L1: Intro Flashcards
(44 cards)
how can you study stress perception?
by asking ppl questions or by doing brain scans
what can be the health consequences of stress?
- predicts dev of cardiovascular disease (even after adjusting for lifestyle factors)
- contributes to increases morbidity & mortality
- older individuals more likely to die within a year of losing a spouse
- higher rates of infectious illnesses
- slower wound healing
- worsened autoimmune conditions
- poor mental health outcomes (anxiety, PTSD, depression, burnout)
how does the stress cycle go?
stressor -> stress perception -> stress response
which is a better predictor of depression: lots of daily hassles vs nr of life events & death of a loved one
nr of daily hassles
what is the best way to study acute stress in the lab?
by giving a mentally challenging task w amplifying component
ex: improvised speech alongside social evaluation
what does the reactivity hypothesis suggest?
that exaggerated cardiovascular responses to acute stress is a risk factover for development of CVD & elevated blood pressure
what are 2 key determinations of stress?
- lack of control
- social evaluation
what was brady’s experiment?
2 monkeys were getting electrical shocks but one of them could control she shock they both receive (active), and the one that could not (joked control) suffered far worse stress
what does social self preservation theory say?
threats to the social self engender a speicifc set of psychological and physical reactions (ex: feelings of low social worth, increases in stress hormone cortisol)
what did the shoplifting scenario show?
required participant to defened themselves against shoplifting allegations
showed that even when stressor is the same, the social context in which the stressor is experienced makes a big difference
in what 2 waves does the stress response come?
- 1st wave: immediate fight or flight response that activates SYMPATHETIC Adreno Medullary System (ADRENALINE & noradrenaline released), suppresses parasympathetic NS (acetylcholine; no saliva production, heart rate goes up, bowel issues etc), HPA axis, (adrenocorticotrophic ACTH):
- 2nd and slower wave is endocrine pathways of HPA axis which occurs in 2h. ACTH leads to release of CORTISOL, which regulates metabolism, BP, and immune system
what are cortisol levels like?
increase with stress (since HPA axis releases cortisol as part of 2nd wave)
normally, cortisol levels return to normal after stress, but chronic stress can lead to persistnelty high cortisol
what can be the results of persistnelty high cortisol levels?
fat accumulation, muscle wasting
Cushing’s syndrome
what is the difference between a neurotransmitter and hormone?
neurotransmitter: activates receptors on adjacent cells
hormone: activates receptors on distant cells
where did the concept of stress originate?
in physics: to describe internal forces in a system caused by external pressures
what is the psychological definition of stress?
stress occurs when demands are appraised as exceeding a person’s resources to cope
what are stressors vs stress responses?
stressors: internal or external events that may trigger stress responses (ex: external stressors can be an exam, while one’s conflicting desires is an internal stressor)
there can also be other categories like acute stressors, chronic stressors, daily hassles, traumatic stressors, and role strain
stress responses: variaous ways we respond to stressors: can be divided into cognitive, affective, behavioural, and psych responses (not always a strong association between these)
what factors make stress worse?
- when a situation is perceived as uncontrollable or unpredictable
- so sense of control can mediate the effects of chornic stress
by what is stress responsivity influenced?
- genetics
- early environment (prenatal stress affects childs stress responses)
what are “orchid children” vs “dandelion children”
orchid: more sensitive to their environment, showing better or worse health outcomes based on their upbringing
dandelion: less affected by adversity
what is an alternative to the fight or flight response?
tend and befriend response: individuals seek social support and care for others
- common in females
- linked to release of oxytocing & endogenous opioids, which promotes bonding and reduces stress
- social affiliation through this response can buffer against the long term negative impacts of stress, complementing the fight or flight response in managing stressors
how does stress affect the immune system?
both sympathetic NS & HPA axis influence it, but in opposite ways!
SNS
- increases immune activity, through activation of natural killer cells
HPA
- suppresses immune responses by producing cortisol, which has anti inflammatory effects & reduces white blood cells and cytokine release
& immune responses vary based on stressor!
- short term stressor (like giving presentation): boosts immune activity for immediate defense, but this effect quickly fades
- chronic stressors (like caregiving or unemployment) negatively affect all aspects of immune functioning
how does the interactional, or transactional, approach to stress view it?
views stress as a dynamic process resulting from the interaction between a person and their environment
- stress occurs when a person appraises the demands of a situation as exceeding their ability to cope
- this model highlights importance of appraisal processes in explaining variations in stress responses (& how others factors can moderate stress)
- views stress as ongoing process
what are the 3 key processes of appraisal in the interactional, or transactional, approach to stress?
- primary appraisal: evaluating whether a situation is benign or stressful
- secondary appraisal: assessing one’s resources and capacity to cope
- reappraisal: reassessing the situation after applying coping strategies, which may lead to a change in how stressful the situation is perceived
