SAC 1b - stress Flashcards
1
Q
Definition of stress
A
- refers to the automatic psychological and physical arousal (or tension) a person feels in response to a change in their internal or external enviroment
- something that challenges them or causes them to feel they do not have the personal or social resources to cope
- for a person to experience stress they must be exposed to a stressor
2
Q
Definition of stressor
A
- any person, object or event that challenges or threatens an individual
- e.g. internal: pain, external:loud noise
3
Q
Definition of eustress
A
- positive psychological response to a stressor
- characterised by positive psychological states that helps the body to perform at optimal level
4
Q
Definition of distress
A
- negative psychological response to a stressor
- characterised by negative psychological states, that impedes optimal performance
5
Q
Sources of stress: daily pressures
A
- frequently experienced stressors
- consists of minor events that require adjustment in behaviour
- e.g. missing the bus or loosing your house keys
6
Q
Sources of stress: life events
A
- stressors that consist of significant but relatively rare events
- they require substantial adjustments in behaviour within a relatively short time
- can be positive or negative
- e.g. death of a loved one or wedding day
7
Q
Sources of stress: acculturative stress
A
- the process of learning a new language and adapting to customs and laws very different from your own culture
- stress can arise from a person having to adapt to these changes
- greater the difference between the immigrants old and new countries, the greater the difficulty they experience
- e.g. it would be easier for somebody who comes from an English speaking country to adapt to Australia, than somebody who comes from a non-English speaking country
8
Q
Sources of stress: catastrophes
A
- stressors that disrupt the entire community
- stress can be intensified when an individual doesn’t feel as though they have control over the stressor
- e.g. natural disasters such as earthquake, cyclone
- Clum and Weif suggested there’s 3 groups who suffer:
- those who witnessed he event
- those affected by the disaster but not present
- those part of the rescue team
- those exposed to the ‘extreme stressor’ were more susceptible to developing PTSD
9
Q
What is Hans Selye’s general adaption syndrome (GAS)
A
- predictable three phase pattern of psychological responses
- consists of alarm, resistance ad exhaustion
- thought that not everyone goes through all 3 stages
- exhaustion stage is only reached if exposure to the stressor is persistent
- GAS is the body way of dealing with and adapting to a perceived stressor
- resistance stage of GAS corresponds with a person having an increased allostatic load
- while the exhaustion stage corresponds with the concept of allostatic overload
10
Q
GAS: alarm stage
A
- first stage
- person/organism realises there is a stress/threat present
- fight-flight-freeze response is activated via the HPA axis
- experience in 2 phases: shock and countercheck
- in the shock phase the body responds as if its injured, body temperature and blood pressure drop momentarily
- during the counter shock phase the body increases its resistance to to the stressor with the release of adrenalin, noradrenalin and cortisol into the blood stream, increases heart rate and respiration rate, preparation for f-f-f
- if after the initial stress encounter and the situation is dealt with the person will not enter the next stage
11
Q
GAS: resistance stage
A
- second stage
- parasympathetic NS reduces heart and respiration rate while blood glucose levels and some stress hormones continue to circulate through the body, keeping the body prepared for action
- if the stress continues than the person ends up in and elevated state of arousal
- the body cannot continue to remain physiological aroused for long periods of time
- the continued circulation of adrenalin, the pituitary hormone ACTH and cortisol can depress the immune system
- individual may begin declining social invitations, becoming absent from work or school, difficulty remembering or focusing
- may appear withdrawn, tearful or angry
12
Q
GAS: exhaustion stage
A
- third stage
- body ability to meet the demand of the stressor begins to decline
- person biological resources become severely depleted
- makes the person more susceptible tp life threatening illnesses e.g heart attack
- person will show signs of depression due to psychological exhaustion
13
Q
Advantages of GAS
A
- measures a predictable pattern that can be measured in individuals
- if stress is not prolonged stages are still experienced, therefore tracks biological patterns in different types of stress
14
Q
Disadvantages of GAS
A
- research wasn’t conducted on humans
- does not account for individual differences an psychological factors
15
Q
What is cortisol?
A
- stress hormone
- essential role in response to stress
- released into our blood stream to maintain blood glucose levels
- however during prolonged periods of stress it also has the affect of suppressing the immune system
16
Q
What happens to cortisol levels when a stressor is present?
A
- increase in the level of cortisol
- causes the hypothalamus to trigger the release of CRH which in turn activates the pituitary gland to release ACTH
- ACTH passes through the bloodstream to the adrenal glands, in turn releasing stress hormones such as adrenaline, noradrenalin and cortisol
17
Q
What does the release of adrenalin and noradrenalin lead to?
A
- increase in respiration rates (increasing alertness)
- glucose is also released into our bloodstream to maintain blood-glucose levels which provides us with more energy e.g. run faster
