Stress

Question 1

WHAT IS STRESS?

Answer 1

physical and psychological response to events (stressors) that challenge a person’s normal functioning (homeostasis)

Question 2

Psychological Stressors

Answer 2

1. interpersonal conflict
2. isolation
3. traumatic life events
4. time-pressured tasks
5. peer pressure
6. expectations for others
7. high standards for achievement

IITTPEH

Question 3

physical stressors

Answer 3

physical exertion
excessive heat or cold
overcrowding
noise
injury

PEONI

Question 4

corticolimbic system

Answer 4

where your brain processes stress

it determines possible threat and processes emotions

Question 5

primary identifier

Answer 5

determines if there is a threat and at what magnitude

Question 6

secondary identifier

Answer 6

evaluates ways to cope with the stressor

Question 7

eustress

Answer 7

stress that is seen as beneficial for the experiencer

Question 8

approach-approach

Answer 8

choice between two goals you want to do

Question 9

avoidance-avoidance

Answer 9

choice between two options that you don’t want to do! but you have to

Question 10

approach-avoidance

Answer 10

choice between something you like and something you don’t like

Question 11

double approach-avoidance

Answer 11

choice between two alternatives, both having positive and negative features

Question 12

chronic stress

Answer 12

• prolonged activated of stressed response
  
  • can lead to negative mood states
    
    • depression, anxiety
  • can affect how they perceive the stress
• affects body by making immune system less efficient
  
  • can get sick easily :(

Question 13

PTSD

Answer 13

may experience long lasting symptoms such as anxiety, depression, flashbacks

Question 14

impact of stress on health

Answer 14

PTSD — may experience long lasting symptoms such as anxiety, depression, flashbacks

• risk factor for disease— heart disease
• may arravagate any existing diseases — migranes, headaches, asthma, hypertension
• may reduce the effectiveness of medication — taking medication, following diets

Question 15

emotional response to stress

Answer 15

crying, nervousness, irritability, anger, fear, apathetic, empty

Question 16

cognitive response to stress

Answer 16

memory problems, distractibility, obsessiveness, problems concentrating

Question 17

behavioural response

Answer 17

relationship problems, substance abuse, compulsive eating, teeth grinding, uncommunicative

Question 18

optimal arousal theory

Answer 18

POSITIVE ASPECT OF STRESS!!

• **peak performance is related to amount of stress
• more stress can increase performance on simple tasks
• however, to much stress tends to decrease performance on complex tasks…

Question 19

mediators of stress

Answer 19

• adequacy of coping skills — having more than one way to deal with a problem
• availability of social support — friends can help you deal iwth the effects of stress
• intensity and duration of the stressor and history of previous stressors
• individual beliefs and values
• gender — males express anger using avoidance, females use support networks
• cultural differences

Question 20

culture context can influence how stress is perceived?

Answer 20

• individualistic culture — values competition, personal freedom, individual achievement, working alone
  
  • typical of North America and Europe
• collectivist culture — values working in group, group goals, and group achievement
  
  • typical of Asian, African and Central and South American countries

Question 21

Basic physiology of the stress response

Answer 21

• events are processed in the corticolimbic system
• when a threat is perceived, a message is sent to the peripheral nervous system to prepare for movement
• message is also sent to the hypothalamus which controls the autonomic nervous system
• sympathetic nervous system is activated— increased respiration, increased heart rate
• hypothalamus communicates with the endocrine system to activate 2 systems — adrenocortical and adrenomedullary

Question 22

adrenomedullary system

Answer 22

releases adrenaline (stimulates heart muscle, increase heart rate & oxygen consumption)

Question 23

adrenocortical system

Answer 23

releases cortisol to increase sympathetic enrvous system activity (suppresses immune response, increases release of stored fat for energy)

Question 24

Walter Cannon:

Answer 24

• introduced the term stress
• distinguished between long and short term stressors
• body is better able to handle episodic stressors rather than chronic stressors

Question 25

Hans Selye

Answer 25

silly (selye) person has gas

• identified the general adaptation syndrome (GAS)— body’s response to stress

Question 26

general adaptation syndrome (GAS)

Answer 26

• body’s response to stress
• alarm— sympathetic nervous system activated (increased heart rate, etc)
• resistance— body uses hormones to keep the system elevated
• exhaustion— resources are depleted, body is exhausted

Question 27

hormones that are released during chronic stress

Answer 27

may have negative effects!

• CORTISOL suppresses the immune function and can disrupt sleep— you may be more likely to get sick
• EPINEPHRINE can increase risk factors for cardiovascular disease, sleep problems
• leads to negative mood states which affects how you assess the stressor

Question 28

relationship between stress and heart disease

Answer 28

• measured cholesterol levels in tax accountants before and leading up to tax deadline
• cholesterol increased dramatically just before tax deadline

Question 29

relationship between Type A personality and heart disease

Answer 29

• Type A men more likely to have a heart attack

Question 30

type A personality

Answer 30

hard driving, impatient, aggressive personality

Question 31

type B personality

Answer 31

laid back personality, easy going

Question 32

sympathic system during stress

Answer 32

working overtime, increasing cortisol, increases cholesterol