Chapter 1 What is Stress?

Question 1

Who is Walter Cannon?

Answer 1

He was the researcher who first identified the stress reaction of fight-or-flight response

Question 2

Flight-or-fight response

Answer 2

the body’s stress reaction that includes an increase in heart rate, respiration, blood pressure, and serum cholesterol

Question 3

Stressors AKA stimulus

Answer 3

something with the potential to cause a stress reaction. triggers fight or flight response

Question 4

General adaptation syndrome

Answer 4

three stages of stress reaction described by Hans Selye

1. alarm reaction - being at a party buy having anxiety
2. stage of resistance - someone trying to get you involved but you sweat, heart rate increases
3. stage of exhaustion - can result in illness. you need to rest

Question 5

eustress

Answer 5

good things to which one has to adapt and that can lead to a stress reaction (such as a job promotion)

Question 6

distress

Answer 6

bad things to which one has to adapt and that can lead to a stress reaction (such as death of a loved one)

Question 7

relaxation response

Answer 7

a series of bodily changes that are the opposite of the stress reaction

Question 8

autogenic training

Answer 8

a relaxation technique that involves a sensation of heaviness, warmth and tingling in the limbs

Question 9

progressive relaxation

Answer 9

a relaxation technique that involves contracting and relaxing muscle groups throughout body

Question 10

bracing

Answer 10

the contraction of muscles for no obvious purpose

Question 11

neuromuscular relaxation

Answer 11

another term for progressive relaxation, involves a structured set of exercises that trains people to eliminate unnecessary muscular tension

Question 12

Holmes and Rahe developed what theory?

Answer 12

that stress occurs when a situation requires more resources than are available

Question 13

Delongis’s theory was…

Answer 13

considered routine stressful life events more signifiant than major ones that happen infrequently

Question 14

allostatic load (defined by McEwen)

Answer 14

the cumulative biological wear and tear that results from responses to stress that seek to maintain body equilibrium

Question 15

duration vs degree

Answer 15

duration is more important. the more smaller things that happen in a day can cause more stress than 1 big thing

Question 16

strains

Answer 16

the physical, psychological and behavioral outcomes of stress reactivity - examples are tension headaches and backaches

Question 17

males vs females with stress

Answer 17

females tend to exhibit nurturing activities designed to protect themselves and others in coping with stress and use social groups

males exhibit more fight or flight response

Question 18

stress

Answer 18

the combination of a stressor (stimulus), stress activity (muscle tension and blood pressure) and strain (headache)