Exam 3 ch12: Stress, Coping, & Health Flashcards
Stress/stressor
Tension/discomfort or physical symptoms that arise when a stressor strains our ability to cope effectively
Trauma/traumatic event
Stressor so severe it can produce long-term psychological or health consequences
Stress hormones/corticosteroids
stress hormone that activates the body and prepares us to respond to stressful circumstances
Primary and secondary appraisals
primary appraisal- initial decision regarding whether an event is harmful
secondary appraisal- perceptions regarding our ability to cope with an event that follows primary appraisal
Problem-focused coping
Person attempts to change the situation
Emotion-focused coping
Person attempts to adapt to the situation
Major life events
Death, divorce, etc
Also discrimination, poverty (ongoing stressors)
Daily hassles
Minor nuisances that strain our ability to cope
General adaptation syndrome
Alarm, Resistance, Exhaustion
Flight-or-flight response
Defense or escape reaction
Tend-and-befriend response
Womanly stress response where they turn to others for support and/or tend to others
Posttraumatic stress disorder
Flashbacks, memory avoidance, startled easily
Social support
Low social support=increased mortality
High support=reduced stress
Expressive writing
Improved stress response
Catharsis
The act of disclosing painful feelings
