Lecture 19: Stress and Coping

Question 1

adapting to changing environments (allostasis and allostatic load

Answer 1

• body seeks homeostasis in an evolving and changing environment
• allostasis: the process of adapting returning to homeostasis
• allostatic load: wear and tear on body as it tries to adjust to congoing chronic stress

Question 2

what is a stressor

Answer 2

• an event/situation that is interpreted by individual in a way that activates stress process
• acute or chronic or episodic (repeated episodes of acute stress like exams coming over and over) or traumatic

Question 3

physiological stress process

Answer 3

• alarm: fight or flight (sympathetic nervous system response)
• resistance: depletion of resources (body’s defenses reduced)
• exhaustion: (susceptible to illness)

Question 4

general adaptation syndrome (GAS)

Answer 4

• when exposed to chronic stress the person undergoes physiological changes

Question 5

primary appraisal and secondary appraisal

Answer 5

• primary: what is at stake (what does stressor mean to me)
• secondary appraisal: what can i do about it (do i have sufficient resources)

Question 6

what is the trier social stress test (TSST)

Answer 6

• stressful job interview and counting backwards by 7
• people did worse counting backwards after experiencing stress than control group and experienced more stress doing it

Question 7

coping(5 types)

Answer 7

• social support
• cognitive reframing: it isn’t that bad
• problem focused coping: fixing what’s broken
• emotion focused coping: managing emotions; emotional inhibition vs emotional expression
• relationship focused coping: helping others manage

Question 8

lazarus and folkman’s transactional model of stress

Answer 8

• cyclical process that unfolds over time
• personality influences exposure, primary appraisal, secondary appraisal, coping, emotional response

Question 9

interaction model of stress

Answer 9

• personality moderates effects of stressors on coping and adaptation

Question 10

hardiness

Answer 10

• some people resilient in face of major stressors
• high in: commitment, control, challenge

Question 11

individual differences and stress resposne

Answer 11

• suppression: i control my emotions by not expressing them (it sucks don’t do this)(Men>women, minorities>white people)
• reappraisal: i control my emotions by changing the way i think about the situation (better (m=f, poc=white) better wellbeing

Question 12

kelly’s personal construct theory

Answer 12

• proposes that each person processes unique filters for interpreting events
• shattered assumptions model of growth= adversity exposes faulty assumptions
• new understandings = sense of personal growth

Question 13

cognitive illusions perspective

Answer 13

• most people have a distorted overly optimistic view of themselves
• defend threat to self by selective interpretation*****(three things)
• downward social comparisons: i am better off than that guy
• regain master/control: self blame but i can learn from it
• see as meaningful: now i am on a mission

Question 14

positive emotions and coping

Answer 14

• what good are positive emotions
• report overall better wellbeing
• caregivers of men dying of aids, positive emotions = better adjustments
• helps bring emotions back to an equilibrium