Chapter 14: Stress and Health

Question 1

Stressors

Answer 1

events or chronic pressures that place demands on a person or threaten their well-being

Question 2

Chronic stressors

Answer 2

sources of stress that occur consistently ex. bullying, overwork, money troubles
-social stress
-loud noise with children
-neighbourhoods

Question 3

control over stressful events :perceived control

Answer 3

Lack of control over a situation
-Glass and singer tested loud vs quiet rooms during a task (problem solving and proofreading)

Question 4

stress

Answer 4

the physical and psychological response to internal and external stressors: typical responses to such stressors and the way to manage it

Question 5

physical stress reactions

Answer 5

fight or flight
-ACTH travels through the blood stream stimulating the adrenal glands then to the kidneys
HPA is released in the adrenal glands increasing the sympathetic nervous system

Question 6

Immune system to chronic stress

Answer 6

stressors can cause hormones to flood the brain- wears down the immune system not being able to fight invaders

Question 7

lymphocytes

Answer 7

white blood cells that produce antibodies that fight infection with T and B cells

Question 8

cardiovascular health: chronic stress

Answer 8

sensitive to stress
- high blood pressure
-addictions
-atherosclerosis: narrowing of the arteries build up on the inside

Question 9

stressful events
-Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe

Answer 9

Majour life events can cause an increase in stress and cause illness

Question 10

health psychology

Answer 10

concerned with the way psychological factors influence ones physical and mental illness

Question 11

General adaptation syndrome (GAS)

Answer 11

3 stage physiological stress response:
1. Alarm stage: rapid mobilization to a threat draw energy from fat/muscles
2. Resistance phase: shuts down digestion, growth, and sex drive stall, menstruation, all fun stuff is put to hold
3. Exhaustion phase: if it is long in the resistance phase the body will shut down and cause damage such as tumours, aging, organ damage, or death

Question 12

telomeres

Answer 12

caps at the end of chromosomes that prevent the chromosomes from sticking to each other

Question 13

telomerase

Answer 13

an enzyme that rebuilds telomeres.
people with chronic stress tent to have a shorter telomere

Question 14

type A behaviour pattern

Answer 14

tendency towards easily aroused hostility, impatience, a sense of time urgency, and competitive achievement

Question 15

two step process

Answer 15

the process of stress interpretation by lazurus and folkman
1. Interpretation of a stimulus stressful or not- primary appraisal (ex. spider on shirt
2. secondary appraisal determining whether the stressor can be handled or not

Question 16

Burnout

Answer 16

Emotional, physical, mental state that causes exhaustion from long term involvement

Question 17

rational coping

Answer 17

involves facing the stressor and working to overcome it
ex the lady with OCD
3 steps
acceptance
exposure
understanding

Question 18

repressive coping

Answer 18

avoiding feelings, thoughts, or situations that are reminders of a stressor and maintaining a positive viewpoint

Question 19

reframing

Answer 19

finding a creative and new way to think about a stressor that reduces stress

Question 20

stress inoculation training

Answer 20

technique used to help people cope through stressful situations by developing positive ways to think about it

Question 21

relaxation therapy and EMG

Answer 21

reducing tension by consciously relaxing the muscles of the body
electromyography- measure the activity of muscles

Question 22

biofeedback

Answer 22

external monitoring device to obtain info about the bodily functions and possibly gain control over that function

Question 23

electroencephalograph

Answer 23

test for brain waves and the response to stressful events

Question 24

optimism and hardiness

Answer 24

optimism- maintain of psychological health in the face of a physical problem

hardiness- commitment, control, and challenge

Question 25

self regulation

Answer 25

Voluntary control over the self to bring the self into line with preferred standards
(eating a salad instead of a burger)
(not sitting around all day and going to the gym)