferrero, Ferrero! — disse. — Da venti anni il mondo non gira più
sul suo asse antico: noi non ci raccapezziamo più!
All’ora del pranzo anche il Cavalcanti era scomparso; e l’ammiraglio
ed io desinammo soli con il capitano. Mi coricai presto: mi alzai tardi
al mattino del venerdì e sino all’ora di colazione oziai tra il ponte
deserto e la cabina della mia signora, chiacchierando con lei,
leggicchiando, osservando il mare: il «mare morto» come l’aveva
definito l’ammiraglio. Aggettivo felice, perchè quel fluttuar senza
rompersi e spumeggiare rendeva proprio l’imagine di un mare senza
vita. Feci anche una visita al Rosetti, cui raccontai lo sbigottimento
dell’ammiraglio; e gli chiesi se veramente egli avesse affermato che
la scienza era falsa: ma scherzò intorno alle cose dette da lui, senza
spiegare il suo vero pensiero. A mezzogiorno, dopo una colazione
solitaria, giungemmo all’ottavo grado e dodicesimo minuto di
latitudine, al venticinquesimo grado e trentottesimo minuto di
longitudine. Mi ritirai per la siesta; e solo verso le quattro e mezzo
uscii, annoiato e rassegnato ad aspettare che il mare si tranquillasse
per ripigliar gli interessanti ragionamenti; quando verso le cinque,
salendo tanto per far qualche cosa sul ponte superiore, ebbi la
sorpresa di vedere, tranquillamente seduta sopra un seggiolone e
intenta a scrivere in un quinterno, la signora Feldmann.
— Ma bravissima! — esclamai. — Tutti malati, e lei no!
— Non le ho detto — mi disse sorridendo e tendendomi la mano —
che io ero nata per correre i mari?
Barattammo poche frasi banali; poi improvvisamente deponendo la
matita sulla carta:
— «Monsieur Ferrero, vous qui savez tant de choses», — mi disse,
sottolineando le parole con un grazioso sorriso.
— Mi vuol domandare un piacere — pensai, mentre mi sedevo e
respingevo con la modestia obbligatoria il complimento.
Difatti essa riprese:
— «Vous devriez me rendre un service».... L’ammiraglio la sa lunga
intorno a mio marito, ne sono sicura: ma a me non vuol dire niente.
Lo faccia cantare lei. Voi, uomini, sapete come si fa, tra di voi....
— L’ha indovinato — dissi tra me.
Ma avendo già invano scandagliato l’ammiraglio finsi di dubitare:
aggiunsi che vedrei, proverei, tenterei: finchè incoraggiato dalla sua,
avventurai finalmente a mia volta una domanda indiscreta ma
necessaria.
— Ma insomma — chiesi risolutamente — andava lei d’accordo con
suo marito, sì o no? Perchè non mi è riuscito ancora di capirlo: e
questo è, mi pare, il punto capitale. E chi può scioglierlo meglio di
lei?
Temevo di metterla in qualche impaccio; invece mi guardò attonita.
— Ma se glielo ho già detto — mi rispose. — Federico è stato
sempre il modello dei mariti o io non credo di essere stata una
cattiva moglie....
Assunsi dunque un fare un po’ dottrinale.
— Signora, lei parla con uno storico e la storia sa leggere perfino nei
pensiero dei morti. Si imagini, poi, dei vivi! Questo che lei mi dice
adesso non lega con troppe altre cose che lei ha raccontate a me o
a mia moglie....
E le rammentai tutto quel che essa aveva detto di suo marito a me o
alla mia signora, dicendole che uno storico da quegli acerbi
rimproveri argomentava profonde scissure nella famiglia, come
l’alpinista indovina nella montagna i crepacci dal colore della neve.
Mi ascoltò, attentissima e guardandomi fissa, come volesse ricevere
il mio pensiero per il doppio canale delle orecchie e degli occhi: poi,
come chi dopo alquanto stento e travaglio a un tratto capisce:
— Ma i guai — di subito esclamò — sono incominciati soltanto dopo
che andammo ad abitare in Madison Avenue!
La risposta era di tanta semplicità, che a mia volta non seppi
replicare se non chiedendole un po’ ironicamente dove abitava
prima.
— Nella 56ª strada, all’est, vicino al Parco.
— E dalla 56ª strada a Madison Avenue suo marito ha mutato pelle
allora?
— Altrochè! — mi rispose. — Si figuri, per esempio.... Io adoro due
arti, la pittura e la musica: e di queste, modestia a parte, un po’
m’intendo. Per esempio: quando entro in una esposizione o in un
museo, un’occhiata in giro e basta: il quadro bello della sala, lo
scopro subito. Ebbene: sinchè abitammo nella 56ª strada, mio marito
non vedeva i quadri che per gli occhi miei. «Non voglio visitar musei
ed esposizioni che in compagnia di Isabella», diceva sempre. E con
quanto piacere io facevo la sua educazione: e insieme facevamo
delle economie: e quando avevamo messo in disparte un gruzzolo,
via insieme in Europa a comprare! Dopo Madison Avenue, ahimè,
l’incanto fu rotto perfino nell’arte: lo scolaro si ribellò.
— Con infinita jattura del bello!
— Non rida, depravatissimo scettico! — protestò rabbiosetta. — Se
sapesse quanto ho pianto io, invece! — Soggiunse poi sospirosa: —
Fu in Madison Avenue che mio marito incominciò a sragionare come
quel signore che parla sempre lui.... Ogni settimana mi usciva in una
nuova pensata, bislacca e impossibile, che non legava con le
precedenti. Un giorno andava matto per le vecchie boiseries inglesi:
un altro giorno spasimava per le ceramiche giapponesi; un altro non
c’erano più al mondo che gli avori francesi, poi veniva la volta delle
maioliche di Faenza e della pittura francese del ’30. E comperava a
casaccio, roba bella e brutta, vera e falsa. Quanta ne ha comperata,
di falsa! Spesso poi, dopo averla comperata si accorgeva di non
saper dove collocarla; o era preso da una subita avarizia; non voleva
pagare la dogana americana, e me li lasciava in un deposito in
Europa. Ne abbiamo tanta di roba, sparsa qua e là, ai quattro venti!
«Quando so che è mia, mi basta: che bisogno ho di vederla tutti i
giorni?» ripete spesso, quando me ne lagno. Le dico solo questo,
perchè lei capisca le mie pene.
— Le sue pene, poi! Non esageriamo....
— Le mie pene, le dico. Vuole che non mi sanguinasse il cuore, a
vedere mio marito zimbello e preda degli antiquari e dei mercanti? A
me non dava più retta; perchè io non faccio mai complimenti, e gli
dicevo schietta schietta, in faccia, come era dovere di una buona
moglie, che facesse il suo mestiere, dei milioni cioè, ma che non si
mettesse a comperare delle cose belle, chè non ne capisce un’acca.
Lui invece, diventando ricco, si era messo in capo di essere un
grande conoscitore, come Nerone; e quella gente, che è furba come
il diavolo, ne hanno capito subito il debole. Quando non ci sono io,
gli appiccicano tutti gli scarti e gli orrori, a furia di dirgli che solo gli
Americani sanno scuotere il giogo dei pregiudizi accademici
dell’Europa; o di dargli ad intendere che quei tali oggetti si
venderanno tra qualche anno venti volte più cari. Proprio così: me ne
dispiace per lei che ha ancora delle illusioni; ma se lo tenga a mente:
un banchiere è sempre un banchiere. O non mi comperò un giorno
perfino un quadro di Van Gogh? Cubista addirittura mi diventava! Il
quadro però non varcò la soglia di casa mia: questa volta mi ribellai:
lo minacciai di....
E scoppiò in un’allegra risata, guardandomi con gli occhi scintillanti
di gaia malizia.
— Di che cosa lo minacciò, signora?
Non ci fu verso di saperlo. Sviò, sempre allegra, il discorso.
— Di solito però cedevo io, perchè questo è il destino di noi povere
donne. Ma disgraziata casa mia! Me ne ha fatto un bazar! Quando
penso che proprio allora dei denari ne avevamo a palate e avremmo
potuto comprar tanta bella roba!
«Dei denari ne avevamo a palate!» Incuriosito le chiesi allora
quando fossero andati ad abitare in Madison Avenue.
— Nel 1902 — rispose. Poi ripigliando il filo del suo discorso e
parlando veloce: — Per molti anni abbiamo vissuto alla buona. Mio
marito non ha ereditato da suo padre che sette milioni.
Feci un gesto di meraviglia, che essa intese.
— Sette milioni sono molti in Europa. Ma in America.... Alla banca
guadagnava assai, è vero: ma si figuri che alla morte di suo padre
stette per un momento in pensiero di lasciar la banca e diventar
professore di economia politica alla Columbia University! E magari
l’avesse fatto! Vivevamo in disparte, da buoni borghesi agiati, senza
far lusso e con pochi amici.... Quasi tutti professori di Università: di
Columbia, di Harward, di Princeton, di Jale. Io poi, a New-York ci
stavo solamente sei mesi: da novembre ad aprile. In principio di
aprile venivo in Francia con mia figlia: Federico mi raggiungeva a
luglio e passava con me, in Europa, tre mesi!...
— New-York dunque non le piaceva?
Ma la risposta fu inaspettata.
— Non saprei — disse, dopo aver esitato un istante. — Che mi
piacesse, proprio, proprio non lo direi. Ma neppure.... che mi
spiacesse. Ogni novembre, ci ritornavo volentieri e dicevo addio alle
colline dell’Havre con piacere.
— Perchè tanto era sicura di rivederle di lì a sei mesi.
— Forse. Ma insomma con le prime nebbie e i primi freddi
dell’autunno mi ripigliava la voglia di New-York. Mi pareva di partire
per un viaggio fantastico, alla volta di una città sconosciuta, posta

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