Module 39

Question 1

stress

Answer 1

process of perceiving and responding to certain events that we appraise as threatening or challenging; arouses and motivates us to conquer problems

Question 2

momentary/minimal stress

Answer 2

can have positive effects - mobilizes immune system for fending off infections and healing wounds; increase spirituality, self-esteem, and purpose; build resilience

Question 3

chronic stress

Answer 3

can have negative effects - burnout, risky decisions and behaviors, decline in health; triggers blood vessel inflammation, potentially causing heart disease and depression; people who experience social threats are more prone to inflammation

Question 4

catastrophe

Answer 4

unpredictable, large-scale events (including relocating to another country); can cause paralyzation by fear

Question 5

acculturative stress

Answer 5

mental and emotional challenge of adapting to a new culture (due to culture shock); decreases over time due to increased meaningful social interactions

Question 6

stressors

Answer 6

events that we appraise as threatening and challenging

Question 7

significant life changes

Answer 7

life transitions; many happen during young adulthood; can heighten when trying to take on too many things at once

Question 8

daily hassles and social stress

Answer 8

some can shrug off, some can’t; can increase when facing prejudice (stress > in marginalized groups)

Question 9

fight-or-flight response to stress

Answer 9

Cannon; epinephrine and norepinephrine are released due to arousing events (emotion, cold, lack of O2), triggering the sympathetic nervous system and the fight-or-flight response; “executes plan”

Question 10

glucocorticoid stress hormones

Answer 10

cortisol; released by adrenal glands in response to cerebral cortex urges to stress; combat inflammation and mobilize glucose to use for energy, leading to exhaustion

Question 11

increased levels of glucocorticoids effects

Answer 11

permanent damage to hippocampus neurons, smaller hippocampi, fatty acid build up on walls of blood vessels (reduced blood flow and increased risk for heart attack), and decreased enzyme production and bloodflow to stomach and intestines (increased vulnerability to bacterial infections)

Question 12

general adaption system (GAS)

Answer 12

Seyle; body’s adaptive response to stress; alarm reaction, resistance, exhaustion

Question 13

phase 1 of GAS

Answer 13

alarm reaction; sympathetic nervous system is activated; increase of heart rate, blood goes to skeletal muscles, faintness of shock

Question 14

phase 2 of GAS

Answer 14

resistance; increase of temperature, blood pressure, and respiration; adrenal glands pump hormones into bloodstream; w/o relief from stress, body’s reserves decrease over time

Question 15

phase 3 of GAS

Answer 15

exhaustion; become more vulnerable to illness

Question 16

telomeres

Answer 16

DNA pieces at the ends of chromosomes; shortened in those who suffered severe childhood stress; cause increase of aging in cells and physically

Question 17

common male stress response

Answer 17

withdrawal; turn to alcohol and becomes emotionally insensitive

Question 18

tend-&-befriend

Answer 18

responding to stress by providing support to others and bond with and seek support from others; more common in women; caused by oxytocin

Question 19

oxytocin

Answer 19

stress-moderating hormone that primes people to do things that strengthen close relationships, crave physical contact, increase empathy and helpfulness, protects body from other cardiovascular effects of stress by strengthening heart esp when tending and befriending

Question 20

behavioral medicine

Answer 20

integrating behavior and medical knowledge

Question 21

health psych

Answer 21

provides psych’s contributions to behavioral medicine

Question 22

psychoneuroimmunology

Answer 22

branch of health psych, focuses on mind-body interactions that affects immune system

Question 23

B lymphocytes

Answer 23

release antibodies to fight bacterial infections

Question 24

T lymphocytes

Answer 24

attack cancer cells, viruses, and foreign substances

Question 25

macrophage cells (big eaters)

Answer 25

identify, pursue, and ingest harmful invaders and worn-out cells

Question 26

natural killer cells (NK cells)

Answer 26

attack diseased cells

Question 27

immune system overresponse

Answer 27

may attack body’s own tissues, causing allergic reactions and self-attacking diseases; women are more susceptible bc immunologically stronger

Question 28

immune system underresponse

Answer 28

may allow flare of bacterial infection, dominant virus to erupt, or multiplication of cancer cells; can be done deliberately with transplants

Question 29

stress’s effect on lymphocytes

Answer 29

reduce release of lymphocytes and increase glucocorticoids which block lymphocyte receptors and prevents destroying foreign microorganisms; surgical wounds heal slower in stressed people; stressed people are more vulnerable to disease; stress can hasten course of disease

Question 30

carcinogens

Answer 30

cancer-producing substances

Question 31

connection between stress and cancer

Answer 31

people are at an increased risk for cancer after experiencing extreme stress; isn’t universally agreed upon; can cause people to blame themselves for illnesses and guilt others for theirs; having less stress doesn’t eliminate cancer

Question 32

coronary heart disease

Answer 32

clogging of vessels that nourish heart muscle; leading cause of death in many developed countries

Question 33

Type A personality

Answer 33

competitive, hard-driving, impatient, verbally aggressive, and anger-prone people; increased risk for heart disease; suppressing these negative emotions increases risk in W cultures

Question 34

Type B personality

Answer 34

easygoing, relaxed people

Question 35

pessimists and heart disease

Answer 35

2x likely to develop

Question 36

people with big smiles and who smile more

Answer 36

outlive others; have extensive social networks

Question 37

persistent inflammation

Answer 37

asthma, clogged arteries, heightened depression; can result from chronic stress