CHP 11 HEALTH AND WELL BEING Flashcards
Health psychology
the application of psychological priniciples to promote health and well-being
Well-being
a positive state that includes striving for optimal health and life satisfaction
Biopsychosocial model
model of health that combines the effect of biological, behavioral, and social factors on health and illness
top 5 causes of mortality
- heart disease
- cancer
- lung disease
- stroke
- accidents
ALL CAUSED BY BEHAVIOR
Body Mass Index (BMI)
a ratio of body weight to height, used to measure obesity
asserts INCORRECTLY that the more obese people get, the higher the risk of death
2 issues with BMI
doesn’t take age, bone structure, sex, or body fat distribution into account
a clear relationship between BMI and health outcomes doesn’t exist except for the very obese
Body Shape Index (BSI)
takes into account the amount of one’s abdominal fat
BETTER MEASURE RELATED TO HEALTH
2 facts of overating in the US
large portion sizes, large variety of unhealthy foods
Social influences of body weight
friend group may influence body weight (friends agree implicitly what weight/behaviors are acceptable)
Genetic influence of obesity
obesity tends to run in families, some genes predispose to obesity
Benefits of exercise
builds self-confidence, helps in coping with stress, enhances the growth of new neurons and production of synaptic connections
Stress
a type of response that usually has an unpleasant state like anxiety or tension
Stressor
something in the environment that’s seen as threatening or demanding and produces stress
Coping response
attempt to avoid, escape from, or minimize a stressor
Eustress
stress of positive events
Distress
stress of negative events
Major life stressors
changes/disruptions that cause stress in central areas of life (having a baby)
Daily hassles
small, day-to-day moments of stress and annoyances
Student stress scale
300+ life change units=high risk for serious health change
150-299 units=50% are likely to have serious health change
<150 units=33% are likely to have serious health change
Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis
a body system involved in stress response by helping the body prepare to respond to the stressor
Physiological effects of stress
affects organs after the stressor has been removed
childhood stress can lead to psychological disorders
excessive stress disrupts working + long-term memory
Sympathetic division of the nervous system
prepares the body for action
Parasympathetic system of the nervous system
returns the body to a resting state
General adaptation syndrome
a consistent pattern of response to stress that consists of 3 parts:
1. Alarm stage
2. Resistance stage
3. Exhaustion stage
Alarm stage
first stage of general adaptation syndrome; an emergency reaction that prepares the body to fight or flee
Resistance stage
second stage of the general adaptation syndrome; when the body prepares for longer, sustained defense from the stressor
Exhaustion stage
3rd stage of general adaptation syndrome; when various physiological and immune systems fail
Men’s response to stressors
fight-or-flight: norepinephrine in the nervous system, epinephrine (adrenaline) and cortisol in the body
Women’s response to stressors
Tend-and-befriend response: protect young and form social alliances rather than fight/flee
Oxytocin
a hormone that’s important for moms in bonding to newborns and may encourage affiliation during social stress
Stress affects the immune system
chronic stress decreases the ability of lymphocytes (white blood cells in the immune system) to fight off infection
3 types of lymphocytes
b cells: produce antibodies that label foreign things as attackers
t cells: increases immune response and attacks intruders
natural killer cells: target viruses and tumors
Stress and heart health
stress can cause heart problems in 3 ways:
1. stress coping behaviors are bad for health (smoking)
2. personality traits have negative social effects so the perosn doesn’t have social networks to deal with stress
3. negative personality traits and stress can have direct physiological effects on the heart
chronic stress causes overstimulation in the sympathetic nervous system which causes high blood pressure, elevated cortisol levels, buildup of fatty acids and plaque
Type A Personalities
competitive, achievement-oriented, aggressiveness, hostility, restlessness, impatience with others, inability to relax
Type B Personality
noncompetitive, relaxed, easygoing, accomodating behavior
Coping categories
Emotion-focused coping
Problem-focused coping
Emotion-focused coping
Trying to prevent an emotional response stressor. Typically SHORT TERM and less effective overall but can help when stress is extremely high
Problem-focused coping
Taking direct steps to confront or minimize a stressor. MOST EFFECTIVE, but harder as stress gets higher
Health benefits of positivity
higher levels of hope and curiosity reduce risk of disease, benefits the immune system
Positive psychology
movement that emphasizes the strengths and virtues that help people thrive. its aim is to understand psychological well-being
Buffering hypothesis
outside emotional support helps the recipient to better cope with stressful events
