Ch.13 Health, Stress, & Coping

Question 1

Name 10 Behavioral Risks

Answer 1

1. High levels of stress
2. High BP (blood pressure) - as you get older, it’s going to rise
3. Smoking (cigarettes)
4. Abusing alcohol - over 2+ drinks a day
5. Overeating
6. Inadequate exercise (< 30mins, 3-4x/week)
7. Unsafe sexual behavior
8. Exposure to toxins, poisons, pesticides
9. (Exposure) Violence
10. Excessive sun exposure

Question 2

Define Stress

Answer 2

The changes that go on in a person, physically and mentally, as they attempt to adapt to an environment

Question 3

Define Stressor

Answer 3

Something that causes that stress reaction (ex. an event, taking a class you could have multiple exams, or own way of thinking of things)

Question 4

Name 3 Causes of Stress

Answer 4

1. Unpredictability
2. Pressure
3. Frustration

Question 5

Define Unpredictability

Answer 5

When events are unpredictable, no way to prepare

Question 6

Define Pressure

Answer 6

A stressful condition that occurs when a person must meet urgent external demands or expectations
Could come from external sources, such as parent, or internally

Question 7

Define Frustration

Answer 7

A negative emotional state that occurs when one is prevented from reaching a goal. (Ex. When your blocked from reaching a goal, frustration follows. Or when you’re about to reach a goal, you encounter an obstacle)

Question 8

Name ways of dealing with Frustration

Answer 8

1. Acting aggressively
2. Displaced Aggression
3. Escape

Question 9

Define Displaced Aggression

Answer 9

Redirecting aggression to a target other than the actual source of one’s frustration. You take it out on a substitute target - a person/recipient (they are called the “Escape Goat”)

Question 10

Define Escape

Answer 10

Reducing discomfort by leaving frustrating situations or by psychologically withdrawing from them. Drugs, compulsive behavior.

Question 11

Define Conflict

Answer 11

Think of it as choosing between two alternatives. A stressful condition that occurs when a person must choose between incompatible or contradictory alternatives.

Question 12

Define Approach-Approach Conflict

Answer 12

When you have to choose between two appealing (positive, desirable) alternatives

Question 13

Define Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict

Answer 13

Choosing between two unappealing (negative, undesirable) alternatives

Question 14

Define Approach-Avoidance Conflict

Answer 14

When you have a choice to make, there’s an appealing aspect and there’s an unappealing aspect. Being attracted to and repelled by the same goal or activity

Question 15

Define Primary Appraisal

Answer 15

Your initial appraisals, meaning “is this situation threatening?”, when you first see/notice a stimuli. Deciding if a situation is relevant to oneself and if it is a threat.

Question 16

Define Secondary Appraisal

Answer 16

How to deal with the primary appraisal of the danger. Deciding how to cope with a threat or challenge

Question 17

Define Defense Mechanisms

Answer 17

Normal healthy way to deal with stress. A habitual and often unconscious psychological process used to reduce anxiety

Question 18

Define Denial

Answer 18

A type of defense mechanism. Operates on a conscious level. Refusing to believe reality. Protecting oneself from an unpleasant reality by refusing to accept it or believe it.

Question 19

Define Repression

Answer 19

A type of defense mechanism. The unconscious equivalent of denial. You unconsciously block painful feelings and memories from your awareness (like when you’re traumatized). Unconsciously preventing painful or dangerous thought from entering awareness.

Question 20

Define Reaction Formation

Answer 20

A type of defense mechanism. Like Repression, but by exaggerating the opposite behavior (hiding the true feeling). Preventing dangerous impulses from being expressed in behavior by exaggerating opposite behavior.

Question 21

Define Regression

Answer 21

A type of defense mechanism. When you revert/go back to an earlier stage of development. Retreating to an earlier level of development or to earlier, less demanding habits or situations.

Question 22

Define Projection

Answer 22

A type of defense mechanism. When you have an undesirable quality (like you’re insecure) when you attribute that quality to/in other people. Attributing one’s own feelings, shortcomings, or unacceptable impulses to others.

Question 23

Define Rationalization

Answer 23

A type of defense mechanism. When you give an inaccurate explanation for your behavior. Justifying your behavior by giving reasonable and “rational,” but false, reasons for it.

Question 24

Define Intellectualization

Answer 24

A type of defense mechanism. Has nothing to do with intelligence. When a person overly relies on logic in the place of emotion. Separating emotion from a threatening or anxiety-provoking situation by talking or thinking about it in impersonal “intellectual” terms.

Question 25

Define Compensation

Answer 25

A type of defense mechanism. When you counteract/offset a weakness by excelling in another area. Counteracting a real or imagined weakness by emphasizing desirable traits or seeking to excel in the area of weakness or in other areas.

Question 26

Define Sublimation

Answer 26

A type of defense mechanism and Freudian favorite. This is when you work off unmet, frustrating desires or unacceptable impulses in an acceptable/appropriate way or activities that are constructive.

Question 27

What are two main desires and impulses of Sublimation?

Answer 27

Sexual and Aggressive

Question 28

Give an example(s) of sexual impulse

Answer 28

Massage therapist, photographer of lingerie, a model

Question 29

Give an example(s) of aggressive impulse

Answer 29

Sports, law-enforcement

Question 30

Define Learned Helplessness

Answer 30

Major cause of stress and depression. A learned inability to overcome obstacles or to avoid punishment; learned passivity and inaction to aversive stimuli.

If you believe nothing gets better, leads to stress and depression.
If you believe the situation you’re struggling with now, will lead to more stress and depression.
If you believe if you’re failure to make anything better is all your fault, leads to stress and depression

Question 31

Define Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS)

Answer 31

A scale that rates the impact of various life events on the likelihood of illness. (pg.462)

Question 32

Define Type A Personality

Answer 32

Twice the likelihood of dying from heart disease or a heart attack. Get extremely anxious if things go at a slow pace. Hard for them to relax. A personality type with an elevated risk of heart disease; characterized by time urgency, anger, and hostility.
Successful in the business world.
Solution (Therapy) - give them another reason/characteristic for success and how damaging (health wise) it is, slow them down at a slow pace.

Question 33

Define Hostility related to Type A Personality

Answer 33

Most deadly/damaging, reacted when encountering a situation.

Question 34

Define Impatience related to Type A Personality

Answer 34

Consumed with doing more than one thing at at time, at a fast/quick pace.

Question 35

Define Cynicism related to Type A Personality

Answer 35

A negative, pessimistic person

Question 36

Define Hardy Personality

Answer 36

People who deal well with stress. A personality style associated with superior stress resistance.

Commitment to values (family, church, friends), challenge (look at obstacles as challenges to overcome, not catastrophes), control (feeling of having control over life. Believe (they) are responsible for what happens (to them))

Question 37

Define Locus of Control

Answer 37

Locus is a scale. A scale or questionnaire that measures how much control you think you have over things that happen to you.

Question 38

Explain the two types of Locus of Control

Answer 38

Internal and External

Internal: you feel the things that happen to you are in your control (less stressful - due to the ability of making it better)
External: you believe the things that happen to you are outside your control