Social psychology and health

Question 1

Psychological stress

Answer 1

Sense that challenges and demands surpass one’s current capacities, resources and energies. It is persistent.

Question 2

Define rumination and explain why we experience it vs other animals

Answer 2

As humans, we experience rumination: consistently thinking about negative (stressful) events/emotions. Other animals live in the moment…stress goes away when there is no more danger.

Question 3

Explain Selye’s concept of general adaptation syndrome

Answer 3

The body mounts a similar set of responses to a broad array of stressors.
Stress is “the nonspecific response of the body
to any demand” and these responses mobilize the organism for action, but can make you sick if they go on for too long

Question 4

Explain how Hans Selye’s work contributed to understanding of stress

Answer 4

Working on rats, Selye was studying a newly discovered ovarian hormone. When injected with this hormone, these rats developed ulcers, enlarged adrenal glands, shrunken immune tissues
BUT same effects on control group…it was actually linked with the way Selye was clumsy with the rats

Question 5

What is the function of the hypothalamus

Answer 5

• key role in coordinating motivated behaviors required for survival (ex: flight-or-flight response)
• control both the quick and slow response processes
• inputs “neural alarm system”

Question 6

Describe the quick pathway for processing of events

Answer 6

SNS permits an immediate response to an arousal initiated by the hypothalamus. SNS= Survival, stress responses
After the emergency, the PNS inhibits SNS, and restores the body

Question 7

How does the SNS perform the fight or flee response?
(steps)

Answer 7

1. Arousal initiated by the hypothalamus
   2.Stimulation of the adrenal glands–>secretion of epinephrine
2. Increased blood pressure, heart rate, sweating, etc.

Question 8

Describe the slow pathway for processing of events (and the steps)

Answer 8

HPA axis
1. Stressful event stimulates the amygdala
2. Hypothalamus initiates a chemical cascade, stimulation of the pituitary gland
3. Stimulation of the adrenal glands
4. Release of cortisol

Question 9

How does cortisol works on our physiology

Answer 9

• mobilizes sugar for fuel
  -increasing heart rate, blood pressure
• directs attention towards threat
• contributes to the formation of “flashbulb memories”

Question 10

How can chronic stress affect the cardiovascular system

Answer 10

Contribute to plaque build-up on arterial walls, increasing the risk of heart attacks
(Chronic stress can impair PNS activation…SNS ++ activated…heart rate/blood pressure constantly higher)

Question 11

How can chronic stress affect the immune system

Answer 11

• slow down wound healing
  *ex: experiment on students during exam period vs.
  vacation
• virus contraction
  *ex: experiment with cold virus exposure…most
  people who got sick were chronically stressed
  -glucocorticoid resistance: immune cells can no longer respond to cortisol
  … prolonged inflammatory response

Question 12

Contrast the biomedical and biopsychosocial models of health and disease

Answer 12

Biomedical: Diseases are caused by issues coming from the body only…mind-body dualism

Biopsychosocial: Health is derived from the interaction of biological factors, as well as psychosocial factors…Mind processes can produce bodily changes

Question 13

What allows human brain capable to anticipate and dwell on potential and past experiences, prolonging our stress?

Answer 13

Highly developed prefrontal cortex

Question 14

What causes stress-related diseases?

Answer 14

Frequent activation of physiological systems designed for acute emergencies, because of long-term worrying.

Question 15

Describe the Trier Social Stress Test and explain how it utilizes these two ingredients

Answer 15

Interview speech given in front of panel judges, followed by surprise mental math task.
- Uncontrollability: Lack of social feedback + Math task
- Social-evaluative threat

Question 16

Describe the two factors that have been identified as the key ingredients of events that people find stressful

Answer 16

• Uncontrollability
• Social evaluation threat

Question 17

Describe stress appraisal theory

Answer 17

The way we evaluate the stressor and our role in the situation will shape our emotional experience and physiological response

Question 18

Describe and distinguish between primary and secondary stress appraisals.

Answer 18

Primary: Perceptions about the threat/challenge…positive or negative?

Secondary: Perceptions about one’s own ability to cope/respond to the stressful event

Question 19

In which situations our perceived stress is likely to be high?

Answer 19

Primary appraisal of the situation’s demands > secondary appraisal of our ability to meet those demands
High threat + low coping

Question 20

Describe the role that cognition and positive illusions play in in responses to stressful events

Answer 20

Perceived control and optimism

Question 21

Describe the effects of the illusion of control

Answer 21

(feeling less control increases chances of having depression…self-fulfilling prophecy)

• more adaptive patterns of physiological responses to stressors
• problem-focuses coping: active attempt to reduce/eliminate a stressor

Question 22

Describe the effects of the optimism

Answer 22

-decreased cortisol reactivity
-better social functioning
-fosters persistence, motivation, performance

Question 23

Distinguish between physical/objective social isolation and subjective sense of social isolation/loneliness and explain how they relate to health

Answer 23

physical/objective social isolation: BEING alone
subjective sense of social isolation/loneliness: FEELING alone…potentially stronger predictor of health

Question 24

Explain why loneliness may be related to negative health outcomes

Answer 24

• Evolution → safer in groups
• Self-preservation mode→ when alone:
  More vigilance/anxiety/hostility
  Sleep fragmentation
  More HPA activity
  Persisting inflammation, altered immune gene
  expression
  Depressive symptomatology (alone…ppl reach
  out?)
  But…self-perpetuating loneliness because of
  hypervigilance

Question 25

Define social support and explain how it relates to health

Answer 25

How much you believe you can reach out to others for help/comfort/etc
- lower blood pressure
- lower stress hormones levels
- stronger immune system
- lower depression likelihood
- increased lifespan

Question 26

Describe the role that oxytocin plays in social support/connection and health

Answer 26

• hormone, anxiolytic function
• cortisol inhibitor
• lowers anxiety

Question 27

Describe the role that that the ventromedial prefrontal cortex plays in social support/connection and health

Answer 27

Increased activity when ppl exposed to images of loved ones
- responds to safety
- inhibits SNS, promotes PNS
- inhibits cortisol

Question 28

lll