[Ch.3] Stress and Its Effects Flashcards
Define stress
Any circumstances that threaten or are perceived to threaten one’s well-being and thereby tax one’s coping abilities
What is primary appraisal
An initial evaluation of whether an event is
1) irrelevant to you
2) relevant but not threatening
3) stressful
What is secondary appraisal
An evaluation of your coping resources and options for dealing with the stress
What does ambient stress refer to
- Excessive noise, traffic, pollution
- Crowding
- Poverty
What is acculturation
Changing to adapt to a new culture
What are the three basic categories of stressors
Acute stressors, Chronic stressors, Anticipatory stressors
Acute Stressors
Threatening events that have a relatively short duration and a clear endpoint
Chronic Stressors
Threatening events that have a relatively long duration and no readily apparent time limit
Anticipatory Stressors
Upcoming or future events that are perceived to be threatening
What is internal conflict
Occurs when two or more incompatible motivations or behavioural impulses compete for expression
What are the three types of internal conflicts
> Approach-approach
Avoidance-avoidance
Approach-avoidance
What are the three levels in which we analyse people’s responses to stress
Emotional responses, Physiological responses, Behavioural responses
What is the relationship between emotional arousal and task performance
A moderate amount of emotional arousal is beneficial for performance - task performance should improve with increased emotional arousal (up to a point)
What is the optimal level of arousal for peak performance
As tasks become more complex, the optimal level of arousal tends to decrease
Lower for more complex tasks and higher for easier tasks
What is the fight-or-flight response
A physiological reaction to a threat that mobilizes an organism for attacking or fleeing an enemy
What is the Autonomic Nervous System
It’s made up of the nerves that connect to the heart, blood vessels, smooth muscles, and glands
What are the two divisions of the ANS
Parasympathetic and Sympathetic
What is the function of the parasympathetic division
It conserves bodily resources
(e.g. slows heart rate and promotes digestion)
What is the function of the sympathetic division
It mobilizes bodily resources for emergencies
(the fight-or-flight response is mediated by the sympathetic division)
Who is Selye
Hans Selye studied animals’ physiological reactions to unpleasant stimuli.
The pattern of physiological responses he observed was generally the same despite different stressful stimuli.
(he coined this response, stress)
What is the General Adaptation Syndrome
It’s a model of the body’s stress response - it describes the pattern of physiological response all species experience when responding to stress
What is the first stage of the general adaptation syndrome
Alarm - occurs when an organism recognizes the existence of a threat (shock; mobilizes resources)
What is the second stage of the general adaptation syndrome
Resistance - occurs if threat continues (heightened physiological arousal as coping efforts get under way)
What is the third stage of the general adaptation syndrome
Exhaustion - occurs if threat continues too long (bodily resources may be depleted and physiological arousal will decrease)
What is the function of brain-body pathways
They control our physiological responses to stress via signals to the endocrine system
Describe brain-body pathway 1
The hypothalamus activates the sympathetic division of the ANS which stimulates the adrenal glands which then release increased catecholamines into the bloodstream
Describe brain-body pathway 2
The hypothalamus sends signals to the pituitary gland which stimulates the adrenal glands to release increased corticosteroids (e.g. cortisol) into the bloodstream
Beilock (2010)
According to Beilock, choking under pressure tends to occur when worries about performance distract attention from the task at hand and use up one’s limited cognitive resources
Keinan (1987) found that stress disrupted two specific aspects of attention - what are they
1) It increased participants’ tendency to jump to conclusions too quickly
2) It increased tendency to not properly view all available options when solving a problem
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Involves enduring psychological disturbance attributed to the experience of a major traumatic event
Symptoms include:
> Re-experiencing trauma via nightmares, flashbacks
> Emotional numbing, alienation, problems in social relations
> Elevated arousal, anxiety, and guilt
What is an acute stress disorder
PTSD symptoms but for a shorter duration following trauma (3 days - 1 month)
What is an adjustment disorder
Emotional or behavioural symptoms in response to one or more stressors, causes distress (once stressor is terminated, symptoms must remit within 6 months)
Seery (2011)
Seery found that those who experienced moderate amounts of adversity were healthier than those who experience little adversity
Posttraumatic growth
Stress can promote positive psychological change
Mental toughness
Exposure to a moderate amount of stress can increase stress tolerance
What are the three main moderator variables influencing stress tolerance
Social support, Hardiness, Optimism
Emotional responses to stress
Typically involve anger, fear, or sadness.
But people also experience positive emotions while under stress
Physiological responses to stress
Autonomic arousal, hormonal fluctuation, neurochemical changes, etc. (e.g. pulse quickening, stomach knots)
Originally called the fight-or-flight response
Behavioural responses to stress
Involves coping, which may be healthy or maladaptive
Baumeister (1984)
Theorized that pressure to perform makes us self-conscious which decreases performance in one of two ways:
- Distraction
- Over-focus
Hardiness
A disposition marked by commitment, challenge, and control that is associated with strong stress resistance
Optimism
A general tendency to expect good outcomes
Social support
Various types of comfort and aid provided by members of one’s social network
