chap 3 key terms

Question 1

acute stress

Answer 1

o Acute stress- a state of brief but intense physiological arousal in response to an immediate perceived psychological stressor that normally has no long-term negative effects on health and wellbeing.

Question 2

adrenaline

Answer 2

o Adrenaline- a neurohormone that’s released by the adrenal glands during the stress response, acting on the heart, lungs and muscles to optimise the body’s fight-flight-freeze response to the stressor by increasing heart rate, oxygenation of blood and blood sugar levels, and relaxing smooth muscles to open airways; also referred to as epinephrine.

Question 3

alarm-reaction stage

Answer 3

o Alarm-reaction stage- the first stage of Selye’s general adaptation syndrome response to stress, during which an initial physiological shock response changes to countershock, releasing cortisol and adrenaline to adapt to the stressor.

Question 4

approach strategy

Answer 4

o Approach strategy- any response to coping that involves direct engagement with the stressor; consisting of behavioural or psychological responses designed to change the nature of the stressor and/or how one thinks about it.

Question 5

avoidance strategy

Answer 5

o Avoidance strategy- any response to coping in which the person doesn’t address the problem directly; diverting attention away from a threat or disengaging from a problem to escape painful or threatening thoughts, feelings, memories, or sensations associated with the stressor.

Question 6

chronic stress

Answer 6

o Chronic stress- a state of prolonged physiological arousal in response to a persistent stressor that negatively affects health and wellbeing.

Question 7

context-specific effectiveness

Answer 7

o Context-specific effectiveness- in relation to coping strategies, the effectiveness of a strategy is influenced by the degree to which is provides a good match to the situation.

Question 8

coping

Answer 8

o Coping- the process of adapting ones thinking and/or behaviour to manage the demands of a stressful or unpleasant situation.

Question 9

coping flexibility

Answer 9

o Coping flexibility- the ability to stop an ineffective coping strategy and implement an alternative effective coping strategy.

Question 10

coping skills

Answer 10

o Coping skills- learned behaviours or techniques that help us solve problems or meet the demands of a stressor.

Question 11

coping strategy

Answer 11

o Coping strategy- a deliberate action or thought process used to manage a stressful or unpleasant situation and/or to regulate ones response to such a situation.

Question 12

cortisol

Answer 12

o Cortisol- the primary stress hormone secreted into the bloodstream; it enables adaptive changes to energise the body in response to a stressor; however, prolonged abnormal levels in the bloodstream can cause health problems.

Question 13

countershock

Answer 13

o Countershock- the stage of the alarm-reaction in Selye’s GAS model during which the sympathetic NS is aroused and adrenaline increases, triggering a defensive fight, flight or freeze response.

Question 14

distress

Answer 14

o Distress- a negative psychological response to a stressor that results from being overwhelmed by the perceived demands of a situation, loss or threat.

Question 15

eustress

Answer 15

o Eustress- a positive psychological response to a stressor that has been appraised as a challenge rather than a threat; characterised by positive psychological and physiological responses that allow the person to meet the challenge effectively.

Question 16

exhaustion stage

Answer 16

o Exhaustion stage- the last stage of Selye’s GAS model during which the adaptations made to resist the stressor break down, depleting the body of resources, causing symptoms such as increased risk of illness, sleep disturbance, fatigue and trembling.

Question 17

external stressor

Answer 17

o External stressor- a stressor that comes from external factors, which are forces that you cant easily control; examples include major life events, discovering your pay has been cut, urgent deadlines or an upcoming exam.

Question 18

Flight-or-fight-or-freeze response (FFF)-

Answer 18

o Flight-or-fight-or-freeze response (FFF)- the body’s automatic reaction to danger in which the autonomic NS mobilises energy and prepares the body for one of three responses. A) confront stressor (fight), b) escape stressor (flight), c) immobilise the evade detection and prepare (freeze)

Question 19

freeze response

Answer 19

o Freeze response- an automatic reaction to threat, controlled by the parasympathetic NS, that immobilises the body; adaptive to avoid detection from a predator and allowing time to respond; maladaptive when the response is so overwhelming that it prevents further adaptive action.

Question 20

General adaptation syndrome (GAS)

Answer 20

o General adaptation syndrome (GAS)- the physiological model of the stress response proposed by Hans Selye which describes three stages of alarm reaction (shock/countershock), resistance (or adaptation) and exhaustion.

Question 21

gut-brain axis

Answer 21

o Gut-brain axis (GBA)- The network of bidirectional communication pathways that allows communication between bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, includes communication via chemical transmission through the bloodstream, neuronal and hormonal pathways, and via the immune system; causes disorders within the gut to affect the brain and vice versa.

Question 22

gut microbiota

Answer 22

o Gut microbiota- the system of microorganisms, including bacteria, that live in the gastrointestinal tract, playing important roles in digestion and metabolism; also affecting brain health and functioning through extensive connections between the enteric NS and the central NS.

Question 23

internal stressor

Answer 23

o Internal stressor- a stressor that is internal, such as stress-inducing thoughts from ones psychological mindset or expectations or behaviours; examples include putting pressure on yourself to be perfect or fear of public speaking.

Question 24

noadrenaline

Answer 24

o Noradrenaline- a neurohormone that’s produced in the brainstem and adrenal glands; as a hormone it works together with epinephrine to support the stress response, constricting arteries to increase blood pressure, heart rate and blood sugar levels; as a neurotransmitter it is released in response to emotional arousal and enhances the learning and memory for emotionally arousing events, also referred to as norepinephrine.

Question 25

physiological stress response

Answer 25

o Physiological stress response- the biological responses to stress that tend to follow the same patterns, regardless of the type and severity of the stressor.

Question 26

primary appraisal

Answer 26

o Primary appraisal- in the transactional model of stress and coping. The first judgement we make when evaluating whether a situation poses a threat, harm, or challenge; followed by secondary appraisal.

Question 27

psychological stress response

Answer 27

o Psychological stress response- the cognitive, emotional, and behavioural responses to stress; is subjective and unique to an individual.

Question 28

resistance stage

Answer 28

o Resistance stage- the second of the three stages of Selye’s GAS, during which the increase in cortisol and adrenaline, and other physiological changes, are stabilised to maintain the defensive response to the stressor; also called the adaptation stage.

Question 29

secondary appraisal

Answer 29

o Secondary appraisal- in the transactional model of stress and coping, the judgement we make after primary appraisal to evaluate our ability and resources to cope with the stressor.

Question 30

shock

Answer 30

o Shock- the first stage of the alarm-reaction in Selye’s GAS model during which the initial acute physiological response to the stressor occurs, causing a rapid drop in body temp, blood pressure and muscle tone as though the body is injured.

Question 31

stress

Answer 31

o Stress- the physiological and psychological responses that a person experiences when confronted with a situation that is threatening or challenging.

Question 32

stress responses

Answer 32

o Stress responses- a set of physical and psychological responses that are automatically set in motion when the sympathetic NS is activated following the perception of a threat.

Question 33

stressor

Answer 33

o Stressor- an object, entity or event that causes a feeling of stress.

Question 34

transactional model of stress and coping

Answer 34

o Transactional model of stress and coping- a model that proposes that stress is a subjective experience that varies between individuals depending on how they interpret the stressor and perceive their own ability to cope with it.

Question 35

vagus nerve

Answer 35

o Vagus nerve- the tenth cranial nerve that is the major communication route in the gut-brain axis, extending from the brainstem to provide parasympathetic innervation to many organs, including the gut and digestive organs.