Chapter 11 Flashcards
how do we often see the medical system traditionally?
- looked only specifically through the ABSENCE OF DISEASE
- only really focused on actual MEDICAL TREATMENTS/DRUGS
- patients are PASSIVE RECIPIENTS of disease
definition of WELL-BEING + HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY
WELL-BEING:
- a positive state that includes striving for optimal health and satisfaction
- involves the individual to play a MORE ACTIVE ROLE
HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY:
a field that INTEGRATES research on health and on psychology; involves the application of psychological principles to promote health and well-being
what is the biopsychosocial model?
- a model in which health and illness result from a combination of
BIOLOGICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, & SOCIAL FACTORS - differentiates from the traditional medical model/biomedical model of health
what are some disparities we can come across when it comes to our health?
we can have;
- RACIAL DISPARITIES
- LIFESTYLE DISPARITIES
what are some racial disparities?
- different cases of health when it comes to different ethic races
ex. black vs. white americans - greater susceptibility to certain diseases
- lack of access to affordable health care
- cultural factors of diet habits
what are some lifestyle disparities?
- ways of transport in different countries (ex. walking or riding a bike)
- the Western lifestyle
definition of OBESITY
a level of excessive body fat for an individual that places that person at risk for health problems
definition of BODY MASS INDEX
way to determine obesity—compares an individual’s weight to their height
- not really useful at an INDIVIDUAL LEVEL
(doesn’t consider other factors like age, sex, bone structure etc…)
what causes obesity?
- has various factors to consider;
1. OVEREATING - greater number of CALORIES being consumed rather than actual food
- greater number of processed foods
- greater availability of different food
- greater portions of food
2. SOCIAL + GENETIC INFLUENCES - can be socially contagious
- obesity runs in the family
- their environment determines as such, not soley on genetics
what’s the stigma around obesity?
lot of widespread shame surrounding the topic
- tend to avoid physicians who LECTURE about body weight
- some physicians have NEGATIVE ATTITUDE about patient being overweight
explain issues with restrictive dieting.
- dieting can eventually REGAIN WEIGHT
- BODY WEIGHT is regulated by a specific SET POINT + influenced by GENETIC INFLUENCE
- can slow down metabolism + use less energy
- “yo-yo dieting”: weight gain occurs even FASTER after weight loss/risk of bingeing
why is exercise so important?
it can help your body and benefit you PHYSICALLY, COGNITIVELY, and EMOTIONALLY
how does exercise improve physical health?
- MORE EXERCISE = LOWER RISK of cacners, heart problems etc…
- use of AEROBIC EXERCISE:
increase heart rate, lowers BP, and strengthens heart and lungs
how does exercise aid your thinking abilities?
- improves one’s COGNITION + MEMORY
- enhances brain memory formation areas
how does exercise benefit your emotions + mood?
- builds greater SELF-CONFIDENCE
- gets your NEUROTRANSMITTER SYSTEMS involved in reward, motivation, and emotion
definition of STIS
- known as SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS
- sexual contact and transmission of bacteria, virus, or parasite that causes infection
- can be treated quite fairly or no long term negative imapct
how to avoid STIS/have safer sex?
- ABSTAIN!!!!!!!!
- get info about your/partner’s sexual health
- recieve vaccinations against HPV
- barrier methods; condoms, female condoms, dental dams
dangers of smoking
- causes many health problems from heart disease, cancers, lung disease
- many begin during childhood
- addicted to the active drug of NICOTINE –can carry bad withdrawal symptoms
dangers of vaping
- doesn’t have tobacco
- greater amount seen in teens; creates greater susceptibility to cigarettes
- can cause serious lung injury
how to quit smoking?
- use specific prescription meds to reduce cravings (ex. drug Chantix)
- nicotine replacement methods
(nicotine gum, patches etc…)
definition of STRESS
- the set of behavioral, mental, and physical processes that occur as an organism attempts to deal with an environmental event or stimulus that it perceives as threatening
- has THREE COMPONENTS:
- STRESSOR
- STRESSOR RESPONSES
- MEDIATING FACTORS
definition of STRESSOR
an environmental event or a stimulus that an organism perceives as threatening
definition of STRESS RESPONSE + EUSTRESS + DISTRESS
behavioral, mental, and/or physical responses to stressors
- EUSTRESS
the stress of positive events - DISTRESS
the stress of negative events
definition of MEDIATING FACTORS
can increase or decrease the likelihood that a stressor will elicit a stress response
what are our TWO TYPES OF STRESSORS?
- MAJOR LIFE STRESSORS
- large disruptions that are typically unpredictable and uncontrollable events
- typically out of your control - DAILY HASSLES
- everyday irritations that cause small disruptions and can have effects that can add up to a large impact on health
what is GAS?
- known as GENERAL ADAPTATION SYNDROME
a consistent pattern of physical responses to stress that consists of three stages; alarm, resistance, and exhaustion
what are the stages of GAS?
- ALARM STAGE
- emergency reaction of the body; immediate bodily responses (fight-or-flight response)
- The immune system activates for protection to fight or run away - RESISTANCE STAGE
- stress can go longer than a temporary frightening experience
- preparation for a longer and more sustained attack vs. a stressor
- defenses maximized - EXHAUSTION STAGE
- body’s ability to respond to stress begins to decline
- immune system begins to fail
- more susceptibility
fight or flight response
- the physiological preparedness to deal with danger
- boosts physical abilities while reducing activities that make the organism vulnerable
tend-and-befriend response
- females’ tendency to respond to stressors by protecting and caring for their offspring and forming social alliances
- may be more of an effective means vs. trying to flee with offspring
how can stress and negative emotions increase risk of heart disease?
- bad coping mechanisms
- wear and tear of the heart
- overstimulation of the sympathetic nervous sys.
Type A vs. Type B Behvaiors
TYPE A
a set of characteristics describing people who are competitive, achievement-oriented, aggressive, hostile, restless, impatient with others, and unable to relax
**a strong predictor of heart disease/more likely to develop heart disease
TYPE B
a set of characteristics describing people who are noncompetitive, relaxed, easygoing, and accommodating
what is the TWO-PART APPRAISAL PROCESS?
- PRIMARY APPRAISALS:
- decisions about whether a stimulus is stressful or not
- is it something to stress about, or is it irrelevant?
- SECONDARY APPRAISALS:
- decisions about how to manage and respond to a stressful stimulus
what are the TWO TYPES OF COPING?
**EMOTION-FOCUSED COPING:
- a type of coping in which people try to prevent having an emotional response to a stressor
- basically trying to “numb” the pain
- avoidance, distancing yourself, stress eating etc…
**PROBLEM-FOCUSED COPING:
- a type of coping in which people take direct steps to confront or minimize a stressor
- trying to solve the problem head-front
- alternative solutions, tutoring, asking questions/help
**DOWNWARD COMPARISON:
- recognizing your situation isn’t as bad as someone else’s
*giving positive meaning to ordinary events
