Psychology 111- Chapter 12

Question 1

stress

Answer 1

a response elicited when a situation overwhelms a person’s perceived ability to meet the demands of the situation

Question 2

stressors

Answer 2

events that trigger a stress response

Question 3

response view of stress

Answer 3

focuses on physiological changes that occur when someone encounters an excessively challenging situation

Question 4

relational view of stress

Answer 4

how stressful a situation is depends on what the situation means to you

Question 5

Social Readjustment Rating Scale

Answer 5

quantifies stress in terms of major life changes

Question 6

drawbacks to social readjustment rating scale

Answer 6

ignores the fact that people view similar events differently, fails to consider differences in people’s emotional responses to stressors

Question 7

Hassles and Uplifts Scale

Answer 7

measures the frequency and intensity of minor irritations (hassles) and the positive events of daily life that counteract them

Question 8

primary appraisal

Answer 8

quick assessment of the meaning of a given environment event for the individual, the outcome determines whether an emotional response occurs

Question 9

secondary appraisal

Answer 9

self-assessment of resources available to cope with stress

Question 10

neuroendocrine system

Answer 10

hormonal systems involved in emotions and stress (hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal gland are key structures)

Question 11

catecholamines

Answer 11

chemicals released from adrenal glands that function as hormones and as neurotransmitters to control the ANS activation, they are also involved in the “fight or flight response”
- inc. dopamine and norepinephrine

Question 12

glucocorticoids

Answer 12

hormones responsible for maintaining the activation of physiological systems during emergencies. They control many metabolic functions and mobilize resources for the body
- cortisol

Question 13

adrenal-medullary system

Answer 13

a major neuroendocrine pathway stimulated during stress, in which the hypothalamus activates the sympathetic nervous system

Question 14

hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis

Answer 14

major neuroendocrine pathway relevant to the stress response involving the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal cortex

Question 15

cortisol

Answer 15

the major glucocorticoid produced in humans, also commonly known as the “stress hormone”, it regulates many important metabolic functions-> breaks down complex molecules into simpler ones

Question 16

general adaptation syndrome

Answer 16

defined by Hans Selye as a general non-specific set of changes in the body that occur during extreme stress- 3 stages

Question 17

alarm stage

Answer 17

• first stage of general adaptation syndrome
• the phase in which all of the body’s resources respond to a perceived threat

Question 18

resistance stage

Answer 18

• second stage of general adaptation syndrome
• extended effort by the body to deal with a threat

Question 19

exhaustion stage

Answer 19

• third stage of general adaptation syndrome
• when all resources for fighting the threat have been depleted and illness is more likely

Question 20

allostasis

Answer 20

the process by which the body achieves stability through physiological change

Question 21

how does stress affect the brain

Answer 21

• prolonged/repetitive stress causes inflammatory response that affects the brain and impacts memory and leads to greater anxiety
• cortisol release shrinks dendrites in hippocampus which can impair memory
• chronic stress reduces neurogenesis which impacts learning and memory

Question 22

coping

Answer 22

the act of dealing with stress or emotions

Question 23

problem-focused coping

Answer 23

a way of dealing with stress that aims to change the situation that is creating stress (ex: devising a plan to solve the problem, seeking social support as a way to gather info, and taking assertive action)

Question 24

emotion-focused coping

Answer 24

a way of dealing with stress that aims to regulate the experience of distress (ex: reappraisal= reevaluation, distancing= separating oneself from situation, escape-avoidance= wishful thinking/doing something to get one’s mind off of situation, seeking social support= talking with friends, self-control= regulate feelings and actions regarding the problem, accepting responsibility= acknowledging role)

Question 25

direct effects hypothesis

Answer 25

says that social support id beneficial to mental and physical health whether or not the person is under stress

Question 26

buffering hypothesis

Answer 26

social support may protect us from the effects of stress under certain conditions

Question 27

social network

Answer 27

cluster of related people (ex. family members, spouses, friends, coworkers, or neighbors)

Question 28

optimists

Answer 28

• less likely to feel helpless or depressed, adjust better to negative life events, and show better general mental health than pessimists
• positive emotions may facilitate recovery, help body return to a state of calmness

Question 29

resilience

Answer 29

being more flexible and better able to bounce back from difficult situations

Question 30

grit

Answer 30

resilience + perseverance