B1

Question 1

Life events

Life events

Answer 1

Life events are significant and relatively infrequent experiences/occasions in people’s lives that cause stress. They are stressful because we have to expend psychological energy coping with changed circumstances

Question 2

Life events

Holmes and Rahe

Answer 2

Holmes and Rahe (1967) developed the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS) to measure the effects of life events. It contains 43 items each with a life change unit (LCU) depending on the level of readjustment needed The LCUs of life events experienced in the past 12 months (for example) are added up to formulate a life events score.

Question 3

Life events

Rahe

Answer 3

Rahe (1972) suggested the following scores:
<150 = a 30% probability of experiencing a stress-related illness in the following year. 150-299 = a 50% chance.
>300 = an 80% chance

Question 4

Daily Hassles

Daily Hassles

Answer 4

Lazarus et al. (1980) noted that daily hassles are everyday irritations and frustrations that can get on top of us and cause us to feel stressed.

Question 5

Daily hassles

When we experience a daily hassle we:

Answer 5

When we experience a daily hassle we:
- think about how threatening the stressor is to our health (primary appraisal)
- think about how well-equipped we are to cope with the stressor (secondary appraisal)

Question 6

Daily hassles

kanner et al

Answer 6

Kanner et al. (1981) developed the Hassles scale which has 117 daily hassles from seven categories. You select all the hassles you have experienced that day and indicate the severity of the hassle on a scale of 1 to 3 (somewhat, moderately or extremely severe) then add up the severity scores to get a total score for that day. Kanner also produced the Uplifts scale (small daily ‘boosts’ that make us feel a bit better and counterme extent).

Question 7

Daily hassles

Daily hassles affect our health because…

Answer 7

Daily hassles affect our health because, unlike life events, they accumulate easily. Life events also create daily hassles so they are often experienced at the same time, amplifying their effects.

Question 8

The Work place

Role Conflict

Answer 8

Intra role conflict- two competing demants whilst trying to fulfill a single role e.g. line manager requires something versus a memeber of your team needs support.

Inter role conflict: Two competing demands from two different roles. e.g. parents vs employee,

Question 9

The workplace

Temprature / Loud noises

Answer 9

Temprater (too hot/ cold) and loud noises especially the ones you cannot control are workplace stressor.

Question 10

The workplace

Lack of control

Answer 10

Lack of control in the workplace leaves the person feeling they have no choice and cannot cope.

Question 11

Personality

Hardy personality

Answer 11

Hardy personality
Kobasa (1979) proposed that those with the ‘three Cs’ are more likely to thrive in stressful situations than those without: commitment (sense of purpose), challenge (welcome change as an opportunity, not a threat) and control (they actively try to influence their environment to make things happen when stressed).

Question 12

Personality

Type A vs. Type B personality

Answer 12

Friedman and Rosenman argued that Type A people (competitive, time urgent and hostile) are more likely to experience CHD than Type B people (relaxed, laid back and tolerant of others).

Question 13

Physiological responses

General adaptation syndrome

Answer 13

General adaptation syndrome
Selye (1936) argued that humans respond to all stressors in the same way physiologically (general), it is a response which aids survival (adaptation) and it is a cluster of symptoms (syndrome) = GAS.

Question 14

Physiological responses

How does the stress response progress?
(3 Stages)

Answer 14

Stage 1: alarm reaction (hypothalamus triggers adrenaline for fight or flight)
Stage 2: resistance (if the stressor continues the stress response uses up the body’s resources.
Stage 3: exhaustion (resources are depleted = illness).

Question 15

Physiological responses

Acute stress the SAM system: Sympathomedullary system

Answer 15

• Hypothalamus: The process begins in the hypothalamus, which triggers the autonomic nervous system (ANS).
• Sympathetic Branch: The ANS activates the sympathetic branch, which is responsible for preparing the body to respond to stress.
• Adrenal Medulla: Signals are sent to the adrenal medulla, part of the adrenal glands.
• Adrenaline Release: The adrenal medulla releases adrenaline (and noradrenaline), hormones that increase heart rate, breathing rate, and energy availability.
• Fight or Flight: These physiological changes prepare the body for a fight or flight response to handle immediate danger.
• Rest and Digest: Once the threat passes, the parasympathetic branch of the ANS helps the body return to a calm state.

Question 16

Physiological responses

Chronic stress (the HPA system)

Answer 16

• Hypothalamus: The hypothalamus detects the stressor and releases CRF (Corticotropin-Releasing Factor).
• Pituitary Gland: CRF signals the pituitary gland to release ACTH (Adrenocorticotropic Hormone).
• Adrenal Cortex: ACTH travels to the adrenal cortex, the outer part of the adrenal glands.
• Cortisol Release: The adrenal cortex releases cortisol, a hormone that manages prolonged stress by increasing blood glucose, suppressing digestion and immunity, and providing sustained energy.

Question 17

Personality and hormones

Gonadal hormones

Answer 17

Gonadal hormones (oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone) are produced by the gonads (the ovaries and testes) and influence stress.

Question 18

Personality and hormones

Why are women vulnerbale to stress?

Answer 18

Women are vulnerable to stress due to hormonal shifts at different times (e.g. PMS and PMDD during the ‘low-oestrogen’ phase of their menstruation cycles, puberty, taking oral contraceptives, postnatal stress, menopause)

Question 19

Personality and hormones

Why are men vulnerable to stress?

Answer 19

Men are also vulnerable to stress during ‘andropause’ - a time of decline in testosterone levels in older men.

Question 20

Stress and ill health

Innate immunity

Answer 20

Innate immunity: white blood cells (leucocytes) and natural killer (NK) cells that destroy tumour cells and cells infected with viruses

Question 21

Stress and ill health

Acquired immunity

Answer 21

Acquired immunity:
- lymphocytes recognise and destroy specific antigens.
- B cells produce antibodies that destroy antigens in the bloodstream.
- memory T cells recognise antigens and killer T cells destroy cells infected with antigens.

Question 22

Stress and ill health

Immunosuppression during chronic stress.

Answer 22

Immunosuppression during chronic stress. Stress can suppress the immune system directly e.g. cortisol produced by the HPA response inhibits production of lymphocytes, disrupting acquired immunity. Stress also suppresses the immune system indirectly e.g. it influences lifestyle behaviours (e.g. smoking, drinking, sleep) that in turn affect immunity.

Question 23

Stress and ill health

Stress hormones

Answer 23

Stress hormones (e.g. cortisol and adrenaline) can cause atherosclerosis (narrowing of arteries) by increasing the formation of fatty clumps (plaques) on artery walls = cardiovascular disease.