Chapter 3: Stress Part 1

Question 1

What are stressors? Give an example:

Answer 1

Stimuli which cause or produce stress and challenge our ability to cope.
Eg. Missing the bus

Question 2

What is stress?

Answer 2

A state of physiological and psychological arousal produced by internal or external stressors that are perceived by the individual as challenging or exceeding their ability or resource to cope.

Question 3

What is eustress? Give an example of what it could result from:

Answer 3

A positive psychological response to a stressor, as indicated by the presence of positive psychological states such as feeling enthusiastic, motivated, excited and alert.
-Short-term
Eg. Going to a party

Question 4

What is distress? Give an example of what it could result from:

Answer 4

A negative psychological response to a stressor, as indicated by the presence of negative psychological states such as anger, anxiety, nervousness, irritable or tension.
-Either short or long-term
Eg. Watching a horror movie

Question 5

What does the non-specific stress response refer to?

Answer 5

Regardless of whether a stressor involves positive eustress or negative distress, our body undergoes virtually the same physiological changes.

Question 6

What are daily pressures (hassles) and give an example:

Answer 6

Little everyday problems or events which can make us upset or angry, and can pile up to become a major source of stress.
Eg. Getting a bad grade

Question 7

What is a life event stressor and give an example:

Answer 7

A change which forces an individual to adapt to new circumstances.
Eg. Changing schools

Question 8

What is acculturative stress and give an example:

Answer 8

Stress people experience when trying to adapt to a new culture when living in it for a considerable length of time.
Eg. Moving to Australia from Pakistan and having difficulty learning english

Question 9

What is a major stressor and give an example:

Answer 9

An event that is extremely stressful or disturbing for almost everyone who experiences it.
-It could be a single event or ongoing
-Does not have to be directly experienced
Eg. Being in a car accident

Question 10

What is the flight-flight-freeze response and describe each of the components:

Answer 10

Is an involuntary, physical response to a sudden and immediate threat (or stressor) in readiness for:
Fight- Confronting and fighting off the threat
Flight- Escaping by running away to safety
Freeze- Keeping absolutely still and silent, avoiding detection

Question 11

What is an alarm reaction (stage 1 of GAS)?

Answer 11

The general defensive reaction to a stressor when an individual first becomes aware of the stressor, resulting in a state of tension, alertness, and readiness to respond to the stressor.
-Shock then countershock

Question 12

Describe shock in relation to an alarm reaction and give an example:

Answer 12

The temporary state where the body’s ability to deal with a stressor falls below its normal level, where physiologically the body acts as if it was injured (eg. Body temperature drop).

Question 13

Describe countershock in relation to an alarm reaction and give an example:

Answer 13

The sympathetic nervous system is activated, causing the body to become highly aroused and alert to prepare to deal with the stressor, as adrenaline is released.

Question 14

When do freeze reactions usually occur?

Answer 14

When the perceived threat is so intense or overwhelming that there is little or no chance of successfully fighting or escaping.

Question 15

What may happen when an individual undergoes the freeze state?

Answer 15

• Can’t move or speak
• Racing heart slows
• Blood pressure drops
• Tense muscles relax

Question 16

Describe how both the parasympathetic and the sympathetic nervous systems are involved in freeze reactions:

Answer 16

When the freeze reaction is first initiated, the energy-conserving ‘rest and relaxation’ actions of the PNS dominate over the existing effects of the SNS activation, resulting in the body conserving its energy in a mobilised state ready for action.
-High arousal of both systems

Question 17

List the 3 stages of the General Adaption Syndrome (GAS):

Answer 17

1. Alarm
2. Resistance
3. Exhaustion

Question 18

Describe the resistance stage (stage 2 of GAS)?

Answer 18

• If the stressor is not dealt with during the alarm reaction the body’s resistance to the stressor rises above normal.
• All unnecessary physiological processes are shut down, except for corticosteroids such as cortisol that support resistance, which is released into the bloodstream to further energise the body, therefore relieve the stress.
• Cortisol weakens the immune system making the body more susceptible to illness or disease

Question 19

Describe the exhaustion stage (stage 3 of GAS):

Answer 19

• If the stress has not been relieved during the resistance stage, some of the alarm reaction changes may return, but the body cannot sustain its resistance and the effects of the stressor can no longer be dealt with.
• Because the body has been trying to deal with stressor for so long, its resources have been depleted, its resistance to disease is very weak, and it becomes more vulnerable to physical and mental disorders.

Question 20

List 2 limitations of Selye’s GAS:

Answer 20

• Research was not conducted on animals

- Does not account for individual differences and psychological factors

Question 21

List 2 strengths of Selye’s GAS:

Answer 21

• It measures a predictable pattern that can be measured in individuals
• If stress is not prolonged stages are still experienced, therefore tracks biological patterns in different types of stress

Question 22

What is the General Adaption Syndrome (GAS)?

Answer 22

A three-stage physiological response to stress that occurs regardless of the stressor that is encountered.

Question 23

What is acute stress? Give an example:

Answer 23

Short-term or brief stress

Eg. Watching a horror movie or being worried about a test in a few days

Question 24

What is chronic stress? Give an example:

Answer 24

Long-term or extended stress

Eg. Being worried about a family member being sick of many weeks