Chapter 15 - Health & Stress Flashcards
an interdisciplinary approach to medical treatment that integrates behavioral, medical, and social knowledge to increase life expectancy and enhance quality of life
behavioral medicine
psychologically based aspect of behavioral medicine
health psychology
physical and mental response to threatening or challenging events
stress
event that a person perceives as threatening or challenging
stressor
temporary state of stress that varies in intensity
acute stress
long-lasting state of arousal during which a person feels that he or she doesn’t have the resources available to meet all of the demands placed upon him or her
chronic stress
field that investigates the physical environment’s effects on behavior and health
environmental psychology
low-level, positive type of stress that helps a person perform a task or achieve a goal
eustress
prolonged, negative type of stress characterized by a challenge being perceived as a daunting obstacle
distress
physiological response to stressors, triggered by the amygdala, in which the body becomes prepared for action
fight-or-flight response
a response to stress that consists of three stages: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion
general adaptation syndrome (GAS)
an unpredictable, large-scale event
catastrophe
state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion created by long-term involvement in an emotionally demanding situation and accompanied by lowered performance and motivation
burnout
minor nuisance that, when combined with other small problems, can create a stressful environment
hassle
condition characterized by the clogging of the vessels that nourish the heart muscle
coronary heart disease
personality type characterized by a competitive, impatient, verbally aggressive, easily angered nature
type A
personality type characterized by an easygoing, relaxed nature
type B
type of white blood cell
lymphocyte
disorder characterized by physical symptoms that do not have an identifiable cause
somatoform disorder
symptom such as chronic fatigue or hypertnesion that is caused by psychological reactions to stress
psychophysiological (“mind-body”) illness
disorder in which a person becomes so preoccupied with minor symptoms that he or she develops an exaggerated belief that the symptoms are indicative or a life-threatening illness
hypochondriasis
somatoform disorder characterized by the sudden, temporary loss of a sensory function
conversion disorder
somatoform disorder characterized by vague, unverifiable symptoms such as dizziness and nausea
somatization disorder
strategy that helps a person reduce or minimize the effects of stressors
coping strategy
thoughtful interpretation and evaluation
cognitive appraisal
person’s initial evaluation of the seriousness of a stressor and the extent of the demands it will put on that person
primary appraisal
person’s reassessment of a stressor that focuses on the actions he or she needs to take and the resources that will help him or her overcome the stressor
secondary appraisal
coping strategy that involves facing a stressor directly and working to overcome it
rational coping
coping strategy that involves finding a new or creative way to think about a stressor that reduces its threat
reframing
coping strategy that involves maintaining an artificially positive viewpoint and trying not to think about the stressor
repressive coping
coping strategy that involves a person’s foreseeing a potential stressor and considering it in terms of how he or she has previously handled similar stressors, what he might do similarly in the situation, and what he has learned from past mistakes
anticipatory coping
coping strategy that involves a person’s attempting to alleviate stress directly, either by eliminating the source of a stressor or by changing the way he or she behaves in stressful situation
problem-focused coping
coping strategy that involves a person’t attempting to alleviate stress by avoiding the stressor and soothing stress-related emotions
emotion-focused coping
therapeutic technique in which clients are taught how to evaluate and cope with various stressors and are then exposed to increasingly stressful situations in a controlled environment to strengthen these coping mechanisms
stress inoculation
refers to the way in which a person explains events to himself
explanatory style
sustained exercise that increases heart and lung fitness
aerobic exercise
system for measuring and reporting physiological states
biofeedback
therapeutic technique that involves alternately tensing and relaxing muscles in the body and practicing breathing exercises in order to relieve tension
relaxation therapy
consists of reduced muscle tension, cortical activity, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure
relaxation response
