Ch 14: Stress and Health Flashcards
asthma
psychophysiological disorder in which the airways of the respiratory system become obstructed, leading to great difficulty expelling air from the lungs
acculturative stress
the mental and emotional challenges of adapting to a new culture
internal attribution
the assumption that personal factors, such as an individual’s abilities, are the cause of an event or behavior
external attribution
assumption that situational factors, such as an individual’s physical environment, are the cause of an event or behavior
coping
mental or behavioral efforts used to manage problems relating to stress, including it’s cause and the unpleasant feelings and emotions it produces
cortisol
stress hormone released by the adrenal glands when encountering a stressor; helps to provide a boost of energy, thereby preparing the individual to take action
daily hassles
minor irritations and annoyances that are part of our everyday lives and are capable of producing stress
depression and heart disease
Patients with heart disease have more depression than the general population, and people with depression are more likely to eventually develop heart disease and experience higher mortality than those who do not have depression; the more severe the depression, the higher the risk.
eustress
good form of stress; low to moderate in intensity; associated with positive feelings, as well as optimal health and performance
fight-or-flight response
set of physiological reactions (increases in blood pressure, heart rate, respiration rate, and sweat) that occur when an individual encounters a perceived threat; these reactions are produced by activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the endocrine system
general adaptation syndrome (GAS)
Hans Selye’s three-stage model of the body’s physiological reactions to stress and the process of stress adaptation: alarm reaction, stage of resistance, and stage of exhaustion
hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis
set of structures found in both the limbic system (hypothalamus) and the endocrine system (pituitary gland and adrenal glands) that regulate many of the body’s physiological reactions to stress through the release of hormones
immune system
various structures, cells, and mechanisms that protect the body from foreign substances that can damage the body’s tissues and organs
optimism
tendency toward a positive outlook and positive expectations
primary appraisal
judgment about the degree of potential harm or threat to well-being that a stressor might entail
