Chapter 4: Stress, biophysical factors & illness Flashcards
What is a stress modifier?
Factors that can reduce the negative impact of stressful events. Can be social or psychological.
What is social support?
Comfort, caring, esteem or help available to a person from other people or groups.
What are the 2 types of social support?
Perceived social support (one’s sense or perception that comfort and help are available if needed) and Received social support (actions actually performed by others.
What are the different kinds of social support?
Emotional/Esteem support: person is given care, nurturing, positive regard, warmth and encouragement.
Tangible/instrumental support: a person is given direct assistance.
Informational support: person is given information, advice, suggestions.
Companionship support: person offered the physical presence of other to spend time with.
Appraisal support: person is helped realistically
The positive effects of social support
Physiological effects:
–Decrease in heart rate/BP, Increase in Immune function, Increase in neurochemicals but decrease in cortisol
Psychological effects: Decrease in distress, Increase in self esteem
What is the buffering hypothesis?
Social support protects against negative effects of high stress. Social support is only effective when there is a strong stressor. If you perceive something as low stress, social support does not buffer anything.
Why might the buffering hypothesis work?
1) when faced with a strong stressor, someone with social support might not appraise it as intense (maybe they know someone will help them and 2) Social support might modify stress response after appraisal. Maybe someone will help them change their appraisal by calming them down.
What is direct hypothesis?
social support is beneficial for your health when you encounter a stressful event regardless of how stressful the situation is. Effects are similar with high or low stress.
Why might the direct hypothesis work?
1) high social support might help people feel more belonging and self esteem which might benefit health independently from stress 2) High social support might help people feel like they need to be healthy to reciprocate the support
What is the stress prevention model?
Social support protects the person against the negative effects of stress by providing advice or support that helps to avoid or minimize exposure to stressful events.
What is the matching hypothesis
It is unhelpful social support. It is a mismatch between needs and support offered.
Optimism and health
Optimism is the tendency to believe that good things will happen. Optimism=better health habits, better mental and physical health, and faster recovery from illness
Resilience and health
Resilience: a combination of high (1) self esteem 2) personal control and 3) optimism.
Resilient individuals appraise negative events as less stressful and they recover faster from stressful experiences.
What is type A behaviour?
Competitive achievement orientation
Time urgency
Anger/hostility
Vigorous (i.e., loud, rapid, forceful) vocal style
What is type B personality behaviour?
Opposite of type A: Less competitive Less time urgency Less anger/hostility Relaxed vocal style
Type A vs. Type B stress
strong reactivity to stressful social interactions (e.g, competition, debates, arguments)