Health Psychology

Question 1

What are stressors?

Answer 1

Stimuli/events or circumstances (or unrealistic thoughts) that cause stress, usually aversive but often desirable, e.g., sports competition

Question 2

What does the autonomic nervous system (ANS) control?

Answer 2

1. Sympathetic nervous system

2. Parasympathetic nervous system

Question 3

What does the sympathetic nervous system do?

Answer 3

Increases muscle contraction and gland secretion, e.g,

• pupils dilate
• skin perspires
• respiration increases
• heart accelerates
• immune system functioning reduces
• digestion is inhibited
• adrenal glands secrete stress hormones

Question 4

What substances are released on stress?

Answer 4

1. Adrenalin

2. Glucocorticoid (cortisol)

Question 5

What can the demanding physiological response cause the body?

Answer 5

1. Atherosclerosis
2. Thrombosis
3. High blood pressure
4. Coronary heart disease (CHD)
5. Ulcers

Question 6

What did Kiecolt-Glaser et al. (1995) find?

Answer 6

It takes longer for someone under prolonged stress (e.g., caregivers, Alzheimer’s patients) to heal a wound.

Question 7

What did Vitaliano et al. (2003) find?

Answer 7

Caregivers had 23% higher levels of stress hormones, and 15% lower levels of antibody response, meaning they are less ready to heal.

Question 8

What is stress?

Answer 8

Physiological, behavioural, emotional and cognitive responses to real or imagined stimuli that are perceived as preventing a goal or endangering/threatening well-being.

Question 9

What are the three stages of Selye’s General Adaption Syndrome (GAS)?

Answer 9

1. Alarm
2. Resistance
3. Exhaustion

Question 10

What are the three stages of Stress Inoculation Training?

Answer 10

1. Conceptualisation
2. Skills acquisition and rehearsal phase
3. Application and follow-through phase

Question 11

What happens in the alarm stage of Selye’s adaption syndrome?

Answer 11

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is aroused, and the organism’s resistance to the stressor drops below normal temporarily.

Question 12

What happens in the resistance stage of Selye’s General Adaption Syndrome?

Answer 12

The autonomic nervous system returns to normal functioning, resistance to stressor increase and eventually levels out.

Question 13

What happens in the exhaustion stage of Selye’s General Adaption Syndrome?

Answer 13

The organism loses the ability to adapt, resistance plummets below normal and the organism becomes susceptible to illness or even death.