Which of the following statements about stress and health-related decision-making is most accurate?

• A. External factors such as advertising, social influence, and stress can significantly impact our choices regarding health products and treatments.
• B. Only genetic factors determine our decisions about health products and treatments.
• C. Stress has no effect on how we evaluate health information.
• D. Our decisions about health products and treatments are not really influenced by outside factors.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the role of stress in health-related decision-making. Stress can influence cognitive processes such as attention, memory, and evaluation, which in turn affect how we make choices about health products and treatments.
2. Step 2: Recognize that external factors like advertising and social influence play a significant role in shaping our health decisions by affecting our perceptions, beliefs, and motivations.
3. Step 3: Consider the impact of genetic factors. While genetics can influence predispositions, they do not solely determine our decisions about health products and treatments; environmental and psychological factors also contribute.
4. Step 4: Evaluate the statements by comparing them to psychological research findings on stress and decision-making, noting that stress does affect how we process health information and that external influences are important.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the most accurate statement acknowledges the significant impact of external factors such as advertising, social influence, and stress on our health-related choices.