9.04-9.05 Stress Flashcards
the physical, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral responses to events that are appraised as threatening or challenging
stress
stress-causing events
stressors
occurs when people experience unpleasant stressors
distress
beneficial stress that results from positive events that demand adaptation or change; the optimal amount of stress that people need to promote health and well-being
eustress
an unpredictable event that happens on a large scale and creates a huge amount of stress
catastrophe
the two men who believed that any life event that required change, adaptation, or lifestyle adjustment would result in stress
Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe
Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe’s scale for measuring stress
Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS)
the SRRS results indicate a link between stress and __ and __
illness and accidents
the daily annoyances that make up the bulk of the stress we experience
hassles
hassles are good predictors of __
short-term illnesses, such as headaches, colds, and backaches
the experience produced by urgent demands for a person’s behavior, coming from an outside source
pressure
most common form of pressure
time pressure
time pressure tends to decrease __ levels
creativity
occurs when a person is prevented from achieving a desired goal or fulfilling a perceived need
frustration
occur when a goal or need cannot be attained because of a person’s characteristics
internal frustrations
possible responses to frustration
persistence, aggression, displaced aggression, escape/withdrawal
continuing the efforts to get around the cause of the frustration
persistence
using actions meant to harm or destroy
aggression
taking out one’s frustrations aggressively on an available scapegoat; often directed at targets that are less threatening than the cause of a person’s frustration
displaced aggression
leaving the presence of the stressor, either by withdrawing psychologically or literally
escape
suggests that some form of frustration nearly always precedes aggression
frustration-aggression hypothesis
psychological escape into apathy, fantasy, or substance abuse
withdrawal
occurs when we find ourselves torn between completing desires or goals, can cause stress
conflict
conflict that typically does not cause much stress, because it requires a choice between two attractive goals
approach-approach conflict
stressful conflict between two undesirable choice
avoidance-avoidance conflict
a conflict generally involving one goal, and the decision to pursue it or not
approach-avoidance conflict
a conflict that requires a decision between two goals/options, both with benefits and drawbacks
double approach-avoidance conflict
a conflict that requires a decision between more than two goals/options, all with benefits and drawbacks
multiple approach-avoidance conflict
division of the nervous system responsible for automatic, involuntary, and life-sustaining activities
autonomic NS
two divisions of the ANS
sympathetic and parasympathetic
division of the ANS that reacts when the human body is subjected to stress
sympathetic
three actions of the sympathetic NS
- heart rate increases
- digestion slows down
- energy sent to muscles
division of the ANS that returns the body to normal functioning after stress has ended
parasympathetic
founder of the modern field of stress research
Hans Selye
Selye’s name for the body’s sequence of physiological reactions to stress
general adaptation syndrome (GAS)
three stages of GAS
alarm, resistance, exhaustion
GAS: activation of sympathetic NS; burst of energy; possible fever, nausea or headache
arousal
GAS: stress hormones continue to be released; analgesia
resistance
GAS: body’s resources gone; stress-related diseases may result; stressor ends and parasympathetic activity resumes
exhaustion
two most common diseases that result from stress
ulcer and high blood pressure
the nerve that normal alerts the brain when a pathogen has infected the body; the nerve is not active in the stress response, but the brain acts as though it has been stimulated by this nerve
vagus nerve
stress hormone that interferes with the proteins that prevent cancer
adrenaline / epinephrine
field that focuses on how our physical activities, psychological traits, and relationships affect our health and rate of illness
health psychology
his cognitive-mediational theory of emotions explains why people who interpret a stressor differently can have different responses to it; he also identified a two-step process for assessing the degree of harm of a stressor, and how one should react to it
Richard Lazarus
purpose of Lazarus’s primary appraisal
estimate the severity of the stressor and classifying it as a threat, a challenge, or a harm that has already occurred; at this stage, perceiving the stressor as a challenge, rather than as a threat, makes coping easier
purpose of Lazarus’s secondary appraisal
estimate one’s ability to cope with a harmful stressor
characteristics of the Type A personality
competitive, ambitious, workaholic, pressured to do well, easily upset
characteristics of the Type B personality
easygoing, slow to anger
the Type A personality trait most closely tied to disease
hostility
characteristics of the Type C personality
tend to internalize anger, find it hard to express negative emotions, pleasant on the surface, experience despair and loneliness
the disease most closely tied to the Type C personality
cancer
personality type for Type A people who seem to thrive on stress, rather than letting it wear them down
hardy (H)
people who tend to look for positive outcomes, generally live longer and have increased immune functioning
optimists
his research found that optimists are more likely to take preventative health measures, experience less psychological stress, and that they are less likely to become depressed or fall prey to learned helplessness
Martin Seligman
the lack of sufficient money to provide for the basic necessities of life; a significant stressor
poverty
occurs when prolonged stress results in mental and physical exhaustion
burnout
stress associated with adapting to a new or different culture; can result from having to deal with prejudice and discrimination
acculturative stress
response to acculturative stress: one maintains a sense of his/her original culture, but also forms positive relationships with the new
integration
response to acculturative stress: one abandons the old culture and complete adopts the new; leads to some stress, as culture is lost
assimilation
response to acculturative stress: one rejects the new culture and maintains the old completely; can be very stressful, especially if the separation is forced by discrimination, rather than voluntary
separation
individuals with few ties to the original culture or acceptance of the new
marginalized
coping strategy: working to eliminate the stressor, or to reduce its impact
problem-focused coping
coping strategy: changing the way one views or responds to the stressor
emotion-focused coping
performing mental exercises to refocus attention
meditation
