final exam psy Flashcards
the physical, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral responses to events that are appraised as
threatening or challenging;
the mental and physical condition that occurs when a person must adjust or adapt to the
environment
Stress
– stress-causing events
Two basic kinds of stressors
Stressors
an unpredictable event that happens on a large scale and
creates tremendous amounts of stress and feelings of threat,
such as tornados, hurricanes, and terrorist activities
Catastrophes
positive and negative life changes and adjustments create
stress;
there are stress and adjustment scales in which scores are
associated with various changes and events that can occur
in a person’s life;
Major life changes
stress is not as severe when a person has some control over
it;
Uncontrollability
a stressful condition that occurs when a person must choose between
competing and incompatible desires, goals, or actions;
four basic forms of conflict:
Conflict
comes from being both attracted to
and repelled by the same goal or activity, such as taking a job you
like in a city you do not like
Approach-avoidance conflict
two or more alternatives
with each containing attraction and repulsion
Multiple approach-avoidance conflicts
a series of bodily reactions to prolonged stress;
occurs in three reliable stages:
General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)
bodily resources are mobilized to cope with the stressor;
the sympathetic nervous system is activated;
enduring stress may result in tension, stomachache,
headache, nausea, or other physical symptoms
. Alarm reaction
body resources are exhausted and serious health
consequences occur, including emotional (anxiety,
irritability, mental fatigue), behavioral (avoidance,
neglect, self-destructive behavior), and physical
(weakened immune system leading to illness, high
blood pressure, exhaustion, over-reliance on
medication);
without a change in the level of stress, death may
Stage of exhaustion
focuses on how our physical activities, psychological traits, and
social relationships affect our overall health and rate of illnesses
Health Psychology
most people today in the U.S. die from lifestyle diseases, which
result from lifestyle choices and habits, such as heart disease,
stroke, AIDS, and lung cancer
Behavioral risk factors
high levels of stress, untreated hypertension,
cigarette smoking, abuse of alcohol and other drugs, overeating, inadequate
exercise, unsafe sexual behavior, exposure to toxic substances, violence,
excessive sun exposure, reckless driving, and disregarding personal safety
Major behavioral risk factors
smoking,
alcohol abuse, drug abuse, poor diet, insufficient exercise, and risky sexual
practices
The six behavioral risk factors related to 70% of all medical costs
will likely affect your health, happiness, and life
expectancy for years to come.
Habits acquired by age 18 or 19
People who are intellectually resourceful, compassionate, optimistic, and
nonhostile tend to
enjoy good health
getting regular exercise, controlling
smoking and alcohol use, maintaining a balanced diet, getting good medical
care, and managing stress.
Health-promoting behaviors
competitive, impatient, most likely tense, workaholic,
easily annoyed, some are hostile;
about twice as likely as Type B personalities to develop
heart disease or have a heart attack (research indicates
that the lethal factor seems to be hostility)
Type A personalities
more relaxed, laid back approach to life and life’s
stressors, slow to anger, more peaceful
Type B personalities
a group of traits associated with the development of
cancer, specifically the trait of being non-assertive
Type C personalities
a group of traits associated with the development of
Depression
Type D personalities
people who always tend to look for positive outcomes;
associated with longer life, increased immune-system
functioning, and more success in personal life endeavors
Optimists
people who tend to expect the worst to happen;
in comparison with optimists, pessimists have a higher death rate,
more problems with physical and emotional health, more pain, less
ability to take part in social activities, and less energy
Pessimists
lack of sufficient money to provide for the basic necessities of life lead to
many stressors, resulting in overcrowding, lack of medical care, increased
rates of disability, increased rates of illness, violence, and substance abuse
Poverty
higher levels of work stress can lead to symptoms similar to the symptoms
from other sources of stress, and may lead to burnout
Job stress
negative changes in thoughts, emotions, and behavior as a result
of prolonged stress or frustration, resulting in both mental and
physical exhaustion;
Burnout
involves removing or substantially changing the stressor
Problem-focused coping
involves modifying the interpretation of the stressor,
which may be accomplished by changing thinking errors
such as black and white thinking, all or nothing thinking,
catastrophic thinking, and “musterbation” thinking
. Emotion-focused coping
scheduling enjoyable activities, spending
time with friends and family, making time for regular exercise, and utilizing
structured relaxation techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation and
meditation
. Manage the response to the stressor
Less Effective Methods to Cope with Stress
Withdrawing from the stressor
Being aggressive toward the stressor
Using defense mechanisms
a desire is redirected toward a safer and more acceptable
activity
Displacement
a desire is redirected toward an activity particularly valued by
society
Sublimation
projecting our motives and desires onto others
Projection
transforming unacceptable desires into acceptable
ones
Reaction formation
changing one’s reaction to one of earlier years or to one of a
less demanding situation
Regression
justifying one’s behavior by giving highly logical reasons for it
Rationalization
unconsciously preventing disturbing or painful thoughts from
entering awareness
Repression
conscious refusal to consider an upsetting reality
Denial
being coolly logical and impersonal when an emotional
reaction is appropriate
ntellectualization
fulfilling unmet desires through imagined activities
Fantasy
the daily annoyances of everyday life
hassles
a negative emotional state that occurs when people are blocked or prevented from reaching a desired goal or fulfilling a perceived
need;
Frustration
which occurs when people experience unpleasant
stressors
distress
which occurs when people experience unpleasant
stressors
pressure
comes from having to choose
between two positive, or desirable, alternatives, such as at an ice
cream shop having to decide which one of your two favorite flavors
you will order;
Approach- avoidance conflict
comes from having to choose
between two negative, or undesirable, alternatives, such as the
choice between going to the dentist with a painful toothache or
remaining in pain;
Avoidance- avoidance conflict
