Chapter 13: Stress and Coping

Question 1

Compare the impact of stressful events and chronic stress

Answer 1

Stressful events are one time events (positive or negative) that can cause stress

Chronic Stress is a source of stress that occur continuously/repeatedly. People with more daily hastes have more physical and psychological symptoms.

Question 2

Identify the importance of perceived control

Answer 2

Events are most stressful when there is nothing we can do to fix them.

Study showed that people who had the option to turn off the loud music performed better while completing the tasks.

Question 3

Explain physical responses to stress

Answer 3

1. Fight of Flight
2. Stress Speeds aging and negatively impacts health
3. General Adaptation Syndrome
4. Cause Immune Response

Question 4

Fight or Flight

Answer 4

1.Hypothalamus
2. Releasing Factor
3. Pituitary Gland
4. ACTH through blood
5. Adrenal gland
6. Cortisol (increase glucose in blood to fuel muscles) and Catecholamines (increase sympatric NS and decrease paratympanic NS so more oxygen can go to muscles)

Question 5

General adaptation Syndrome

Answer 5

1. Alarm Phase - fight or flight
2. Resistance Phase- body ties to cope with stressors by shutting down unnecessary processes
3. Exhaustion Phase: body’s resistance shuts down

Question 6

Stress and Aging

Answer 6

chronic stress can decrease telomer length, speeds up aging

Question 7

Immune Response

Answer 7

Stress can cause release of hormones (glucocorticoids) to flood brain and wear down immune system so you get sicker easier

relates to social status

Question 8

Cardiovascular Health

Answer 8

chronic stress can lead to increase blood pressure with will gradually damage blood vessels, type A men more likely to have heart attack, hostility is good for predicting heart attacks

Question 9

Identify possible psychological responses to stress

Answer 9

Primary Appraisal: is this stressful or not?
Secondary Appraisal: is this a threat or a challenge?

chronic stress can lead to burnout

Question 10

Repressive Coping

Answer 10

avoiding things that remind you of stressors to maintain artificial positive viewpoint

Question 11

Rational Coping

Answer 11

facing stressor and working to overcome it
1. accept stressor exists
2. exposure (think about stressor)
3. understand the stressor

Question 12

Reframing

Answer 12

find a new way to think about the stressor

Question 13

Mediation

Answer 13

internal contemplation
improve control over attention
teach how to accept immediate experience
increase telomer length

Question 14

Relaxation

Answer 14

consciously relax muscles to reduce tension

Question 15

Biofeedback

Answer 15

external device to gain control over body functions

Question 16

Aerobic Exercise

Answer 16

increase heart rate and oxygen intake
decrease depressive symptoms

Question 17

Social Support

Answer 17

aid gained by interaction with others
female tend to respond to stress by tend-and-befriend (women live longer)
isolation = hit harder by flu

Question 18

Religious Experiences

Answer 18

associated with positive health outcomes
lead to stronger social network
follow health teachings

Question 19

Humor

Answer 19

more tolerant to pain while laughing

Question 20

Scheduling and Activating

Answer 20

increased procrastination = increased stress

Question 21

Describe the interrelationship between the mind and body relating to illness.

Answer 21

We see that negative people tend to report more symptoms, but lots of people also underreport symptoms because they deny being sick

Illness can be prompted by stress

Question 22

Type A and B personalities

Answer 22

Type A: competitive orientation towards achievement, sense of urgency about time, strong tendency to fell anger/hostility

Type B: low levels of competitiveness, not urgent about time, not hostile

Question 23

Hardiness

Answer 23

sense of Commitment rather than alienation
Control rather than powerlessness
problems seen as Challenges not threats

hardy people are more stress resistant

Question 24

Optimism

Answer 24

healthier than pessimist
engage in healthier behaviors
can be learned