chapter 3 definitions Flashcards
stress
Psychological and physiological experience that occurs when an individual encounters something of significance demanding their attention and/or efforts to cope
stressor
stimulus (internal or external) prompting the stress response
internal stressor
stimulus from within the body that prompts the stress response
external stressor
stimulus from outside the body that prompts the stress response
distress
form of stress characterised by negative psychological state
eustress
form of stress characterised by positive psychological state
acute stress
form of stress characterised by psychological and physiological symptoms that are brief in duration
fight-flight-freeze response
involuntary and automatic response to threat that takes form of either escaping it, freezing in the face of it, or confronting it
chronic stress
form of stress that endures for several months or longer
cortisol
hormone that is released in times of stress to aid body in initiating and maintaining heightened arousal
General Adaption Syndrome (GAS)
biological model involving three stages of physiological reactions that a person experiences in response to persistent stressor
alarm reaction
first stage of GAS involving initial decreases and subsequent increase in bodily arousal in response to an immediate stressor
shock
first substage of alarm reaction involving decreased bodily arousal for a brief period of time following initial exposure to stressor
counter shock
second substage of alarm reaction stage in which sympathetic nervous system responses occur that mobilise the body to respond to stressor
resistance
second stage of GAS involving maintaining high levels of bodily arousal in response to persistent stressor
exhuastion
third stage of GAS involving depletion of energy levels and bodily resources, resulting in an inability to cope with stressor
subjective
something based on or influenced by personal feelings or preferences
appraisal
assessment or evaluation of stimuli
primary appraisal
initial process of evaluating nature of incoming stressor, specifically the kind of stress it might cause
benign-positive appraisal
initial appraisal of stimulus as neutral or good that doesn’t cause stress for individual
irrelevent appraisal
initial appraisal of stimulus as non-issue for individual
stressful appraisal
initial appraisal of stimulus as source of worry or emotional significance for the individual
harm/loss appraisal
further appraisal of stressor as having caused some damage to individual
threat appraisal
further appraisal of stressor as potentially causing damage to individual in future
challenge appraisal
further appraisal of stressor as potentially providing positive opportunity for growth or change for the individual
secondary appraisal
process of evaluating resources required and available in order to cope with a stressor
coping
process of dealing with a stressor
emotion-focused coping
use of coping strategies that target the emotional components of a stressor, dealing with it indirectly rather than confronting its soruce
problem-focused coping
use of coping strategies that directly target source of stressor, aiming to reduce it in a practical way
gut (also known as gastrointestinal tract)
long flexible tube from mouth to anus that is passageway involved in digestion
gut microbiota
all of the microorganisms that live in the gut
gut microbiome
all of the genes that of the microorganisms that live in the gut
gut-brain axis
bidirectional connection between gut and brain through enteric and central nervous system
enteric nervous system
network of nerves in gut and is subdivision of autonomic nervous system
vagus nerve
longest cranial nerve connecting gut and brain, enabling them to communicate
mental wellbeing
individuals current state of mind, including their ability to think, process information, and regulate emotions
context-specific effectiveness
when coping strategy or mechanism used is appropriate for unique demands of stressor
coping flexibility
individual’s ability to adjust or change their coping strategies depending on unique and changing demands of stressor
approach strategies
coping strategies that directly confront source of stress
avoidance strategies
coping strategies that evade stressor, seeking to indirectly reduce stressor
