Chapter 15: Stress Flashcards
Define Stress (Lecture Definition)
The result of a perceived discrepancy between a required demand and the available resources.
What are the 4 CAUSES of stress?
Pressure Frustration Conflict Danger
What are the 3 types of conflict?
approach-approach, avoidance-avoidance, approach-avoidance
What is an approach-avoidance type of conflict?
When you are being asked to decide between different options with both advantages AND disadvantages.
What is the difference between approach-approach and approach-avoidance conflicts?
Approach-Approach: equally good options
Avoidance-avoidance: equally bad options
There are 5 kinds of stressor categories outlined in the textbook. What are they?
Daily hassle, life events, chronic negative events, traumatic events, special socio-cultural conditions
What are the two main pathways for the physiological response to stress?
The sympathetic nervous system pathway and the HPA axis pathway.
Explain the sympathetic stress response pathway?
The SNS activates the medulla which releases (no)epinephrine which sends the body into a state of alarm. Very fast.
Explain the HPA axis pathway
Hypothalamus stimulates the Pituitary gland which makes ACTH to stimulate the Adrenal gland to make cortisol increasing the levels of energy in the body. Takes a couple minutes.
What is the name of the stress scale measuring life events?
Social Readjustment Scale
Explain the basic mechanisms of the Social Readjustment Scale
Researchers made a list of (primarily) negative and positive life events with appropriate points, and made tiers of stress levels depending on how many points a participant earns.
What are some groups which would be affected differently for the same life events.
People of different socioeconomic backgrounds would experience the same life events differently. Different age groups experience different life events.
What are the 3 stages of the General Adaptation Syndrome?
Alarm Resistance Exhaustion
What characterizes the Resistance level in the General Adaptation Syndrome?
The body is at an elevated rate of arousal but is stabilized, can last up to years.
In the General Adaptation Syndrome, what are the two stages with the lowest level of arousal?
Alarm and Exhaustion.
What kind of emotional responses arise from stress?
Primarily negative ones.
What are the 3 stages of a cognitive response to stress.
Primary appraisal, secondary appraisal, response.
What is the difference between primary and secondary appraisal?
Primary appraisal evaluates the problem while secondary appraisal evaluates our resources.
What are the four areas of individuality affecting the stress response?
autonomic reactivity, explanatory style, personality, social support.
How does autonomic reactivity play into the difference in stress response.
Autonomic sympathetic systems may be more intense or sensitive depending on the person affecting how often and how much they get stressed.
How does one’s explanatory style influence the stress response?
Optimistic people feel less stress while pessimistic people feel more.
What are the three personality types
Types A, B, C
Which two personality types are less resistant to stress?
Types B, C
What characterizes type C personality?
They have a hard time acknowledging their feelings and turn their emotions inward. This can leave them vulnerable to stress as they can find themselves unable to manage it.
