Health and Well-Being Flashcards
Health Psychology
A field that integrates research on health and on psychology
Well-being
a positive state in which we strive for optimal health and life satisfaction
Medical model
getting rid of disease
Psychological model
Behaviors and attitudes are crucial to achieving health
Leading Causes of Death in the US
Heart disease, cancer, chronic lower respiratory disease, stroke, accidents, Alzheimer’s, diabetes
Stress
Involves physical, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral responses to to events that are perceived as threatening or challenging
Stressors
Events (imaginary or real) that elicit stress
Eustress
Produced by positive life events
e.g., getting married
Distress
Produced by negative life events
e.g., getting a divorce
Types of stressors
Catastrophes - like a tornado
Major life stressors- like having a child
Daily hassels- like driving through traffic
Consequences of Stress
Increased BP, Cardiac disease, diabetes, decreased sex drive, alcohol and cigarette use
Contributors of Heart Disease
Genetics, behavior, personality
Type A personality
individuals are competitive, overachieving, aggressive, hostile and impatient
Type B personality
individuals are relaxed, noncompetitive, accommodating and easygoing
Emotion focused coping
Attempt to prevent an emotional response to stressor, strategies are often passive and do NOT resolve problem
Problem-focused coping
Behavior aimed at resolving the problem that produces stress, strategies are often active and aim at reducing the source of stress
Insulin
Hormone that decreases blood glucose after eating has begun, making us want to eat more
What part of the brain controls behaviors that start and stop eating?
The hypothalamus
Basal Metabolic Rate
Rate at which the body burns energy during rest, Changes with age and activity level
Some social cues that tell us to eat
Classical conditioning to eat at a certain hour, appeal of food, cultural ideas of eating for comfort or with ceratin activities
Obesity
People with BMIs >30
Normal BMI range
18.5-25
2 problems with BMI
- Does not take age, sex, bone structure or body fat distribution into account
- a clear relationship between BMI and health outcomes does not exist for the very obese
Body Shape Index (BSI)
Considers the amount of abdominal fat