In Recent Years, There Have Been a Number of Cases

question 187

Multiple Choice

In recent years, there have been a number of cases where police officers have shot innocent, unarmed citizens. For example, not long ago, an officer of the LAPD shot a thirteen-year-old boy who was driving a car; the officer later stated that he thought the boy was driving the car toward him as a weapon (and he also stated that he did not register certain major facts of the situation that would have convinced him otherwise) . While the officer's behavior is in no way excusable, does his account line up with what we know about how stress affects behavior?

• A) No, it doesn't; stress actually improves people's ability to take in and process information.
• B) No, it doesn't; stress does not have any net impact (either positive or negative) on people's ability to take in or process information.
• C) Yes, it does; research shows that extreme stress can narrow attention and focus so much that people completely fail to register important and relevant pieces of information.
• D) Yes, it does; research shows that extreme stress can broaden attention and focus so much that people end up "taking it all in" but not being able to register the most important, relevant pieces of information.

---

Definitions:

Poverty Rate

The proportion of a population living below the national poverty line, indicating the percentage of people experiencing economic hardship.

Official Poverty Line

The minimum level of income deemed necessary to achieve an adequate standard of living in a given country, used to identify individuals and households in need of assistance.

Minimum Food Bundle

The minimum set of food items required to meet the nutritional needs of an individual or family, often used in assessments of poverty and food security.

Department of Agriculture

A government body responsible for developing and executing policies on farming, agriculture, and food.