Health Psych Text Flashcards
Stress is the consequence of a person’s __________ process
Stress is the consequence of a person’s appraisal process
If a person is trying to understand an event and what it will mean, what type of stress appraisal is that?
Primary appraisal
Secondary appraisals assess what?
Secondary appraisals assess whether personal resources are sufficient to meet the demands of the environment.
In short, secondary appraisals assess what?
It assesses whether I have the resources to overcome the stressor
Describe how stress is determined by person-environment fit.
Person-environment fit considers both primary and secondary appraisals. It considers whether an event is harmful or threatening - then it assesses potential resources and of responding to the events.
Describe the 3 phases of Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome.
- Alarm - reacts to stressor with diminished resistance
- Resistance - efforts to cope with the threat
- Exhaustion - if person fails to overcome the threat, it physiologically affects them
When someone is suffering from general adaptation syndrome, what might their physiological reactions look like?
enlarged adrenal cortex
shrunken thymus and lymph glands
ulceration of the stomach and duodenum
What are the criticism of General Adaptation Syndrome?
- It assigns limited role to psychological factors (and researchers believe that psychological appraisal of events is critical to experiencing stress.
- Not all stressors produce the same endocrinological responses
- Not sure if its exhaustion itself or the chronic activation that’s implicated in stress.
What is the endpoint to Seyle’s general adaptation syndrome?
He believed stress was the endpoint - that fails to acknowledge anticipated stress or post stressful events.
Describe the mechanism of Tend and Befriend.
Tend-and-Befriend works on the mechanism of oxytocin - it stipulates that oxytocin is strongly influenced by estrogen. Thus, women are more likely to relieve stress by social support.
What are the 4 most important pathways by which stress adversely affects health?
- physiological
- health behaviors
- psychosocial resources
- health care
What can repeated activation of the HPA axis do?
How is it activated?
The HPA axis is activated in response to chronic or recurring stress - repeated activation can eventually damage its functions.
Define Reactivity - how is it related to stress?
Reactivity is the degree of change that occurs in endocrine or immune response as a response to stress.
What is Allostatic Load?
Allostatic load is basically the physiological cost of chronic exposure to stress.
What is the main difference between problem-focused and emotion-focused coping?
emotion-focused coping involves regulation of emotions while problem-focused coping involves attempts to do constructive things to rid the problem
Describe Emotional-approach coping style.
Emotional-approach coping style involves clarifying, focusing on, and working through emotions.
Describe Proactive Coping - what does it require?
- Anticipate or detect potential stressors
- Coping skills to manage it
- Self-regulatory skills
What type of appraisals are beneficial for regulating emotions during stress?
Detached reappraisal and Positive reappraisal
In regards to social support, bringing some a home-cooked meal after their spouse has died is what?
Tangible assistance
Describe the buffering hypothesis of social support. What is the difference between it and the direct effect hypothesis?
The direct effect hypothesis maintains that social support is beneficial to BOTH non stressful and stressful times.
The buffering hypothesis states that social support is a reserve and resource that blunts out the effects of stress at high levels.
What is the average time before a physician will interrupt you?
23 seconds into conversation
how long does an average visit to medical office last?
12-15 minutes
What is the average nonadherence to treatment rate?
26% of people don’t adhere to treatment recommendations
What is the average nonadherence to prescription meds?
85%