Chapter 16: Health & Stress Flashcards
1
Q
good stress vs. bad stress
A
good stress: beneficial, motivating us to work to achieve our goals and even enhancing our functioning
bad stress: reduce motivation and impair functioning
2
Q
eustress
A
good stress: external circumstances, internal emotional experiences, and bodily responses that can be beneficial and motivating
3
Q
distress
A
bad stress: external circumstances, internal emotional experiences, and bodily responses that can be harmful, reducing motivation, and impair functioning
4
Q
Hans Selye
A
eustress and distress
5
Q
marriage, having or adopting a child, getting a promotion at work, or being confronted with manageable challenges
A
eustress
6
Q
being the victim of a crime, the loss or death of a loved one, failing a test, or experiencing challenges that you feel are beyond your capacity
A
distress
7
Q
Yerkes-Dodson Law
A
outlines an inverted U-shaped curve for the relationship between stress and performance; too little or too much stress impairs performance (very little empirical evidence)
8
Q
Maximal Adaptability Model
A
emphasizes that humans and other organisms are actually highly adaptive to stressors and can maintain high levels of performance even when experiencing underload or overload in terms of the demands of the environment
9
Q
Tim’s mouth is dry, his palms are sweaty, and his heart is racing, as he approaches the stage to receive his diploma. Tim’s experience is best described as ___________.
A
eustress
10
Q
Stress and Coping Theory
A
emphasizes the importance of appraisals of both the demands and a stressor and the resources available to deal with it in determining the outcome of stressor exposure
11
Q
stressors
A
external circumstances and stimuli that are perceived as having the potential to disturb an individual’s balanced state
12
Q
stress responses
A
internal integrated psychological and biological responses to stressors that work to restore a balanced state
13
Q
The Stress Coping Theory emphasizes the importance of an individual’s _______ of an event in the stress process.
A
appraisal
14
Q
Components of stress response
A
- psychological: I will get a bad score on this test
- emotions: fear and anxiety
- biological: increased blood pressure and faster heart rate
15
Q
Richard Lazarus and colleagues view stress as primarily a consequence of ______.
A
how a person appraises environmental events and the person’s coping resources
16
Q
Who made the Stress and Coping Theory
A
Lazarus and Folkman
17
Q
acute stressors
A
short-term external circumstances or stimuli, lasting minutes to hours, with the potential to disturb an individual’s balanced state
18
Q
15-minute speech in public, taking an important exam, or realizing that you sent an embarrassing text to the wrong person are examples of _______
A
acute stressors
19
Q
chronic stressors
A
enduring external circumstances or stimuli, lasting weeks to years, with the potential to disturb an individual’s balanced state
20
Q
Living in poverty, caring for an elderly relative, and ongoing workplace stress are examples of ________
A
chronic stressors
21
Q
traumatic stressors
A
threat to your own or another’s life or physical integrity
22
Q
Experiencing or witnessing risks to life or physical integrity during war or combat, sexual assault, childhood abuse, natural disasters such as earthquakes and tornadoes, and major fires are examples of _______
A
traumatic stressors
23
Q
Witnessing a school shooting
A
traumatic stressor
24
Q
Being cut off in traffic
A
acute stressor
25
Living in a high crime neighbourhood
chronic stressor
26
Stressors produce _____ changes.
cognitive, emotional, physiological
27
homeostasis
the state when we are in balance
28
stress response is a combination of
alerts (that the scale is out of balance) and reactions (that restore balance)
29
amygdala
- responds rapidly to potential stressors (sometimes even before conscious awareness)
- neural watchdog
30
Where does the earliest stress response occur?
amygdala
31
hippocampus
- central to learning and memory
- important role in consolidation of new memories (humans are particularly prone to encoding memories of situations that elicit stress responses)
- filter ongoing experiences through past experiences
- imagine things that have not yet happened
- can dampen responses based on memory
32
prefrontal cortex
- higher-level processing of stimuli in our environment
- increase or decrease our amygdala response to potential stressors based on perceptions of other factors that make the stressor more or less threatening
33
ANS
- central stress response systems
- epinephrine and norepinephrine
- two major branches: sympathetic and parasympathetic
- elicits cortisol responses to stressors
34
hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis
- central stress response systems
- regulates cortisol responses to stressors
35
sympathetic nervous system
- branches of autonomic nervous system
- key role in switching on the stress response
- promotes release of epinephrine and norepinephrine
36
parasympathetic nervous system
- branches of autonomic nervous system
- key role in regulating the stress response
- promotes release of epinephrine and norepinephrine
37
Two branches of the ANS work together to maintain homeostasis through a process of reciprocal inhibition, where...
the activation of one system can suppress the other
38
hypothalamus
- base of the brain
- central to coordination of the ANS
- promote activity in the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system
39
activator of ANS?
sympathetic
40
regulator of ANS?
parasympathetic
41
Activation of sympathetic nervous system promotes release of stress hormones called
catecholamines (located at top of kidneys)
42
catecholamines
- located at top of kidneys
- crucial role in preparing body for fight-or-flight response
43
Activation of HPA axis: cascade of activities that ultimately promote the release of the stress hormone cortisol from the adrenal glands...
(1) amygdala sends signals to the hypothalamus (which is central to both ANS and HPA responses to stressors) to release corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)
(2) CRH signals a gland located close to the hypothalamus called the pituitary gland to release adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)
(3) ACTH travels in the bloodstream to the adrenal glands, where it promotes the release of cortisol
44
meta-analysis
statistics of multiple studies to be combined in order to come up with a summary conclusion about a particular research question
45
People experiencing chronic stressors tend to show a _______ in cortisol response
flattening; lower levels of decline throughout the day
46
In humans, cortisol typically....
increases rapidly after awakening and then declines throughout the day until evening and bedtime
47
Activity in the ANS and HPA axis and the release of catecholamines and cortisol prepare the _____ to deal with perceived stressors
cardiovascular, respiratory, and digestive systems
48
Activation of the fight-or-flight response suppresses the release of ______, which allows ________.
insulin by the pancreas, allowing glucose levels to increase
49
Cortisol facilitates the transformation of...
fatty acids into glucose
50
Digestive processes are suppressed to allow us to
direct more energy toward efforts to fight and flee
51
freeze response
bodily response that causes humans and other animals to become immobile in the face of perceived stressors
52
Although the stress response can enhance our survival, it is harmful if it.....
remains “switched on” for prolonged periods
53
feedback loops
system in which output from one system influences the output of another system by either increasing (positive feedback) or inhibiting (negative feedback) the second system
54
cortisol serves an important role in mobilizing bodily resources such as
glucose
55
cortisol can shut down the
HPA axis
56
cortisol can bind to receptors on _____ and _____ to reduce the production of ____ and ______
hypothalamus; pituitary gland; CRH; ACTH
57
Everyday acute stressors can activate the ___________ of the immune system
inflammatory response
58
primary appraisals
your perceptions of the stressor's characteristics and how much demand it represents, as well as its relevance for you
59
secondary appraisals
your perceptions of the resources (external or internal) available for coping with a specific stressor
60
Stress is evaluated from...
the perspective of the person experiencing the stressor.
61
Challenge and Threat Theory
distinguishes between stressors based on the balance of the demands of a stressor and the resources to deal with it
62
challenges
situations in which resources exceed the demands of the situation
63
threats
situations in which demands exceed the resources available for coping
64
Stressors involving danger, uncertainty, uncontrollability, novelty, and high levels of effort all have higher “demands” and are more likely to be perceived as...
threats
65
Stressors involving the potential for positive outcomes and personal gain are more likely to be perceived as...
challenges
66
content validity
extent to which a test captures all of which it is trying to measure
67
To understand the relationship between real-world stressors and the potential negative consequences of that experience in humans, researchers conduct
correlational studies
68
An event that is threatening for one person may be challenging for another: T/F?
True
69
Correlational studies are complex because
Researchers must consider the fact that people have a range of different kinds of stressors in their lives - using a single index stressor fails to account for this level of complexity
70
childhood stressors
stressors occurring before the age of 18
71
Are people who are exposed to chronic and traumatic stressors in childhood more likely to develop major psychiatric disorders than those who are not exposed to such stressors?
Yes.
72
Does childhood adversity depend on countries?
No - consistent throughout all of the countries
73
Childhood stressors that most strongly increased risk for psychiatric disorders were...
family violence, abuse, and neglect, as well as parental history of substance use, mental illness, and criminality (increase by 30-140%)
74
What stressors have smaller risk for psychiatric disorders?
parental divorce, death, family financial hardship
75
T/F: stress is the direct cause of psychiatric disorders?
False
76
Which set(s) of childhood stressors most strongly increased risks of psychiatric disorders? Select all that apply.
- abuse
- neglect
- family violence
- parental history of criminality
- substance use
- mental illness
77
How many colds do adults experience per year?
2-3
78
How many days does it take to get over a cold?
7-10 days
79
Sheldon Cohen and colleagues study
exposed 394 healthy people (aged 18-54) to five different common respiratory viruses - those with the highest scores of stress on index had highest risk of developing clinical colds
80
What emotional style is protective against developing the common cold in clinical trials?
positive emotional style; general trait-like tendency to experience more positive emotions
81
_____ and _____ may impact risks for developing annoying short-term illnesses such as colds
stress and personality
82
The key finding in the famous study conducted by Dr. Sheldon Cohen and colleagues (1991) was that volunteers injected with the cold virus...
were more likely to get sick if they experienced high levels of stress
83
T/F: Personality traits may serve to reduce our risk of developing a cold when we are exposed to stressors.
True
84
episodic course
a kind of disorder that involves sickness followed by periods of wellness such as that sickness recurs at intervals
85
One such study of 90 children with moderate to severe asthma aimed to uncover the relationship between stressors and asthma attacks... what did the study find?
record their major life events using diaries that included a record of severe stressors and major chronic stressors, both of which were predicted to increase asthma attacks
86
Risk for asthma attacks is measured by _____ which does what?
daily peak flow, measure of how well air moves out of lungs
87
Greater exposure to stressors ______ the risk of having an asthma attack.
increased
88
Combination of _____ and _____ stressors may _______ and increase the risk for adverse events in asthma.
chronic; severe; alter airway functioning
89
latent virus
virus that stays dormant in bodily cells and then reactivates at intervals
90
First-year medical students donated blood samples one month before exams, first day of their exam and during vacation... what did researchers find?
measured antibodies to latent viruses (HSV-1, Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus)
- students experienced high levels of perceived stress during examinations and lower levels of perceived stress during their summer vacation
- antibody titers to the latent viruses varied across the time periods, with the highest concentrations occurring during examinations and significantly lower levels occurring during the summer vacation
- examination stressor was associated with activation of the latent viruses
91
Examination stressor was associated with ______
activation of the latent viruses
92
Acute stressors may ____ latent viruses
activate
93
Psychological stressors on risk for a whole host of major chronic diseases as well, including ______ and _____.
cardiovascular disease (CVD) and autoimmune disorders
94
Is there a link between acute stressors and CVD?
Yes (e.g., earthquakes)
95
Determining the underlying causes of observations between stressor of earthquakes and illness is often challenging because...
major earthquakes are often accompanied by a whole host of negative events, including significant financial losses, lack of access to electricity that can lead to changes in water consumption and diet, being evacuated from one’s home, and sleep disruption - difficult for researchers to confirm a clear connection
96
Is there a link between sports and CVD?
Yes
97
Fans were more likely to experience ______ when their teams were playing important games in the soccer and rugby World Cup
arrythmias and heart attacks
98
Acute stressors that influence CVD?
earthquakes and major sporting events
99
Chronic stressors that influence cardiovascular health?
work-related stressors, relationship problems, and social isolation (and autoimmune diseases)
100
Are deaths higher or lower when the preferred team wins?
lower
101
Are deaths higher or lower when the preferred them loses?
higher
102
Confounding factors that could explain correlation between sporting events and stress?
drinking more alcohol, sleeping less
103
Whitehall study
- 10,308 British civil servants over a 14-year period had their their exposure to job-related stress tracked along with the incidence of metabolic syndrome (precursor to CVD)
- risk for metabolic syndrome increased with the number of times a person was exposed to job-related stressors
- high levels of job strain associated with a 40-50% increased risk of CVD
104
According to the Whitehall Study _________ are a major risk factor for _________, a precursor to cardiovascular disease (CVD).
job-related stressors; metabolic syndrome
105
There is increasing evidence for the negative effect of acute and chronic stressors on cardiovascular health.
True
106
Results indicated that veterans with PTSD had about _______ of being diagnosed with one of the autoimmune diseases
twice the risk
107
Veterans who had been treated for military sexual trauma exposure had a ________ for autoimmune disorders, even when adjusting for the effects associated with PTSD.
significantly higher risk
108
Is PTSD or military sexual trauma alone associated with the risk of developing major autoimmune disorders?
Yes - increases the risk
109
Can childhood stressors can increase the risk for autoimmune disorders?
Yes
110
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Study (by the Kaiser Permanente and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- 15,357 adults reported their prior exposure to eight specific forms of stress in childhood, including childhood physical, emotional, or sexual abuse; witnessing domestic violence; growing up with household substance abuse, mental illness, parental divorce, or an incarcerated household member
- people with greater than or equal to two ACEs had a 70–100% increased risk for different types of autoimmune diseases
111
The _____ of exposure to extreme stressors in childhood is _______ with the development of autoimmune diseases in adulthood.
degree; strongly associated
112
Effects of stress on brain
headaches, difficulty sleeping, increased irritability and negative feelings, increased risk for mental disorders
113
Effects of stress on the heart
increased blood pressure and heart rate and increased risk for cardiovascular disease
114
Effects of stress on the immune system
increased susceptibility to infection, longer duration of infection and increased risk of autoimmune disorders
115
Correlational studies indicate a relationship between extreme stressors in childhood and
______.
autoimmune diseases
116
biological aging
tendency of cells to become unable to divide or function properly as we become older
117
Eventually, this functional impairment and lack of cell renewal can cause a host of physical diseases that we call _______
diseases of aging
118
diseases of aging
chronic diseases that tend to occur later in life (cardiovascular, autoimmune, neurodegenerative diseases)
119
What is a commonly used marker of biological aging?
telomere length
120
As we grow older, many cells in our body become...
functionally impaired and unable to divide to create new cells
121
functional impairment and lack of cell renewal can cause a host of physical diseases that we call ___________
diseases of aging
122
The marker used most commonly in this stress and aging research is the ________
telomere
123
telomeres
DNA-protein complexes that cap chromosomes and protect against the damage to the DNA that encodes our genes - shorten over time, the length of the telomeres in our immune cells predicts our risk for a whole host of diseases of aging and death
124
Longer telomeres are associated with ______
protection against disease and a longer lifespan
125
___________ is an important mechanism of biological aging in general and of telomere shortening in particular
Chronic inflammation
126
The data supported this line of reasoning, showing that a ___________ of caregiving for a chronically ill child was associated with ________
longer duration; shorter telomere length
127
Higher levels of perceived stress were associated with _______
shorter telomere length
128
What is a commonly used marker of biological aging?
telomere length
129
People who maintain active lifestyle have lower death rates than sedentary people; even if they have CVD risk factors (high BP, cholesterol, diabetes) - T/F?
True
130
Physical activity did not protect men from physician-diagnosed depression over 23–27 years of follow up - T/F?
False
131
Strength of the relationship between stressor exposure and mental and physical health outcomes was reduced in _______ compared to ______
physically active compared to inactive people
132
There may be other unmeasured factors that protect a person from poor health outcomes when they remain physically active - T/F?
True
133
How does physical activity lead to better outcomes in the face of stressors?
- change how our bodies can respond to stressors in our daily lives (make our autonomic nervous systems and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axes more resilient to acute stressors)
134
Maintaining a physically active lifestyle may protect us from the _______
accelerated biological aging associated with chronic perceived stress (but other explanations may be possible)
135
People who maintain a physically active lifestyle tend to have different ________ than those who are physically inactive
personalities
136
Physically active people tend to differ on the _________, showing higher levels of _____, _____, ______, ______, and lower levels of ______
Big Five personality traits
- extraversion, conscientiousness, openness, and agreeableness
- neuroticism
137
Research findings suggest physical activity helps protect us from the effects of ________
acute and chronic stressors
