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stress Flashcards

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1
Q

what is stress

A

a state of pysiological strain caused by a stressor that disturb the function of the body
- mismatch between the demands made upon an individual and their ability to meet these demands

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2
Q

what are the symptoms of stress

A

fight or flight: increased hr, increased blood pressure, sweaty palms, rapid breathing, inhibited digestion, dry mouth

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3
Q

the PAS pathway

A
  • endocrine system
  • hormones travel via bloodstream
  • slower
  • HYPOTHALAMUS activates the PITUITARY GLAND which causes ACTH to be released which acts on the ADRENAL CORTEX which releases CORTISOL
  • stimulates liver, increasing glucose release and supresses the immune system
  • rest and digest
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4
Q

the SAM pathway

A
  • nervous system
  • impulse
  • electrical signal
  • quickly
  • the HYPOTHALAMUS activates the SYMPATHETIC BRANCH of the ANS which causes the ADRENAL MEDULLA to release ADRENALINE and NORADRENALINE
  • increases heart rate, blood pressure, inhibits digestion
  • fight or flight
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5
Q

cortisol

A
  • hypothalamus and pituitary gland sense if blood contains correct levels of cortisol
  • if it is too low, the brain adjusts amount of hormones it makes
  • adrenal gland picks up on these signals
  • then release the correct level of cortisol
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6
Q

what are cortisol receptors

A
  • in most cells in your body
  • receive and use the hormone in different ways
  • when body is on high alert cortisol can alter and shut down functions that get in the way
  • these could include, digestive system, reproductive, immune systems
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7
Q

what is the role of cortisol

A
  • constricts blood vessels and increases blood pressure to enhance the delivery of oxygenated blood
  • advantageous for fight or flight situations
  • however over time constriction can lead to vessel damage and plaque build up= blockage- cardiovascular disorders
  • cortisol plays important role in regulating your bodys stress response, helping control your bodys use of fats, proteins or carbs or metabolism
  • cortisol helps to maintain blood pressure, immune function, and the bodys anti inflammatory process
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8
Q

what is cushings syndrome

A

too much cortisol

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9
Q

what is addisons disease

A

no/little cortisol

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10
Q

newcomer et al (1999)

A
  • found participants given levels of cortisol high enough to produce blood sugar levels similar to those experiencing major stress events were poorer at recalling in the memory task
  • moderate levels of cortisol may have assisted memory
    results
  • high levels of cortisol interfered with the recall
  • moderate levels of cortisol assisted the recall or passage
  • makes sense as there are cortisol receptor sites on the hippocampus which is responsible for the transfer of info stm to ltm
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11
Q

what is the general adaption syndrom (GAS)

A

the bodys organised responses to stress as educated by hans seyle.
- it progresses through 3 stages; the alarm, the stage of resistance, and the stage of exhaustion

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12
Q

what is hans seyle’s research

A
  • all research carried out on lab rats
  • after exposing rat to most extreme condition, then injected them with substances that were harmless
  • rats became ill even with the harmless injection: stumach ulcers, shrunk thymus
  • it didnt matter what was in the injection, it was a response to stress
  • rats getting stressed as a result of continuous procedures they were undergoing
  • humans react the same way
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13
Q

what is the alarm reaction stage

A
  • occurs shortly after stressful event
  • trigger hypothalamus to produce CRF
  • stimulates pituitary glands production of ACTH
  • acts on adrenal cortex which produce corticosteroids
  • hypothalamus also activates the sympathetic branch of the ANS to stimulate production of adrenaline and noradrenaline
  • body prepared for fight or flight
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14
Q

what is the resistance stage

A
  • Bodys ANS resists the impact of stressful stimulus
  • body’s resources are fully mobilised to cope with the stressor
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15
Q

whst is the exhaustion stage

A
  • body fails to cope with the distressing stimulus
  • physiological consequences include effects on the adrenal glands which are enlarged but depleted and an endocrine system generally thrown into disarray
  • selye argued that all body tissues and processes can be affected and in extreme cases become diseased
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16
Q

evaluation of GAS

A
  • ignored individual differences e.g. gender, personality and differences in psychological reactivity = universal responses to stress however individual differences modify the effects of stress.
  • supported by lots of scientific research however different stressors produce different patterns of physiological activity and so the GAS is not a single passive response.
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17
Q

what is immunosuppression

A

suppression of the immune system due to the action of the cortisol as they suppress leukocyte activity and stops production of white blood cells

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18
Q

what can long term stress cause

A

shrinkage and damage to thymus gland= permanently reduces number of white blood cells available to fight invading antigens

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19
Q

mechanisms of immunosuppression

A

sustained production of cortisol- reduces immune function
interferes with activity of white blood cells- reduced ability to fight infections
stress linked to cardiovascular disorders

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20
Q

what do lymphocytes do

A
  • recognise and destroy harmful viruses and bacteria that invade the body
  • lock onto invaders, multiply rapidly and destroy them
  • b cells = produce antibodies released into fluid
  • t cells= if invader gets into cell these cells lock on multiply and destroy
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21
Q

what is cellular immunity

A
  • number of different types of lymphocytes t cells: natural killer! memory and helper t cells
  • work together to attack intracellular (within cells) pathogens such as viruses
  • form in thymus gland
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22
Q

what is humoral immunity

A
  • uses b cells
  • work together to attack extracellular ( outside cells) pathogens such as bacteria and parasites
  • form in bone marrow
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23
Q

kiecolt- glaser et al’s (1984) study on stress and the immune system

A
  • natural experiment
  • 75 medical students
  • blood samples taken : (a) one month before their final exams (low stress) and (b) during the exams (high stress)
  • immune functioning was assessed by measuring NK cell activity (t cells) in blood samples
  • students given questionnaires to assess psychological variables such as life events loneliness
    results
  • NK cell activity was significantly reduced in second sample compared to the first sample
  • NK cell activity was most reduced in participants who reported high levels of life events and loneliness
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24
Q

effects of stress on cardiovascular systems

A
  • blood pressure increases as part of f or f response of ANS
  • raised bp increases hr
  • damaged blood vessels because bloood is being pumped faster and so at a higher pressure through the blood vessels
  • arteries become scarred, hardened, less elastic
  • may be unable to supply the amount of blood the body’s organs need
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25
Q

what can acute and chronic stress lead to

A
  • high bp
  • chd
  • stroke
  • these can also be linked to other lifestyle factors
  • stress can lead to increased glucose levels which can clump the blood vessels- blood clot
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26
Q

what is arteriosclerosis

A

hardening of arteries with increased sugar production and the fact that the stress response stops digestion speed up the clogging of arteries
if one vessel becomes completely closed off, the heart muscle is damaged = heart attack

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27
Q

williams et al

A
  • see if anger was linked to heart disease
  • questionnaire to 13,000 people
  • none had heart disease
  • contained 10 q anger scale
  • after 6 years, health status of participants checked
  • 256 developed heart attacks
  • those scored highly on anger scale 2 and a half times more likely to have a heart attack than those with low
  • people who scored moderately were 35% more likely to experience some form of heart problems
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28
Q

life events and stress

A
  • throughout lives we all experience major life changing events e.g. death of relative, married, moving house etc
  • they r events that might cause stress and illness: can be positive/negative - require adjustment
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29
Q

what is the social readjustment rating scale SRRS

A
  • devised by holmes’s and rahe
  • included 43 life changes
  • each life change can be accorded a value known as life change unit LCU
  • overall LCU score calculated by adding the LCUs for all the life changes experiences in the last year
30
Q

holmes and rahe 1967

A
  • work in hospitals noticed that patients with heart disease reported sígnica life events in the year leading up to heart disease
  • 5000 patients
    x generated list of 43 events
  • asked 400 people to compare 43 life events rate the psychological impact that would be required for each event
  • each event given an impact value in the form of LCU
  • death of spouse was assigned value of 100 LCU
  • minor violation . of law given 11 LCU
31
Q

evaluation of SRRS

A
  • score under 150 increases chance of stress related illness by 30%
  • score over 300 is a major crisis and increases risk to 80%
  • validity of measures as certain life events mayb stressful to some and not others
    SRRS does not distinguish between positive and negative events
    -age specific, not suitable for young people
  • reliability test retest varies
  • study carried out in us so events may have been culturally specific = individualistic cultures may suffer more as they want to be independent whereas communistic cultures may ask for support from others so could cope better
32
Q

rahe 1970. life changes as a source of stress

A

aim= investigate whether scores on holmes and rahe sRRS were correlated with the subsequent onset of illness
- 2,500 male american sailors given srrs to assess how many life events they had experienced in the previous 6 months
- total score recorded for each participant
- detailed records keot of each sailors health
- recorded number of life chanfe units were correlated with the sailors illness scores

results
- positive correlation of +0.118 between life change scores and illness scores
- meaningful relationship between LCU and health
- as LCU increased so did frequency of illness
- life events cannot be the only factor contributing to illness

drawbacks
- using sailor- nature of job could make it very stressful
- american men- individualistic culture could be different to collectivist
- androcentric= all male samle= beta bias
- men use different strategies when undergoing life changes
- ignoring any potential biological differences between men and women

33
Q

what is a daily hassle

A

minor event that arises in the course of a normal day
- short lived
- may linger if unresolved
- could intensify over time

34
Q

what is a daily uplift

A

a positive, desirable experience thst makes a daily hassle more bearable

35
Q

what is the accumulation effect

A

minor daily hassles build up and multiply
leads to severe stress reaction (anxiety depression)

36
Q

what is the amplification effect

A

chronic stress (e.g. life changes) makes us more vulnerable to daily hassles

37
Q

kanner et al

A

117 item hassle scale
135 uplift scale
examine relationship between hassles and health
100 participants = 48 men & 52 women ages 45- 67 years
completed HSUP for events over previous month and done it once a month for the next 9
also completed life events scale for 6 months preceding beginning of study and for 2 yearly period after that
completed it again at the end of the study
hopkins symptoms checklist and bradbury morale scale completed every month
results:
- 5 most common hassles: concerns about weight, health of a family member, rising prices of common goods, home maintenance, too many things to do
- 5 most common uplifts were; relating well with spud, relating well with friends, completing a task, feeling healthy, getting enough sleep
- negative correlation between frequency of hassles and psychological well being
fewest hassles had highest levels of well being
- hassles scale more accurate predictor of stress related problems than SRRS

38
Q

bouteyre et al

A

investigate relationships between daily hassles and mental health of students during the transition between school and uni
- 1st year psychology students completed HSUS and becks depression inventory
- positive correlation between students suffering depression and scores on daily hassles
- transition from school to uni has frequent daily hassles, which are a risk factor for developing depression
- implications to real life= pastoral support for those students to help

39
Q

evaluation of daily hassles and uplifts

A

correlation not causality
severe life changes may make participants more susceptible to daily hassles
participants may not correctly remember the hassles they have experienced
self re
let questionnaires, participants may lie, socially desirability
cultural differences

40
Q

what is the demand control model- karasek

A

those who experience high demands/ workload at work with little control are more likely than other employees to feel stressed

41
Q

johansson 1978

A
  • 24 male workers, swedish sawmill
  • high risk/ low control - finishers
  • finishers had repetitive, constrained and isolated jobs with little of no control
  • cleaners = control group
  • they had high control and low risk
  • combined physiological and self report measures
  • daily urine sample when they arrived & 4 other times during day- adrenaline levels
  • body temp measured
  • combine pd with self report questionnaire- how much caffeine and nicotine
  • rate list of emotions and feelings
42
Q

results of johannson

A
  • high risk group= finishers had adrenaline levels 2x as high as their baseline measurements and it continued to rise
  • high levels of stress related illnesses such as headaches than cleaners
    in self report, finishing group felt more rushed and irritated than the control group
  • study suggests that the more responsibility someone in their workplace has (workload) and the higher intensity of their job and the more repetitive it is (lacks control), the more stressed an individual is likely to feel
43
Q

issues with johannson study

A
  • individual differences not controlled
  • all men which is gender bias= beta bias= limits any potential differences between men and women; women could deal with stress or show stress differently therefore cannot be applied to them
  • all the men were from sweden which could suggest cultural differences
44
Q

benefits of johannson

A
  • used physiological measures meaning the participants won’t use socially desired answers on the questionnaire as the urine sample results would counteract this as people can’t alter their biological responses
  • high ecological validity = workers in natural setting
45
Q

marmot

A
  • over period of 3 years
  • over 10,000 civil servants aged 35 to 55 examined men and women
  • job control measured through completion of self report surveys and by independent assessments of the work environments
  • records also kept of stress related illness
46
Q

results of marmot

A

participants that reported having low job control were 4x more likely to die of heart attack than those with high job control
higher grade civil servants = high workload and control, developed fewest cardiovascular problems
low job control associated with CHD
also more likely to suffer from other stress related illness such as cancers, strokes
conclusions:
- low control in work environments is associated with increase risk of future CHD among men and women employed in government offices
- implications for real life: better working conditions, give employees more freedom and control over their own work

47
Q

weaknesses of marmot

A

correlation not causation
other factors may be involved in relationship
impossible to determine which of these factors is most closely associated with heart disease

48
Q

what is personality

A
  • set of characteristics behaviours, attitudes that distinguish one individual from another
    stable
49
Q

type a personality

A
  • linked to stress
  • competitive
  • time urgent
  • impatient
  • hostile and aggressive
50
Q

type b personality

A
  • relaxed
  • one thing at a time
  • patient
  • express feelings
51
Q

frriedman and rosenman’s study

A

study on relationship between effect of stress and cardiovascular disorders
- 3200 californian men aged between 39 and 59
- longitudinal
- over 8 and a half years
- structured interview and observation which assessed personality type and current health status
- personality type determined by characteristics observed during interview and answers to questions
- participants classified as type A, X or B
- incidence of CHD recorded 8 and a half years later
- correlation analysis carried out to test association between type A/B behaviour pattern and CHD

52
Q

results of friedman and rosenman’s

A

257 participants had developed CHD during 8 and half years, 70% classified as type a
nearly twice as many as were type b
type a found to have higher levels of adrenaline and cholesterol
type a behaviour pattern correlated to CHD

53
Q

type C personality

A
  • people pleasers
  • strive to be compliant, patient, passive, self sacrificing
  • avoid conflict
  • suppression of emotions
  • rick of cancer due to some stressors activating the ANS and chronic stress impacting on the immune system
54
Q

hardiness

A

commitment= show greater involvement in their work and personal relationships. put 100% in whatever they do and do not give up easily
challenge = stressful situations are seen as a challenge thag can be overcome
control= feel they are in control of their lives and are less likely to blame others. internal locus of control

55
Q

kobasa

A
  • 800 male american business executives assessing stress using SRRS
  • 150 of particiapnts were classified as having high stress according to their SRRS scores
  • participants also asked to list the number of illness episodes that they had experienced in this time
  • 86 had high stress, low illness record
  • 75 had high stress, high illness record
  • something else modifying effects of stress because individuals experience the same stress levels had different illness scores
  • 3 months later, participants asked to complete a series of personality tests, which included assessment of control, commitment and challenge
  • indiviuals who had higyh stress, low illness scored highly on all 3 whereas high stress high illness scored lower
  • hardy personality type ecourages resilience and therefore helps individual to cope with stress
  • hardy personality provide defense against the negative effects of stress
56
Q

application

A
  • hardiness training programmes used for wider purposes
  • students, exam stress
  • lifton et al measured hardiness at 5 us unis. found those low on hardiness were more likley to drop out. high hardiness led to greater chance of completing degree
57
Q

what do bensodiazepenes. BZs do

A
  • bZ binds to gaba receptors outside post synaptic neuron
  • increase activity of neurotransmitter GABA
  • GABA has natural calming effect on body
  • decreases serotonin activity
  • serotonin linked to arousal, low serotonin reduces arousal thus reducing stress
58
Q

Kahn et al

A
  • 250 patients over 8 weeks
  • found BZ’s were significantly supeerior to a placebo
  • meta analysis of students focusing on the treatment of social anxiety found that bZ’s were more effective at reducing anxiety than other drugs such as anti depressents
59
Q

what do beta blockers do. BB’s

A

reduce activity of adrenaline and noradrenaline
- bind to receptors on cells of the heart and other parts of the body which are usually stimulated during arousal
- harder to stimulate cells
- heart beats slower and blood vessels do not contract easily= fall in blood pressure which means less stress on the heart
- person would begin to feel calmer and less anxious

60
Q

real world application of beta blockers

A
  • stressful situations- musicians and sport= accuracy is important
  • lockwood studied over 2,000 musicians in major us symphony orchestras anf ound that 27% reported taking BB’s.
  • those musicans who had taken BBs felt better about their performance
61
Q

strengths of drug therapies

A
  • effective
  • bz’s better than anti depresants
  • drugs easy to use and dont require commitment such as psycholocial therapy where you would have set sessions to attend each week, lots of effort
  • BB’s used in real life situations
62
Q

limitations of drug therapies

A
  • bZ’s are addictive
  • result in withdrawal symptoms
  • only treating symptoms, not identifying the underlying cause
63
Q

what is SIT - stress inoculation therapy

A
  • cognitive approach
  • client is taught techniques to control their own stress levels in problem situations
  • more holistic approsch to solving peoples problems
64
Q

what does holistic mean

A

looking at the whole body, establishing cause, not just treating symptoms

65
Q

meichenbaum 1985

A

we can change the way we think about stressors
- positive thinking
- negative thinkinng

66
Q

what is stressed thinking

A

perception of situation as a threat –> belief that coping resources are not adequate to deal –> use of coping strategies that dont help the situation

67
Q

stages of stress inoculation training

A

stage 1= conceptualisation
stage 2= skill aquisition and rehearsal
stage 3= application phase

68
Q

what is conceptualisation

A

client and therapist try identify source of stress
once they learn to recognise their triggers, move to stage 2

69
Q

what is skill aquisition

A

learn various techniques to reduce stress (coping skills)
- positive thinking
- new behavioural skills
- teaches them how to overcome

70
Q

what is the application phase

A

client now puts the training into a real life situation
- try straightforward less threatening situation first and then progress to a situation which appears as a threat to the client

Psychology year 13 (6 decks)

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