Sac 2

Question 1

What is stress?

Answer 1

Is a psychological physiological response to an internal or external stressor that challenges an individuals ability to cope/ adapt to changing conditions whether real or perceived

Question 2

Stressor?

Answer 2

A stimulus such as person/ object or event that causes stress (perceived as threat).

Question 3

What two categories can stress be divided into?

Answer 3

Eustress and Distress

Question 4

What his Eustress?

Answer 4

Eustress is a positive stress, things that challenge or excite us.

Question 5

What is Distress ?

Answer 5

Eustress is negative stress, Things perceived as threatening or that loss can occur- dysfunctional state

Question 6

Chronic stress?

Answer 6

Stress is long term

Question 7

Acute stress?

Answer 7

Stress is intense, bad, but quick recovery

Question 8

What is a stress reaction?

Answer 8

The physiological psychological result of stress

Question 9

Stress causes?

Answer 9

Daily pressures (being late for work, having a sac that day), life events (divorce), acculturative stress (the physiological impact of adaption to a new culture), Catastrophes That distrupt whole communities (natural disasters).

Question 10

What may be stressful for one individual may not be stressful for another as…

Answer 10

Stress occurs differently in individuals due to everyone perceiving things differently

Question 11

Stress reactions can be broken into both…

Answer 11

Physiological and psychological categories

Question 12

What are some physiological reactions to stress?

Answer 12

• skin rashes
• Headaches
• Colds/flu
• Heart Palpitations
• Heart attack
• Stomach ulcers

Question 13

What are some psychological reactions to stress?

Answer 13

B.E.C
Behavioural: 
-Changes to eating habits
-Changes to sleep 
Emotional: 
- Irritability 
- Aggression 
Cognitive: 
-Decreased Concentration 
- Memory impairment

Question 14

What type of process is Hans Seyle’s
General
Adaption
Syndrome ?

Answer 14

A biological process

Question 15

What are the stages in GAS and what occurs with them?

Answer 15

1/Alarm reaction (shock) Resistance to stress drops below normal: Body acts as though injured, blood pressure and body temp drop.
2/Alarm reaction (counter shock) Resistance to stress is above normal: Sympathetic NS activated, FFF response activated, Adrenalin released
3/Resistance, Restance to stress is above normal still: cortisol released, all unnecessary functions shut down- person appears as all is normal. Minor colds and illness can still occur in this stage.
Exhaustion, resistance is below normal: Resources are depleted, immune system weakened, prolonged release of adrenalin has negative effects on body, person more likely to get severe illness and disease.

Question 16

What are strengths and weaknesses of GAS

Answer 16

Strengths: Measured predictable pattern,
can be measured in individuals
- I stress not prolonged stages still experience, tracks biological patterns in multiple types of stress
Weaknesses: Research, not conducted on humans (ethics)
-DOES NOT account for difference in individuals and psychological factors

Question 17

Exercise…

Answer 17

Helps use up adrenalin and cortisol that is secreted, also produces beta endorphins.

Question 18

What is Approach in regards to stress?

Answer 18

Behaviours that attempt to decrease stress through alleviating problem i.e. starting homework that is due, applying for new job
- Typically healthy response to stress

Question 19

Avoidance…

Answer 19

Avoiding dealing with stress by protecting oneself from psychological distress i.e. ignoring the facts, denial

• Maladaptive, unhealthy and unhelpful for relieving source of stress.
• try to illuminate feeling of stress.

Question 20

Coping flexibility

Answer 20

The ability of an individual to replace ineffective coping strategies with a different strategy

• Positive outcomes for individuals with high coping flexibility
• High levels of coping flexibly are linked to low levels of mental illness, measurement tools can be inconsistent

Question 21

Other ways to cope with stress

Answer 21

Physical exercise

• Meditation: seeing things from another/different perspective
• Social support: Other people, other networks, expands ideas with coping flexibility, resources (Lazarus and Folkmans Transactional model of stress)
• Alcohol drugs, escape, avoidance strategy, snowballs into more effects, not dealing with stress, possibly creating more.

Question 22

What does HPA stand for

Answer 22

Hypothalamus, Anterior Pituitary and Adrenal Cortex

Question 23

What type of process is HPA ?

Answer 23

A biological process

Question 24

What occurs during HPA process

Answer 24

A threat needs to be signaled that it is present via the Amygdala in brain which triggers HPA axis to release cortisol:

• Threat signaled by Amygdala
• Hypothalamus releases CRH (corticotropin releasing hormone)
• Anterior Pituitary releases ACTH (Adrenocorticotropic hormone)
• Adrenal Cortex releases Cortisol

Question 25

What is the role of cortisol ?

Answer 25

Vital for maintaining health and well being of body when under stress - maintains non vital functions such as, immunity, digestion, mood and growth - if activated over long period of time it becomes depleted

Question 26

What happens when cortisol is depleted?

Answer 26

Leads to decreased immunity, leaving individual susceptible to severe illness, among other negative effects

Question 27

Fight Flight Freeze Response...

Answer 27

Initial reactor to stress - occurs due to arousal of sympathetic NS (activated when body is confronted by stressor) - It now chooses to Fight (confront), flight (run away from) or freeze ( remain motionless ) - any response that body gives are all necessary to maximise survival - Adaptive

Question 28

What type of Process is Lazarus and Folkman's Transactional model of stress and coping?

Answer 28

It is a psychological process, focuses more on that it was not just the response to the stressor or the stressor itself that was important, rather the individuals perception and assessment of that stressor. - Different people can evaluate a potentially stressful situation in their own unique way. - Stress is regarded as a transaction between the person's individual interpretation or cognitive appraisal determines how to deal with the situation.

Question 29

What are the 2 main stages in L+F's Transactional model of coping

Answer 29

Primary Appraisal and Secondary Appraisal

Question 30

Primary Appraisal...

Answer 30

Is the initial evaluation response, person determines whether event is a threat or challenged, made at a more unconscious level. - When situation holds no personal relevance (views as neutral or irrelevant), no further thought is needed. Significance can be classed as: Harm/Loss (assessment that damage has been done ei illness/poor results), Threat (Assessment that future harm or loss may occur, Challenge (assessment that theres opportunity for personal growth (ei upcoming marriage,Change of employment), Neutral/ irrelevant/ benign, Assessment that even is of little or no personal importance to person (therefore does not go beyond primary appraisal) If situation is perceived as stressor, person will work out what needs to be done in Secondary appraisal

Question 31

Secondar appraisal...

Answer 31

Where the person considers options available to them and how they will respond, this is made at a more conscious level. - Do I have resources and energy for situation?

Question 32

Emotional Forecasting...

Answer 32

Both stages in L+F transactional model involve emotional forecasting: Primary appraisal: Person experiences emotional response to given situation. Secondary Appraisal: Person predicts possible emotional impact of each potential response. e.g.: Student might feel great disappointment at failing task (Primary Appraisal) followed by relief at being able to re- submit or change subjects (secondary appraisal)

Question 33

Content Specific effectiveness...

Answer 33

Is a coping strategy that is effective for the particular stressor

Question 34

Problem focused coping...

Answer 34

Looks at causes of stressor from a practical Perspective, works out ways to deal with them. with objective of reducing stress.

Question 35

Examples of Problem focused coping...

Answer 35

Taking control: Taking actions to help take control of the situation and effect outcome in positive way. Information seeking: Looking for additional info to help deal with stressor . Evaluating pros and cons: Dividing a sheet of paper into 2 sides, write down positives of situation/stressor on one side and negatives on other.

Question 36

Emotional focused coping...

Answer 36

Involves trying to reduce negative emotional feelings associated with stressor Eg; embarrassment, fear, anxiety, depression, excitement or frustration.

Question 37

Examples of emotional focused coping...

Answer 37

Meditation Relaxation Talking to friends and family about problem Denial: Pretending event didn't occur Ignoring problem in hope it will disappear Distraction : Keep mind busy Expecting a worse case scenario, to prepare for worst Physical exercise, reduce feeling of stress.

Question 38

Strengths and Limitations of L+F Transactional model of stress

Answer 38

Strengths: Using human subjects in developing model - using cognitive approach to stress, focus on how people cope with psychological stressors -Took both mental processes and emotions into account when examining how individual interprets situation as stressful or not. Limits: The greater focus on psychological factors meant less emphasis placed on physiological elements of stress response. Didn't include cultural, social, environmental factors in looking at how individuals perceive a stressful event.