Final - Stress Chapter Flashcards
1
Q
define
Stress
A
- a negative personal experience accompanied by predictable biochemical, physiological,cognitive, and behavioral changes
- any circumstances that threaten (or are perceived to threaten) one’s well-being and that taxes one’s coping abilities and resources
2
Q
define
Acute Stressors
A
threatening events with relatively short durations and clear endpoints
3
Q
define
Chronic Stressors
A
Threatening events with relatively long durations and no apparent enpoints
major health impacts!
4
Q
define
Major Life Events
A
events that cause noticeable alterations in one’s living circumstances that require (re)adjustment
- associated with a variety of physical and psychological disorders
5
Q
define
Frustration
A
occurs in any situation in which the pursuit of a goal is thwarted
6
Q
list
things that contribute to frustrations
A
- hassles
- failures and losses
7
Q
define
Pressure
A
expectations or demands that one behave in a certain way or perform to a certain level
8
Q
list
Types of Pressure
A
- self imposed pressure
- pressure from social roles
- work and school pressure
- time pressure: perception there’s not enough time
9
Q
define
Internal Conflict
A
competition between two or more incompatible motivations or behaviors
10
Q
define
Approach-Approach
internal conflict
A
choosing between two or more attractive goals
11
Q
define
Avoid - avoid
internal conflict
A
choosing between two or more unattractive goals
12
Q
define
Approach - Avoidance
A
deciding whether to pursue a goal with both attractive and unattractive aspects
13
Q
list
other stressors
A
- unpredictability
- uncontrollability
- repetitive
- ambiguity
14
Q
define
Psychological Appraisals of Stress
A
subjective experiences that are dependent on the interaction between the individual and environment
15
Q
define
Primary Appraisal
A
is the event positive, negative, or neutral/ a challenge
16
Q
define
Secondary Appraisal
A
are my coping abilities and resources enough to overcome?
17
Q
list
resources in appraisals
A
self-efficacy, social support, knowledge, training, experience, resources
18
Q
discuss
downside to appraisals
A
can make the claim “it’s all in your head”
19
Q
define
distress vs eustress
A
negative vs positive stress
20
Q
list
Two physiological responses to stres
A
- fight or flight
- tend and befriend
21
Q
define
Fast Pathway
fight or flight
A
nerves signal to brain to release adrenaline, causing an increase in heart rate, lung volume, blood sent to muscles, and a decrease in digestion
22
Q
define
Slow pathway
fight or flight
A
hormones released from brain triggers the release of cortisol, preventing inflammation, and increasing glucose in the liver for energy
23
Q
discuss
Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome
GAS
A
found a chronic stress response when exposing rats to physical stressors
- enlarged adrenal glands
- ulcers
- smaller thymus gland
24
Q
list
Phases of GAS
A
- Alarm phase
- Resistance phase
- Exhaustion Phase
25
# list
Influence of GAS
1. it's a general theory of reactions to a wide variety of stressors overtime
2. Provides a physiological mechanism for the stress-wellness relationship
26
# list
Criticisms of GAS
1. rats include little focus on psychological factors
2. assumes responses are uniform
3. stress is only evident when GAS has run its course
4. Prolonged exposure for the physiological cascade from stress, and NOT exhaustion of physiological resources that causes health problems
27
# define
Coping
coping is a dynamic process where the environment and the person influence each other, through a broad set of responses to address stressors
28
# define
Coping Styles
fairly stable propensity to deal with stressful events in a certain way, depending on individual characteristics
29
# define
Approach vs Avoidance
| coping atyle
Approach: directly deal with stressor
Avoidance: minimize/ignore stressor
30
# define
Problem vs Emotion Focus
Problem: doing something about the stressful conditions
Emotion: regulate emotions that are due to the stressful event
31
# list
coping strategies
| 15.
1. active coping
2. planning
3. seeking social support
4. seeking information
5. self blame
6. denial
7. rumination
8. catastrophizing
9. self-distraction
10. reappraisal
11. acceptance
12. humor
13. substance use
14. behavioral disengagement
15. religion
32
# define
Coping Flexibility
shifting between differnt coping strategies for different situations/stressors
33
# list
Two Factors of Social Support
1. social network size and health
2. type and quality of support
34
# define
Social Support
relationships with people and groups that can provide emotional comfort and personal and financial resources
35
# define
Social Support
information from others that one is loved, cared for, esteemed, valued, and part of a network
36
# define
Tangible Support
material support such as services, financial assistance, or goods
37
# define
Informational Support
information that helps individuals understand stressful events better and determine what coping strategies are good
38
# discuss
perceived support
many benefits come from the perception that support is available
39
# list
Issues with received support
1. potential guilt
2. threat to self-esteem
3. unsolicited or unwanted
4. poorly matched to needs
5. poor delivery
40
# defin
Positive Health Behaviors
behaviors undertaken by people to enhance and maintain health
41
# define
Health Habits
halth behaviors that are firmly established and performed automatically
42
# define
Poor Health Behaviors
things like smoking, gun ownership, drinking, etc.
43
# list
Factors Associated with Health Behaviors
1. socioeconomic status
2. priorities and personal goals
3. place
4. social influences
5. age
6. gender
7. cultural values
44
# discuss
why health behaviors are resistant to change
- develop during childhood and adolescence
- little immediate incentive to change
- bad health behaviors turn to habits - hard to break
45
# list
Three Predictors of Change
| health behavior
1. beliefs
2. self-efficacy
3. subjective norms
46
# discuss
Beliefs
| health behavior change
- if a person believes there's a threat to their health
- if a person believes changing health behaviors will reduce the threat
- benefits of change must outweigh the costs of continuing
47
# discuss
Self-Efficacy
| health behavior change
confidence that one can successfully engage in a behavior to produce desired outcomes
48
# discuss
Subjective Norms
what a person believes others think about what they should do, and the motivation to comply
49
# define
Traumatic Event
a stressor so severe it can produce long term psychological or health consequences
50
# discuss
Hassles
frequency + perceived severity of hassles are better predictors of health than major life events
51
# discuss
Oxytocin
"love and bonding hormone"
- counters stress
- promotes trust and affection
52
# define
Corticosteroids
stress hormone that activates the body and prepares us to respond to stressful circumstances
53
Physiological/biological consequences of stress?
| Stress: Portrait of a killer
a. Kills brain cells, increases fat, unravels chromosomes, immune system issues, reproductive issues, “arthrosclerosis” in arteries (plaque buildup), restricts blood flow, loss of ability to remember, less dopamine binding
54
Why is the stress response that was critical to our ancestors hazardous today?
| Stress: portrait of a killer
a. Stress was for immediate crises, nowadays it activates for psychological states nonstop
i. Release of epinephrine and glucocorticoid
ii. Stress response is more damaging than the stressor
55
Why baboons? Are they similar to humans?
| stress portait of a killer
a. They're primates, and have lots of time on their hands to stress each other out psychosocially
i. Models modern western stress and society
56
4. What were Sapolsky’s major findings? Applications to humans?
a. [feeling of] rank determines level of stress hormones
i. Lower rank leads to increased heart rate and blood pressure
b. Brain cell death in hippocampus
57
5. Major findings of Whitehall study?
a. People lower in the job hierarchy and higher risk of heart disease and other issues, along with more weight around their abdomen
58
6. Are ulcers caused by stress?
a. Stress shuts down the immune system, allowing the bacteria that causes ulcers to flourish
59
7. How does stress affect our genes? Blackburn and Eppel’s discovery?
a. Telomeres prevent chromosomes from fraying, shorten overtime with aging
i. Stress can accelerate this decay
b. Length of the telomeres directly relates to the amount of and the length of stress
60
8. Unexpected finding after the baboons died? Importance?
a. The more aggressive males died, transforming the troupe into a completely more welcoming environment
b. Humans belong to multiple hierarchies
61
9. What factors can decrease stress?
a. Compassion, caring for others
b. Finding a place where we have control
c. Conditions of work
d. Social affiliation
62
# discuss
Alarm Phase
fight or flight, excitation of autonomic NS
- adrenaline
- physical symptoms of anxiety
- blood pressure rises
- cortisol is released
63
# discuss
Resistance Phase
| GAS
stress response stil activated - adapting to stressor, finding ways to cope
64
# discuss
Exhaustion Phase
body begins to shut down- due to organ dmg, depression, anxiety, or a breakdown in t he immune system
65
# define
Rumination
focusing on how we bad we feel and analyzing the causes + consequences of our problems
66
# discuss
Rumination
- prolongs cardiovascular action after stressor
- associated with negative adjustment
- women more than men
| reflection is good! rumination is not
67
If someone feels disconnected from the world...
they are more vulnerable to depression if their goals are unrealisitically high!
68
# list + explain
Types of Control
| for managing stress
1. beavhioral control
2. cognitive control
3. decisional control
4. informational control
5. emotional control
| see document for explanations!
69
# define
Proactive Coping
anticipating stressful situations and taking steps to prevent or minimize difficulties before they arise
70
# define
Catharsis
expressing what we feel, disclosing feelings
71
Is catharsis beneficial?
- yes when it involves problem solving
- harmful when reinforcing a sense of helplessness
72
# define
Crisis Debriefing
a single-session group procedure, lasting three to four hours - encourages discussion within the group
| isn't super duper effective for helping trauma reactions
73
# discuss
Hardiness
| challenge, commitment, and control
- associated with being healthier and low levels of anxiety proneness
- change is a challenge
- commitment to life and work
- believed control over events
74
# discuss
Optimism
- more productive, focus, persistence, handling frustration
- lower mortality rate, risk of heart failure, risk of depression
75
# discuss
Spirituality
lower mortality rates, improved immune system, lower blood pressure, greater ability to recover from illnesses
76
# list
Why does spirituality improve health?
1. fosters self control, prohibits risky behaviors
2. boosts social support, increases marital satisfaction
3. sense of meaning and purpose, control, positive emotions, and positive appraisal
77
# dicuss
Communal Mastery
some cultures don't emphasize individual mastery over coping
- indigenous communities, women with highest communal mastert were least likely to experience negative impacts of stress
78
# discuss
Stress and the Immune System
prolonged stress can weaken the immune system
79
# define
Psychoneuroimmunology
the study of the relationship between the immune system and the CNS
80
# discuss
Stress and colds
we are more likely to get a cold when stressed!
- long term stressors can promote an inflammaroty response that increases the risk of colds
81
# define
Psychosomatic
term used to describe illness that psychologists have believed were caused vy underlying beliefs and mental states
| ex. stomach ulcers
82
# define
Psychophysiological
authentic illnesses in which emotions and stress contribute to, maintain, or aggravate physical conditions
83
# define
Biopsychosocial Perspective
proposes most medical conditions are neither all physical nor all psychological
84
# define
Health Psychology
a field that integrates behavioral sciences with the field of medicine
85
# list
Positive health behaviors
| 5
1. stop smoking
2. curb alcohol consumption
3. achieve a healthy weight
4. exercise
| see notes for more details - try and explain why these are bad!
86
# describe
Misestimates of Risk
underestimating the frequency of the most common causes of death and overestimating the frequency of the least common causes of death
87
# list
goals of prevention programs
- educating young people about risks and consequences
- " " positive health behaviors
- Teaching young people to recognize and resist peer pressure
- exposing young people to positive role models
- teaching effective coping skills
88
# define
Alternative Medicine
health care practices and products used in place of conventional medicine
89
# define
Complementary Medicine
products and practices used together with conventional medicine
90
# discuss
Biologically Based Therapies
vitamins, herbs, and dietary supplements
- many are just placebo
- not much research supporing benefits of taking excess vitamins
- can interfere with conventional medicine
- no way to control what's actually in it (could be dangerous)
91
# define + dicuss
Biofeedback
feedback by device that provides and output of a bio function - patients can use this feedback to modify physiological responses associated w/ stress
- could also help cuz you're just chillin
92
# define + discuss
Meditation
practices that train awareness and attention
- heighten creativity, empathy, alertness, self-esteem
- decrease anxiety, interpersonal problems, reccurences of depression
93
# define + discuss
Yoga
practices including sesires of postures, meditation, breathing techniques
- decrease anxiety, depression, migraines, pain
94
# discuss
Energy Medicine and Acupuncture
based on the idea that disruptions in our energy field can be mapped and treated
- acupuncture can relieve nausea and treat pain related conditions
95
Why do CAM treatments appear to be effective?
1. produce placebo through hope
2. assumption that natural products improve htalth
3. symptoms of disorders come and go naturally
4. when CAM accompanies conventional treatments, people may attribute their improvement to CAM
5. Problem may be misdiagnosed in the first place
96
# discuss
Homeopathy
Homepathic medicine is treatment vsed o nt he consuming an xtermely diluted dose of an illness-inducing substance to alleviate that illness
- often gets diluted to the point that none of the original substance remains
97
# list
Positive Coping Strategies
1. active coping
2. planning
3. seeking social support
4. seeking information
98
# list
Negative Coping Strategies
1. self-blame
2. denial
3. rumination
4. catastophisizing
99
# list
Okay Coping Strategies
1. self-distraction
2. reappraisal
3. acceptance
4. humor
100
# list
Misc Coping Strategies
1. substancea abuse
2. behavioral disengagement
3. religion
101
# define
Coronary Heart Disease
disease characterized by complete or partial blockage of arteries that provide oxygen in the heart
102
# discuss
Role of Stress in CHD
Stressful life events predict recurrences of heart attacks, high blood pressure, and enlargement of the heart **correlational**
High levels of stress hormones can lead to disruptions in normal heart rhythm and sudden death
Important to note: stress is also associated with the behavioral risk factors of CHD (poor diet, inadequate exercise)
103
# define
Optimal Matching Model
support is most beneficial when it matches the needs or goals of the stressed one
