Stress Flashcards
what is a stressor?
the term used to describe the stimulus (internal or external) that prompts the biological and psychological stress response
what is stress?
a psychological and physiological experience that occurs when an individual encounters something of significance that demands their attention and/ or efforts to cope
what are the categorisations of stressors?
internal and external
what is an internal stressor?
originates from within the individual psychological or biological processes eg: attitude, rumination, low self-esteem
what is an external stressor?
originates from outside of the individual, environmental stimuli eg: exams, arguments with others, work pressure
what is the psychological stress response?
relates to how we think or feel about a stressor and differs between different people, A highly unique experience that depends on many factors
what is eustress?
a positive psychological stress response that Involves emotions such as being happy, Usually occurs when the stressor provides a positive opportunity for growth/ challenge and us a Temporary response
what is distress?
a negative psychological stress response, a prolonged stress response
what is the physiological stress response?
relates to how the body reacts to a stressor, Comprised of acute stress response and the chronic stress response (cortisol)
what is the acute stress response?
characterised by intense psychological and physiological symptoms that are brief in duration
when does the acute stress response occur?
when the stressor presents an immediate threat to an organisms safety
what response is the acute stress response?
An involuntary and automatic response, adaptive response allowing an organism to survive in the face of a stressor
what is the chronic stress response?
a form of stress that endures for several months or longer
what stress hormone is released in the chronic stress response?
cortisol
what are the key features of the chronic stress response?
- Does not demand an immediate response
- Rather a long-term biological response that will energise the body over a period of weeks/months
what is cortisol?
a hormone that is released in times of stress to aid the body in initiating and maintaining heightened arousal
what is cortisol released by?
adrenal glands
what does cortisol do in the acute stress response?
cortisol helps to energise the body by inducing the release of glucose and a rise in blood sugar levels
what are some key features of cortisol?
- Cortisol is released over a prolonged period and therefore takes longer to be secreted into the body
- Increases blood sugar levels, improves metabolism, energises the body, reduces inflammation
- High levels of cortisol long term can supress the immune system
what is the gut?
aka the gastrointestinal tract refers to the long flexible tube from mouth to anus that is the passageway involved in digestion
what is microbiota?
Refers to all of the microorganisms that live in the gut
what is the gut microbiome?
Refers to all of the genes of the microorganisms that live in the gut
what is gut microbiota dysbiosis?
When the gut microbiota is imbalanced (too much bad not enough good bacteria)
what is gut microbiota symbiosis?
When the gut microbiota is balanced
what is the gut brain axis?
refers to the bidirectional connection between the gut and the brain
what ns does the gut brain axis include?
Through the enteric and central NS
what is the enteric NS?
refers to the network of nerves in the gut and is a subdivision of the autonomic NS
what is the vagus nerve?
the longest cranial nerve that connects the gut and the brain enabling them to communicate
what is the vagus nerve responsible for?
bidirectionally conveying information between the gut and the brain
what are germ free animal studies?
Animals that have had microorganisms from their gut microbiota removed compared to non germ-free animals
what is the microbiota composition in humans research?
Research suggests that composition of the gut microbiota can influence the likelihood of experiencing ASD, depression, psychotic disorders and cognitive decline
what are gut related diseases research?
Potential links between the presence of gut related diseases and their experience of anxiety, depression symptoms
what is stress as a biological process?
Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), Explains the physiological reactions that occur in the presence of stressors
what are the stages of the GAS model
- alarm reaction (shock & countershock) 2. resistance 3. exhaustion
what happens in the alarm reaction stage of GAS?
shock- Momentary decrease in bodily arousal, parasympathetic NS is dominant, ability to cope with the stressor decreases
what happens in the resistance stage of GAS?
Increased cortisol levels contribute to the heightened physiological state
what happens in the exhaustion stage of GAS?
depletion of energy levels and bodily resources resulting in an inability to cope with the stressor. Vulnerable to more serious psychological and physiological illnesses
strengths of the GAS model?
-Recognises a predictable pattern of physiological responses
- provides objective empirical information
weaknesses of the GAS model?
-Research was conducted on rats and therefore doesn’t account for the human element
-Ignores the importance of psychological factors
what is stress as a psychological process?
Lazarus and folkmans model- that stress is a subjective ‘transaction’ between an incoming stressor and the personal and environmental factors specific to an individual
what is the primary appraisal?
Evaluating the nature of the incoming stressor and deciding whether or not the incoming stimulus will actually cause them to experience stress
what is a benign-positive appraisal?
Initial appraisal of a stimulus as neutral or good, that does not cause stress for the individual
what is an irrelevant appraisal?
An initial appraisal of a stimulus as a non-issue for the individual, it is disregarded as it doesn’t affect the patient in any way
what is a stressful appraisal?
An initial appraisal of a stimulus as a source of worry or emotional significance for the individual
what are the substage ‘stressful’ appraisals?
harm/loss, threat and challenge
what is a harm/loss appraisal?
further appraisal of the stressor as having caused some damage to the individual, meaning the individual has already experienced direct distress from the stressor
what is a threat appraisal?
further appraisal of the stressor as potentially causing damage to the individual in the future, causing the individual to experience distress despite no direct distress from the stressor yet
what is a challenge appraisal?
a further appraisal of the stressor as potentially providing a positive opportunity for growth or change for the individual
what does the secondary appraisal entail?
individual evaluates their coping resources and decides what types of coping mechanisms and strategies to employ
- Further stress is created when the individual believes their coping mechanisms cannot meet the demands of the stressor
what are the 2 types of coping strategies?
avoidance and approach
what are the strengths of the L&F Model?
-Considers the cognitive processes within the stress response
-Human subjects were used when sourcing data to create the model
-Explains why the same stressor has different effects on individuals
what are the limitations of the L&F Model?
- Some argue that the stages of appraisal can occur simultaneously
- Does not include the biological process
- Cannot be easily tested by research
what is coping?
refers to the process of dealing with stress
what are approach strategies?
Coping strategies that directly confront the source of stress, thus reducing the source or eliminating it (practical)
what are avoidance strategies?
Coping strategies that involve evading or distancing oneself from the source of stress, often deal with the more emotional components,
what is context-specific effectiveness?
when the coping strategy used is appropriate for the unique demands of the stressor (relevant for the individual, stressor and situation)
what is coping flexibility?
the ability to adjust or change ones coping strategies depending on the unique and changing demands of a stressor (to replace an ineffective strategy for an effective strategy)
