Chapter 3 - Stress Flashcards
What is the difference between internal and external stressors? include examples.
An internal stressor originates within the individual, an example includes a personal problem causing concern. An external stressor originates outside the individual from situations and events in the environment, an example includes having too much homework.
What is Cortisol?
Cortisol is the primary stress hormone. It energises the body by increasing energy supplies so that it can deal with the stressor. It turns off all bodily systems that are not immediately required to deal with the stressor.
What is the Gut-Brain Axis (GBA)?
The GBA is a bidirectional communication link between the Central and Enteric Nervous Systems. It involves indirect pathways between cognitive and emotional areas in the brain with gastrointestinal tract.
What is Gut Microbiota?
Gut Microbiota consists of all the microorganisms (such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi) present in our digestive tract.
What is Seyle’s General Adaption Syndrome (GAS)?
GAS is a biological model of stress. in consists of three stages that occur in sequence: alarm reaction, resistance, and exhaustion
What is Stage 1: Alarm reaction?
Alarm reaction is an immediate response to a stressor, it consists of shock and counter-shock.
What is shock?
Shock is when the blood pressure and body language drops and there is a temporary loss of muscle tone.
What is counter-shock?
Counter-shock is when the sympathetic nervous system’s response (flight or fight) activates, adrenaline in released, cortisol may be released, the body is aroused and alert, heart and respiration rates increase, and glucose and oxygen are supplied to the muscles.
What is Stage 2: Resistance?
Resistance uses the maximum resources to cope and adapt to the stressor. The parasympathetic nervous system us activated but arousal level remains above normal, all unnecessary physiological processes shut down, cortisol is released or continues to be, and the immune system is weakened.
What is Stage 3: Exhaustion?
Exhaustion is vulnerable and weak, it is a physical sign of ‘wear and tear’. There is extreme fatigue, high levels of anxiety, symptoms of depression, nightmares, hypertension, gastrointestinal problems, and heart disease. In extreme cases, the organism may even die.
What are the strengths of GAS?
Strengths include: explains potential detrimental effects, identifies biological processes, highlights both specific and non-specific stress aspects, describes and explains immediate and long-term effects of stress, developed awareness and understanding os a link between stress and disease, and developed awareness and understanding that the body has limited resources to cope with chronic/prolonged stress.
What are the limitations of GAS?
Limitations include: a ‘one size fits all’ model, tends to overlook the roles of bodily systems other than the endocrine system in the stress response, different types of stressors can trigger their own distinctive physiological reactions, ignores psychological responses to different types of stressors, primary results based on animals and not humans, and does not fully take account of or explain individual differences in physiological responses to a chronic stressor.
How does it link to biological factors?
Biological factors include the adrenal glands enlarging, gastrointestinal ulcers would developing, weight loss, and vital glands (such as the lymph glands) in the immune system had shrinking.
What is Lazarus and Folkman’s Transactional Model of Stress?
Lazarus and Folkman’s Transactional Model of Stress is a psychological model of stress, it measures the stress that is involved with an individual and their environment and that the response depends on the individuals appraisal of a stressor.
What is a primary appraisal?
The Primary appraisal is a decision about whether the stressor is irrelevant, benign-positive, or stressful.
What is the definition of the term irrelevant?
It will not have any positive or negative effect on a person’s wellbeing, and typically requires so further action.
What is benign-positive?
It will have positive implications and beneficial for the person.
What is the definition of the term stressful?
Engages in additional appraisals, such as harm/loss, threat, or challenge.
What is the definition of the term harm/loss?
Assesses the damage that has already been done.
What is the definition of the term threat?
Assesses any possible additional harm in the future.
What is the definition of the term challenge?
Assesses possible opportunities for a possible outcome.
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The Secondary appraisal is the elevation to control or deal with the stressor. If there are no adequate coping resources the stress will continue.
What are the strengths of this model?
Strengths include: focuses on a psychological determinants of the stress response over which we have control, emphasises the personal nature and individuality of the stress response, views stress as an interaction with the environment in which the individual has an active role, respects personal appraisal of a situation, thereby interpreting the situation from an individuals perspective, explains why individuals respond in different ways to the same types of stress, allows for the fact that stressors and the circumstances under which they occur can change over time, allows us to change our thinking about a stressor and our response, and proposes different methods for managing psychological responses to stress.
What are the limitations of this model?
Limitations include: difficult to test through experimental research because of the subjective nature of individual responses to stressors, individuals may not always be conscious of all the factors causing them to experience a stress response, we can experience a stress response without ever having thought about about a situation or event, overlooks psychological responses to a stressor, the linear approach of the model does not allow for individual variation in progression through the stages, primary and secondary appraisals can interact with one another and are often undertaken simultaneously, and primary and secondary appraisals are difficult to isolate for study as separate variables.
How does it link to psychological factors?
Psychological factors include the determination of the extent to which an event or situation is experienced as stressful. If the appraisal is negative, unpleasant, and uncomfortable then the stress will worsen, however if the appraisal is positive then there will be no stress at all.
What are coping strategies?
A coping strategy can be more or less effective in different situations.
What is context-specific effectiveness?
When there is a match or a ‘good fit’ between the coping strategy that is used and the stressful situations.
What is coping flexibility?
A number of different coping strategies from which to draw upon. It’s the ability to effectively modify or adjust ones comping strategies according to the demands of the different stressors.
What are approach and avoidance coping strategies?
Approach strategies confront the stressor and deal with it and its effects directly, activity is focused towards the stressor, its causes, and a solution. Avoidance strategies evade the stressor and deal with it and it’s effects indirectly, activity is focused away from the stressor and there is no attempt to confront the stressor and its causes.
