Chapter 4 - Stress as an example of psychobiological process Flashcards
acute stress
stress that usually occurs because of a sudden threat and only lasts for a short time - can be beneficial and help deal with challenges more effectively - tends to result in a quick recovery, where the body promptly returns to homeostasis
alarm reaction stage
the first stage of the general adaptation syndrome, in which we become aware of the stressor; it consists of two phases - shock and countershock
appraisal
the process of categorising an event on the basis of its perceived significance and how it may affect our wellbeing
approach strategy
an effort to confront a stressor and deal directly with it and its effects
avoidance strategy
an effort to avoid a stressor and not deal directly with it and its effects
benign/positive
describes a situation or event that is perceived as having a positive outcome for an individual, i.e. it either maintains (benign) or enhances their wellbeing (positive)
challenge
the perceived potential for personal gain or growth from an event
chronic stress
stress that lasts for a long time - tends to be less intense/severe than acute stress, but more detrimental to health and generally requires a longer recovery
context-specific effectiveness
when a coping strategy matched or is appropriate to the stressful situation
coping
all the things we do to manage and reduce the stress we experience
coping flexibility
the ability to modify our coping strategies to adapt and meet the demands of different stressful situations
coping strategy
a method that we use to manage or reduce the stress produced by a stressor
cortisol
a hormone produced by the adrenal glands that regulates a wide range of bodily processes, including metabolism, and is released in response to stress - allows the body to continue to stay on high alert over long periods of time. - suppresses the immune system
countershock
the second phase of the alarm reaction stage of the general adaptation syndrome, in which the body’s ability to deal with the stressor rises above normal
enteric nervous system (ENS)
a subdivision of the autonomic nervous system; it consists of nerve cells lining the gastrointestinal tract and controls the digestive system
exhaustion stage
the third stage of the general adaptation syndrome, in which the continued depletion of energy stores and high levels of hormones such as cortisol decrease resistance to the stressor and impair the immune system
external stressor
a cause of stress that originates from outside an individual, such as an event or environmental extreme
flight-or-flight-or-freeze response
an automatic biological response to a perceived stressor that increases our chances of survival in our environment
general adaptation syndrome (GAS)
a biological model of stress that proposes we have a non-specific biological response to stress that occurs in three stages: alarm reaction, resistance, and exhaustion
gut
the gastrointestinal tract or long tube that starts at the mouth and ends at the anus
gut microbiota
the microbe population found in the gut (digestive system) - digest the components of our food to provide their own nutrition while also simultaneously providing us with energy and nutrients - also involved in the production of some neurotransmitters, which can affect the concentrations of related neurotransmitters in the brain
gut-brain axis (GBA)
the connection between the central nervous system and the enteric nervous system, that enables bidirectional communication between the brain and the gastrointestinal tract
harm/loss
the damage to the individual that has already occurred as a result of a stressor
internal stressor
a cause of stress that originates within an individual; can be both psychological and biological/physiological
irrelevant
describes a situation or event that has no implications for an individual’s wellbeing because nothing will be gained or lost, or they are not invested in the situation
microbe
a microscopic living thing found in water, soil and the air
primary appraisal
when an individual determines whether a situation or event is significant to them and stressful or not
resistance stage
the second stage of the general adaptation syndrome, in which the stressor persists, and the body’s resources are maximised to cope and adapt over time - cortisol levels are at their highest, which helps repair any damage to the body and maximises the body’s resources to cope and adapt to the stressor over time.
secondary appraisal
when an individual considers the available resources and their own coping strategies, to decide the best way of dealing with a stressor
shock
the first phase of the alarm reaction stage of the general adaption syndrome, in which the body’s ability to deal with the stressor falls below normal
stress
a psychobiological process, a state of mental, emotional and physiological tension, resulting from a stressor
stressor
any event that causes stress or is perceived as a threat and a challenge to our ability to cope
threat
the anticipated harm/loss in the future because of an event
transactional model of stress and coping
a model that suggests a stress response is only elicited if an event is perceived to exceed our ability to cope and is based on our appraisal of the situation
vagus nerve
a nerve that connects the brain (central nervous system) to organs within the autonomic nervous system, via nerve fibres that directly link organs such as the lungs, heart, oesophagus and intestinal tract
fight or flight responses
involve evading or escaping the stressor (flight) or dealing with the stressor directly (fight) - an acute stress response activated by the sympathetic nervous system
freeze response
involves immobilisation of the body such as minimising movement or vocal sounds to avoid detection - thought that freezing is a way for the nervous system to prepare to immediately shift into fight or flight action. Therefore, freezing is not considered to be a passive state but rather a parasympathetic brake on certain body systems.
