Chapter 13 & 15: Personality and Stress Flashcards
stress
state brought on by any situation that threatens or appears to threaten a person’s sense of well-being, thus challenging the individual’s ability to cope
stressor
a situation/circumstance that triggers the stress response
acute stress
short term and definite endpoint
chronic stress
long terms and lacks definite endpoint
frustration
emotion felt when thwarted in the pursuit of a goals
pressure
expectation or demand that someone act in certain way
conflict
discomfort brought about by 2+ incompatible goals/impulses
approach-approach conflict
person just choose b/w 2 equally desirable options
avoidance-avoidance conflict
person must choose b/w two equally undesirable options
approach-avoidance conflict
when many available choices both have good and bad qualities
daily hassles
everyday annoyances
life changes
shifts that require adjustment
traumatic events
unexpected sever events that create extreme disruptions
posttraumatic stress disorder
anxiety disorder characterized by lingering, persistent, frightening thoughts/memories of event/depression
general adaptation syndrom
Hans Selye 3 stage response to stress
alarm and aroused, then resistance but susceptible to diseases of adaptation, exhaustion
primary appraisal
an evaluation of a situation to determine whether it poses a threat or not
appraisal to determine how sever your stress is
secondary appraisal
appraisal of one’s personal resources and ability to cope w/ a stressor
type A
competitiveness, impatience, anger, hostility
type b
less aggressive, more relaxed, less hostile than type a
type c
difficulty in expressing or acknowledging negative feelings
coping
efforts to manage, reduce or tolerate stress
problem-focused
strategies dealing directly with stressor such as changing stressor in some way
emotion focused
strategies focused on changing one’s feelings about the stressor
psychoneuroimmunology
area of study focusing on links b/w stress, immune system, health
stress slows down lymphocytes and reduces their ability to fight
norepinephrine helps slow functioning of immune system in face of high/continuing stress
cortisol lowers immune system functioning during periods of extended stress
distress
stress caused by unpleasant situations or circumstances
eustress
optimal level of stress needed to promote physical and psychological health