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AQA A Level Psychology > Stress > Flashcards

Stress Flashcards

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1
Q

What is Stress?

A

A state of physiological or psychological strain caused by an event that tends to disturb the functioning of the body

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2
Q

What is a stressor?

A
  • A stimulus that causes the stress response
  • e.g. an exam, a relationship breakdown or moving house.
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3
Q

What pathways deal with short term effects of stress?

A

The sympathomedullary (SAM) pathways

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4
Q

Describe how the SAM pathways deal with short term effects of stress

A
  • The hypothalamus activates the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system causing the adrenal medulla to release adrenaline
  • This stress hormone gets the body ready to fight or flight by increasing the arousal of the sympathetic nervous system and so lead to increased heartbeat, blood pressure, breathing rate and inhibit digestion
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5
Q

What axis regulates and controls the body’s longer response to stress?

A

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA)

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6
Q

What organs help regulate and control the body’s longer response to stress with the HPA?

A
  • The hypothalamus
  • The pituitary gland
  • The adrenal gland
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7
Q

Describe how the HPA and other organs regulate and control the body’s longer response to stress

A
  • In response to a stressful situation the hypothalamus activates the pituitary gland, which causes ACTH to be released, which stimulates the adrenal cortex to release corticosteroids, such as cortisol.
  • These stress hormones have a number of functions, they cause the liver to increase the release of glucose and suppress the immune system and control swelling after injury
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8
Q

Which “organs” can sense if your blood contains the right level of cortisol?

A
  • Hypothalamus
  • Pituitary Gland
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9
Q

What happens if your cortisol levels are too low?

A
  • Your brain adjusts the amount of hormone it makes
  • Your adrenal gland picks up on these signals, then they fine tune the amount of cortisol they release
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10
Q

What happens to cortisol when your body is on high alert?

A
  • Cortisol can alter or shutdown functions that get in the way
  • This may include the digestive system. reproductive system, your immune system, or even your growth processes
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11
Q

Role of Cortisol

A
  • Essential hormone that affects almost every organ and tissue in your body
  • Plays an important role in regulating your body’s stress response
  • Helps control your body’s use of fats. proteins and carbohydrates, or your metabolism
  • Helps maintain blood pressure, immune function and the body’s anti-inflammatory processes
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12
Q

How does cortisol maintain blood pressure and why is this bad?

A
  • Cortisol constricts blood vessels and increased blood pressure to enhance the delivery of oxygenated blood
  • Advantageous for fight or flight situations but over time, arterial constriction and high blood pressure can lead to vessel damage and plaque build up, this can lead to cardiovascular disorders
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13
Q

What is Cushing’s syndrome?

A

A disorder where the body makes too much of the hormone cortisol over a long period of time

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14
Q

Whats Addison’s disease?

A

A disorder where the body makes too little of the hormone cortisol

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15
Q

Describe how Cortisol goes through the body?

A
  • When the PAS system is activated the pituitary gland releases ACTH which travels via the bloodstream to the adrenal cortex and releases stress-related hormones, including cortisol.
  • Cortisol permits a steady supply of blood sugar to give an individual energy to deal with the stressor, by tapping into protein stores via gluconeogenesis in the liver.
  • This energy can help an individual fight or flee a stressor. However, elevated cortisol over the long term consistently produces glucose, leading to increased blood sugar levels.
  • Over time this can lead to impaired cognitive ability and reduced immune functioning.
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16
Q

Cortisol AO3

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 prose passages
  • compared to participants given cortisol only high enough to produce a stress response similar to minor surgery (e.g. stitches out)
  • Suggesting high levels do impact on cognitive functions.
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17
Q

Cortisol AO3

Vgontzas et al (2013)

A

Found chronic insomniacs had increased PAS system leading to high levels of ACTH and cortisol.

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18
Q

Who came up with The General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)?

A

Hans Selye

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19
Q

What did Selye argue?

A

Selye argued that stressors produce the same reaction in all animals (including humans).

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20
Q

What is GAS?

A
  • A 3 stage set of physiological processes which prepare, or adapt, the body for danger so that we ready to stand a better chance of surviving it compared to if we remained passively relaxed when faced with a threat
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21
Q

What are the three main stages of GAS?

A

1) Alarm Reaction

2) Resistance

3) Exhaustion

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22
Q

Explain the “Alarm Reaction” stage in GAS

A
  • The ANS responds to stress and the SAM and HPA are activated.
  • Thus, the stress hormones, corticosteroids, cortosol, adrenaline, and noradrenaline are released and the body is ready for “fight or
    flight”.
  • Heartbeat, blood pressure, and breathing rate increase and sugar is released into the blood to provide the body with energy.
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23
Q

Explain the “Resistance” stage in GAS

A
  • The parasympathetic nervous system takes control as the body attempts to cope with the stress.
  • The alarm symptoms disappear and the body appears to have returned too normal but stress hormones are still being released at an increased level.
  • The body cannot continue to resist the stress indefinitely because it cannot generate new resources at the same speed as they are being used.
  • If the stress ceases or is resolved then damage is unlikely, but if it persists the adrenal glands become enlarged and resistance declines further.
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24
Q

Explain the “Exhaustion” stage in GAS

A
  • This is when the stressor persists until the body is no longer able to cope as its resources and defences are exhausted.
  • The alarm symptoms reappear and the adrenal glands no longer function normally.
  • If the stress does not cease, the
    damaged adrenal glands can cause the parasympathetic nervous system to fail, and suppression of the immune system.
  • This leaves the body vulnerable to
    stress-related illnesses, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, etc., and possibly death.
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25
Q

Briefly Summarise how Selye (1956) developed the GAS model of stress

A
  • Selye developed his model after measuring the effects of stress on rats suffering various stressful conditions, such as extreme cold, electric shocks and invasive surgery, and generalising the findings to humans
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26
Q

Strengths of the physiological response to stress

A
  • GAS was the first theory to explain the physiological effects of stress, influencing many later theories and a lot of research, especially into the negative effects of stress upon health.
  • Research into the physiological response to stress has had positive implications for helping people cope with stress, especially with its contribution to research into and the development of medicines to reduce the physiological response to stress.
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27
Q

Weaknesses of the physiological response to stress

A
  • Research fails to consider the effect of psychological processes on how we physically respond to stress, as it could be that those with more resilience respond in a different physiological way
  • Most of Selye’s research was on rats and his theory assumes that the response remains the same to all stressors, which is not the case with humans, who have individual responses, depending on the stressor
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28
Q

What factors play a role in stress-related illness?

A
  • Immunosuppression
  • Cardiovascular disorders
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29
Q

What is immunosuppression?

A

The impaired ability of the immune system to fight antigens and diseases.

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30
Q

What is a cardiovascular disorder?

A

The dysfunctionality of the heart and blood vessels

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31
Q

How may cortisol:

  • Be effective?
  • Harm?
A
  • Occasional Production
  • Sustained Production
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32
Q

How does sustained production of cortisol harm?

A

Reduces the production of lymphocytes that fight antigens, leaving one vulnerable to infections.

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33
Q

Stress is linked to…

A

… cardiovascular disorders (e.g. high blood pressure).

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34
Q

Does stress directly cause infections?

A

No, it only increases the body’s vulnerability to infections.

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35
Q

What are the two types of lymphocytes?

A

B - Cells

T - Cells

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36
Q

What are B - Cells?

A

Produces antibodies which are released into the fluid surrounding the body’s cells, destroying the invading viruses and bacteria.

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37
Q

What are T - cells?

A

If the invader gets inside a cell, they lock onto the infected cell, multiply, and destroy it.

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38
Q

How did Keicolt-Glaser (1984) study immunosuppression?

A
  • Studied the response of the immune system to stress using a natural situation (exams). He took blood samples from 75 first year medical student volunteers one month before exams (baseline sample) and on the first day of exams (stress sample).
  • The amount of T cell activity declined between the two samples, suggesting a negative correlation between stress and the immune response.
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39
Q

Evaluation points of Keicolt-Glaser (1984):

A
  • Immune functioning is also affected by psychological variables (e.g. life events, loneliness).
  • This research is a correlation so cause and effect cannot be established.
  • It was a natural experiment using a natural form of stress so has reasonable ecological validity but
    population validity is low.
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40
Q

How did Cohen (1993) study immunosuppression?

A
  • Investigated the role of general life stress on vulnerability to the common cold virus. 394 participants completed questionnaires on stressful life events, degree of stress, and negative emotions. The participants were then exposed to the virus, with 82% becoming infected.
  • The findings were that the chance of developing a cold was correlated to stress index scores.
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41
Q

Evaluation points of Cohen (1993):

A
  • There were no direct measures of immune function, making it an indirect study.
  • It measures health outcomes, showing a relationship between life stress and illness.
  • No manipulation of the IV (stress index), so cause and effect can’t be established.
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42
Q

How can chronic stress negatively impact cardiovascular disorders?

A
  • Blood pressure increases as part of the “fight or flight” response of the ANS.
  • The increased blood pressure and heart rate can damage the blood vessels, as the blood is being pumped faster and at a higher pressure through the blood vessels.
  • Consequently, the arteries become scarred, hardened, and less elastic.
  • Hardened or narrowed arteries may be unable to supply the amount of blood the body’s organs need.
  • When high blood pressure persists (over weeks) begins the process of arteriosclerosis
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43
Q

How did Williams (2000) study cardiovascular disorders?

A
  • Studied if anger was linked to heart disease by giving a 10 question anger scale to 13,000 participants.
  • They checked the health status of the participants 6 years later, with 256 developing heart attacks.
  • Those with high scores were 2 1/2 times more likely to have a heart attack than those with low scores.
  • This suggests a correlation between anger and cardiovascular disorders.
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44
Q

Evaluation points of Williams (2000):

A
  • Diet, smoking and genetics can also contribute to cardiovascular disorders.
  • There is only a correlation, so no cause and effect can be established.
  • Personality plays a role in stress responses.
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45
Q

How did Wilbert-Lampen (2008) study cardiovascular disorders?

A
  • Found that on the days when Germany played in the 1996 World Cup, there was a 2.66x increase in the number of cardiac emergencies on those days, compared to the days when Germany didn’t play.
  • Acute stress (e.g. watching your team play a match) doubles the risk of a cardiovascular event.
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46
Q

What is the Social Readjustment Rating Scale? (SRRS)

A

A scale devised by Holmes and Rahe (1967) including 43 life changing events

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47
Q

What is a Life Change Unit (LCU)?

A
  • An overall LCU score can be calculated by adding the LCUs for all the life changes experienced in the last year
  • Examples include: Marriage (50 LCUs) and Changing jobs (36 LCUs)
  • Holmes and Rahe suggest a high LCU score can predict illness.
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48
Q

What are life changing events?

A

Positive & negative life events that may cause stress and illness, requiring readjustment

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49
Q

Explain how Holmes and Rahe (1967) devised the SRRS

A

Whilst working in a hospital they noticed that many patients with heart disease reported significant life events in the year leading up to heart disease.

Upon examining the records of 5000 patients they generated a list of 43 events and asking 400 people to rate them.

They introduced the concept of life events as a change in life circumstances that require some psychological adjustment.

They asked the 400 people to compare 43 life events, rating the psychological impact that would be required for each event.

Each event was given an impact value in the form of a life changing unit (LCU).

Death of a spouse was assigned an arbitrary value of 100 LCU whereas minor violation of the law was given an LCU of 11.

LCUs are added up for all critical events experienced in the preceding 12 months.

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50
Q

What were the results of Holmes and Rahe (1967)

A

They found:

  • A score of under 150 increases the chance of stress-related illness by 30%
  • A score of over 300 is a major crisis and increases the risk to 80%
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51
Q

How did Rahr (1970) study support SRRS?

A

Rahr made 2,500 sailors complete the SRRS, then tracked the sailor health status of each sailor over the next 6 months.

A significant positive correlation of 0.118 between LCU and illness scores was found.

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52
Q

Evaluation points for Rahr (1970) study:

A

Rahr’s sample was restricted to American (ethnocentric) males (androcentric, beta bias).

Cultural bias (America recognises divorce, some cultures frown upon it).

Other factors play a role as there isn’t a perfect correlation.

Personality/individual differences (e.g. one may celebrate divorce, one may find it traumatic).

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53
Q

Evaluation points for SRRS:

A

Individual differences:
-Some react to same events differently.
- Different personality types & coping mechanisms.

  • Cultural bias.
  • Validity and reliability, as SRRS is repeatedly used for studies.
  • Only a correlation of 0.118 (Rahr (1970)), cause and effect can’t be established, other factors may play a role.
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54
Q

What is a daily hassle?

A

A daily hassle is a minor event that arises in the course of a normal day

They are usually short-lived but they may linger if left unresolved and the ‘after-effects’ of unresolved issues may then intensify over time as they accumulate with subsequent hassles

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55
Q

What is a daily uplift?

A

A daily uplift is a positive, desirable experience that makes a daily hassle
more bearable

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56
Q

Example of Daily Hassles:

A
  • Physical appearance
  • Daily workload
  • Losing things
57
Q

Examples of Daily uplifts

A
  • Relaxing at home
  • Completing a task
  • Positive relationship with partner
58
Q

What are the two explanations of why daily hassles lead to stress?

A
  • Accumulation Effect
  • Amplification Effect
59
Q

Explain the Accumulation effect

A

Minor daily hassles build up and multiply

This leads to sever stress reactione

60
Q

Explain the Amplification Effect?

A

Chronic stress makes us more vulnerable to daily hassles

Exam stress might lead to us being less able to cope with minor disagreements with friends

61
Q

What are daily hassles measured with, and who was it devised by?

A

Hassles And Uplift Scale (HSUP) by Kanner (1981).

62
Q

How was the HSUP devised?

A

Kanner developed a 117 item hassles scale and a 135 uplifts scale to examine the relationship between hassles and health.

He did this with 100 participants (48 men and 52 women) aged 45-67 years for 9 months.

Measures for positive and negative emotions were used to assess health and well-being monthly.

63
Q

What were the results of Kanner (1981) HSUP study?

A

Negative correlation between frequency of hassles and psychological well-being.

The scale tended to be a more accurate predictor of stress related problems than the SRRS.

Uplifts had a positive effect on the stress levels of women, but not men

64
Q

What was the conclusion of Kanner (1981) HSUP study?

A

Hassles are a better predictor of well-being than life changes.

65
Q

How did Gervais (2005) study support HSUP?

A

Gervais asked nurses to keep diaries for one month, recording all daily
hassles and uplifts.

Daily hassles (e.g. lack of beds, other staff members who don’t pull their
weight) increased job strain and worsened job performance.

However, uplifts (e.g. compliments from patients, praise)
increased job performance.

66
Q

Evaluation points for HSUP:

A
  • Gervais (2005).
  • Correlational analysis, other factors could have affected findings, cause and effect relationship can’t be established.
  • Retrospective data (e.g. in order to calculate a daily hassles score, participants are encouraged to think back to daily hassles they have experienced usually over the previous month, this could result in the recall of inaccurate memories as memory is reconstructive). Can be counteracted with journals.
67
Q

What measures of stress are:

-SRRS, HSUP?

-SCR, urine?

A

-Self-report.

-Physiological.

68
Q

How does the SCR work?

A

The participant has electrodes attached to their fingers, and a tiny electric current (0.5V) is applied to the electrodes.

As the person sweats more, more electricity is conducted, suggesting the person is becoming increasingly stressed.

Skin conductance level was conducted on a baseline level and in response to a stimulus.

69
Q

How did Johannson (1978) study physiological measures of stress?

A

Johannson (1978) assessed stress in the workplace (14 finishers, 10 cleaners) in a Swedish sawmill.

Urine samples were taken 4 times a day showed:
* the finishers’ adrenaline increased as the day went on.
* the cleaners’ adrenaline decreased as the day went on.

The physiological reports correlated with self-report questionnaires.

70
Q

Evaluation points for SCR and physiological measures of stress:

A
  • Objective method: there are no issues of self-report in this measure of stress. Removing participant judgement is likely to produce more accurate results, allowing the experimenter to measure what they are intending to measure. This increases internal validity as there is one objective measure.
  • Lack of validity: we can’t be sure that we are measuring stress levels. Caffeine, drugs and alcohol can cause the same effects, affecting readings.
  • Individual differences: some people sweat more than others before and after stimulation. A baseline measure is always taken before a stimulus.
71
Q

What factors contribute to stress in the workplace?

A
  • Degree of workload
  • Degree of control
72
Q

What did Karasek (1979) state about stress in the workplace?

A

Those who experience a high workload with little control are more likely to feel stressed at work.

73
Q

How did Johannson (1978) study stress in the workplace?

A
  • Looked at 24 Swedish sawmill workers (14 finishers, 10 cleaners).
  • Finishers: low control (determined by machine), high workload (if the finishers fell behind schedule, the production rate slowed).
  • Cleaners: high control (working at their own pace), low workload (less responsibility).
  • Self report (questionnaires) and physiological (4 urine samples throughout the day) measures of stress were used.
74
Q

What were the results of Johannson (1978)?

A
  • Finishers had higher levels of stress hormones (even before starting work) than the cleaners.
  • Stress levels increased during the day for finishers, while they decreased throughout the day for cleaners.
  • Illness and absenteeism rates were higher amongst the finishers.
  • Self-report measures correlated with physiological measures.
75
Q

What was the conclusion of Johannson (1978)?

A

High workload and low control are linked with stress related illness.

76
Q

Evaluation points of Johannson (1978):

A
  • Beta bias (all male sample)
  • Lack of generalisability (sawmill workers, males, 24 participants).
  • No cause and effect (correlation).
  • High ecological validity.
  • We don’t know which one of the two factors was the most stressful.
77
Q

How did Marmot (1997) study stress in the workplace?

A
  • Over 10,000 civil servants aged 35-55 were examined over a period of 3 years.
  • Participants were given a self-report questionnaire, and were examined for signs of coronary heart disease (CHD). There was a follow up after 5 years.
78
Q

What were the results of Marmot (1997)?

A

High grade civil servants (high workload, high control) developed fewer cardiovascular problems than low grade civil servants (high workload, low control).

79
Q

What was the conclusion of Marmot (1997)?

A

High workload is not associated with stress & CHD, but low job control is.

80
Q

Evaluation points of Marmot (1997):

A
  • Vulnerable to investigator effects and social desirability bias.
  • The questions may give cues as to the aim of the research, creating demand characteristics.
  • No cause and effect (correlation).
81
Q

What is personality?

A

A set of characteristic behaviours & attitudes that remain relatively stable, distinguishing one from another.

82
Q

What is Type A personality?

A

Competitive, time urgent, hostile, perfectionist.

83
Q

What is Type B personality?

A

Not competitive, not time urgent, tolerant, relaxed.

84
Q

Which personality type (out of Type A & Type B) is more vulnerable to stress related illness and CHD?

A

Type A personality.

85
Q

How did Friedman (1959) study Type A & Type B personality?

A
  • Friedman (1959) interviewed 3,200 healthy California males (aged 39-59 years old).
  • Their personality type was assessed through an interview, but the interviewer spoke deliberately slowly, or was quite aggressive, drawing out Type A behaviour.
  • Participants were classified as Type A or B as a result.
86
Q

What were the results of Freidman (1959)?

A

8 years later, 70% of the men who had developed CHD were classed as Type A, and 30% with CHD were Type B.

87
Q

What was the conclusion of Freidman (1959)?

A

The features of a Type A personality (e.g. impatience and hostility) elevated stress levels, increasing the likelihood of CHD.

88
Q

Evaluation points for Friedman (1959):

A
  • Beta bias, androcentric, ignoring personality of females.
  • Correlational, no cause and effect (e.g. Type A were more likely to smoke).
  • Lack of population validity
89
Q

What is Type C personality?

A

Compliant, learned helplessness, self-sacrificing, avoids conflict.

90
Q

How did Datore (1980) study Type C personality?

A
  • Datore (1980) studied 200 Vietnam War veterans (75 had cancer).
  • They completed a self-report questionnaire to measure their repression of emotions and depression.
91
Q

What were the results of Datore (1980)?

A

Participant with cancer had much higher scores on the repression of emotions scale, and much lower scores on the depression scale, than the non-cancer group.

92
Q

What was the conclusion of Datore (1980)?

A

People who repress their emotions may be more vulnerable to illness.

93
Q

Evaluation points for Datore (1980):

A
  • Individual differences: different people react to the same stressors in different ways.
  • Some people feel the same fight-or-flight response differently.
  • Stress is a unique experience that is influenced by personality.
94
Q

What is hardiness?

A

The ability to endure difficult conditions.

95
Q

What are the characteristics of hardiness?

A
  • Commitment
  • Challenge.
  • Control.
96
Q

What is commitment?

A

Putting 100% into their work and personal relationships.

97
Q

What is challenge?

A

Stressful situations are perceived as a challenge rather than a threat.

98
Q

What is control?

A

Feeling of control in their lives.

99
Q

How did Kabasa (1979) study hardiness?

A
  • Kabasa (1979) assessed 800 male American business executives using the SRRS.
  • 3 months later, participants completed personality tests.
100
Q

What were the results of Kabasa (1979)?

A
  • High-stress/low-illness: high hardiness.
  • High-stress/high-illness: low hardiness.
101
Q

What was the conclusion of Kabasa (1979)?

A

A hardy personality type is resilient and copes well with stress.

102
Q

Evaluation points for Kabasa (1979):

A
  • There are several instruments to measure hardiness (e.g. Cognitive Hardiness Scale)
  • Some components are seen as more important (e.g. commitment)
  • Self-report
103
Q

What are the two drug therapies for stress?

A

BZs

BBs

104
Q

What are BZs?

A

A drug that is used to reduce anxiety by slowing down the nervous system.

105
Q

What is GABA?

A

A neurotransmitter which makes neurones in the brain negatively charged).

106
Q

How does BZ work?

A

1) GABA is enhanced, reducing the physiological arousal in the CNS.

2) BZs bind to GABA receptors, reducing serotonin activity by making it negatively charged (less likely to fire).

3) Reduction of excitatory neurotransmitters, making the person feel more relaxed.

107
Q

How did Khan (1986) study BZ?

A

Khan (1986) followed 250 patients over 8 weeks and found that BZs were significantly superior to a placebo.

108
Q

Evaluation points for BZ:

A
  • Real life application: situations where accuracy is important (e.g. snooker, golf).
  • Effective, easy, and requires little effort compared to psychological methods.
  • Addictive
  • Withdrawal symptoms
109
Q

What are BBs?

A

A drug that reduces the activity of the fight-or-flight response.

110
Q

How does BB work?

A

1) BB binds to receptors on the cells of aroused body parts (e.g. heart).

2) Activity of adrenaline and noradrenaline is reduced to reduce physical symptoms of anxiety.

3) The person will feel calmer and less anxious.

111
Q

How did Lockwood (1989) study BBs?

A

Lockwood (1989) found that 27% of 2,000 musicians reported taking BBs to enhance their performance.

112
Q

Evaluation points for BB:

A
  • Effective and work rapidly
  • Unsuitable for all (e.g. diabetes sufferers).
  • Short term
113
Q

What is biofeedback?

A

A method of training one to control involuntary physiological processes (e.g. heart rate, muscle tension).

114
Q

What did Miller (1961) say about ANS responses?

A

Miller (1961) suggested that ANS responses could be trained to be voluntary.

115
Q

How does biofeedback work?

A

1) The client learns to become aware of their physiological responses using machines to measure heart rate (monitor) and muscle tension (EMG), and how they can be readjusted.

2) The client learns techniques to control their physiological responses, reducing adrenaline & noradrenaline production, and reducing stress symptoms.

3) The client learns to use these techniques involuntarily in their everyday life.

116
Q

How did Lemaire (2011) study biofeedback?

A
  • Lemaire (2011) found that doctors who were taught biofeedback techniques and used them over 28 days reported lowered stress levels on a questionnaire (compared to a control group).
  • However, the measures of heart rate and muscle tension didn’t correlate with the questionnaire, weakening validity of results.
117
Q

Evaluation points for biofeedback:

A
  • More suitable for children than drug treatment.
  • Reduces pain, lack of side effects.
  • Requires expensive specialist equipment.
  • Time consuming.
118
Q

What is stress inoculation therapy (SIT)?

A

A type of CBT (psychological therapy).

119
Q

What did Meichenbaum (1985) say about SIT?

A
  • Meichenbaum (1985) believed that although we can’t change the causes of stress, we can change the way we think of stressors.

-Positive thinking: reduce stress response.

-Negative thinking: anxiety & depression.

120
Q

How does SIT work?

A

1) Conceptualisation: the client and therapist identifies the stressor (e.g. mock exam).

2) Skills Acquisition: the client learns skills that are taught and tailored to the client’s own problems (e.g. time management).

3) Application: the client will apply these skills to the real world (e.g. real exam).

121
Q

How did Sheehy & Horgan (2004) study SIT?

A
  • Sheehy & Horgan (2004) had law students take weekly SIT sessions, each lasting 90 minutes.
  • All participants displayed lower stress levels over time, and performed better academically.
122
Q

Evaluation points for SIT:

A
  • Can practice at home, unlike biofeedback.
  • No side effects, unlike drugs.
  • One has the learnt skills for life.

-Time consuming, requires commitment.

  • Depends on the compatibility between the therapist and the client.
123
Q

What are the two explanations for gender differences in coping with stress?

A
  • Physiological explanation: oxytocin
  • Psychological explanation: emotion-focused & problem-focused
124
Q

What is the physiological explanation for gender differences in coping with stress (supported by Taylor (2000))?

A
  • Taylor (2000) suggested that although men and women have the same physiological response to stress (fight-or-flight), women respond in a calmer manner (tend-and-befriend) than men.
125
Q

What is oxytocin?

A

The love hormone, released during the ‘tend-and-befriend’ process.

126
Q

What is the role of oxytocin for gender differences in coping with stress?

A
  • Women: oestrogen enhances the effect of oxytocin, reducing the stress response.
  • Men: testosterone inhibits the effect of oxytocin, so oxytocin effects don’t last as long in men.
127
Q

What is the psychological explanation for gender differences in coping with stress (supported by Lazarus & Folkman (1984))?

A
  • Women: Emotion-Focused Coping
  • Men: Problem-Focused Coping
128
Q

What is emotion-focused coping?

A

The process of trying to reduce the negative emotional responses associated with stress (e.g. anxiety, embarrassment).

129
Q

What is problem-focused coping?

A

The process of targeting stressors in practical ways which tackles the problem, directly reducing the stress.

130
Q

How did Peterson (2006) study gender differences in coping with stress?

A
  • Peterson (2006) assessed men and women who had been diagnosed with infertility.
  • Men were more likely to problem solve (problem-focused) and women were more likely to use avoidance tactics (emotion-focused).
131
Q

Evaluation points for gender differences in coping with stress:

A
  • Problems at work are better tackled by problem-focused techniques,
    whereas relationship problems are better dealt with by emotion-focused techniques.
  • Gender differences may be due to the different types of
    stressors men & women face.
132
Q

What is social support?

A

The help given by friends & family to assist a person in coping with stress.

133
Q

What are the 3 types of social support?

A
  • Instrumental support
  • Emotional support
  • Esteem support
134
Q

What is instrumental support?

A

Practical support

Example- giving someone a lift to the hospital.

135
Q

What is emotional support?

A

Providing comfort and empathy

Example- ‘if there is anything you need, I’m here for you’.

136
Q

What is esteem support?

A

Raising one’s self-confidence, giving them belief that they can cope with the demands of a stressor.

Example- ‘I know you can get through this’.

137
Q

Stats about social support

A
  • Males use instrumental social support more than emotional social support (54% use instrumental and 23% emotional)
  • Females use emotional support more than instrumental social support 20% use instrumental and 48% emotional)
  • A significant number of males and females use both instrumental and emotional social support
  • More females than males use both forms of social support (males, 23% females, 32%)
138
Q

Summarise Cohen et al (2015) on social support

A
  • 404 healthy adult participants were contacted by phone each day for 14 days to measure the amount of hugs they received each day.
  • They also completed a questionnaire to assess perceived social support, and stress was measured by assessing the daily personal conflict experienced by participants.
  • Participants were exposed to the common cold virus and were monitored for signs of illness.
  • Participants who experienced more interpersonal conflict were more likely to get ill, however those who reported more social support had a reduced risk of illness.
  • Participants who received hugs more frequently were less likely to get ill, and those who did get ill had less severe symptoms if they received more hugs.
  • This suggests that social support does act as a protector against the effects of stress.

AQA A Level Psychology (16 decks)

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