STRESS Flashcards
how did Selye define stress?
the non-specific response of the body to any demand
define distress
a negative stress response typically associated with physiological and negative emotions
define Eustress
a positive stress response that motivates and enhances functioning
define what is meant by a stressor
sources of stress from internal or external factors
what are the 4 types of stressors
- environmental
- social
- psychological
- cultural
what is an environmental stressor
arise from the conditions and physical surroundings of an individual
eg. noise, pollution, temperature
what is a social stressor
stem from relationships and interactions with society
eg, peer pressure, pressure to be accepted by others, conflicts in relationships
what is a psychological stressor
caused by emotional and cognitive factors
ex. buying a house, pressure at work and relationship changes
what is a cultural stressor
emerge from cultural identity, values and cultural norms
eg. discrimination due to cultural beliefs and practises
what are the 3 characteristics of stressors
- Nature
- Duration
- strength
what are the two types of duration of stressors
Short term (acute)
Long term (chronic)
what is the role of cortisol? and what is a negative impact it has
increases pain tolerance, providing continual blood sugar
decreases immune performance, impairs cognitive ability
what is the role of adrenaline?
increases heart rate and supports the conversion of glycogen —> glucose
what is the role of noradrenaline
constricts blood vessels to increase blood pressure
who invented GAS and what does it stand for?
SLEYE (1936-1983)
General Adaptation Syndrome
what was Selye’s theory when inventing GAS
stress is not simply an environmental stressor but a set of processes that act as a response
STRESS AS A RESPONSE
what are the 3 steps in the Alarm stage
- Threat is detected by amygdala and sent to the hypothalamus to initiate the Sympathetic Nervous System
- Fight and Flight response initiated
- Adrenal Gland is signalled to release cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline
what is the purpose of the resistance stage and what is its role
Repairing the body
Reduces activity of the Sympathetic Nervous System by initiating Parasympathetic Nervous System
(rest and digest)
calms body back to homeostasis
when would an individual reach the exhaustion stage?
when the body cannot overcome a prolonged period of stress
what occurs during the exhaustion stage and what does this cause
body’s physical and mental reserves deplete limiting the effectiveness of the adrenal gland
causing: drop in blood sugar levels, and negatively impacting physical health
what are the immediate effects (short term) of stress
fatigue
reduced motivation
what are the prolonged effects (long term) of stress (chronic)
risks of developing depression, anxiety
heart disease
diabetes
who investigated stress as a stimulus and what did they create?
Holmes and Rache 1967
SOCIAL READJUSTMENT SCALE
what does the social readjustments scale assess?
the amount of stress that has been experienced in the last year of an individual
how many life events are included in the social readjustment scale and what are they measured in
43 common life events
measured in Life Change Units
what do the LCU scores estimate?
the level of response and adjustment to stressful events required by the individual experiencing them
what can be calculated from the scores of the social readjustment scale?
the likelihood of developing a physical or mental stress-related illness
what is a strength of the Social Readjustment scale measurement tool?
quantitative data collected - statistically analysed
what are the limitations of the Social readjustment scale?
responses based on subjective measure allowing for exaggerated/bias responses
respondents only able to select which life events they have experienced and not able to give reasoning
who investigated stress as a transaction? and what was this theory?
Lazarus and Folkman (1984)
theory of stress and coping
what did Lazarus and Folkman theorise?
“individuals utilise their perception of a stressful situation and their subjective past experiences to help them cope”
Lazarus and Folkman defined stress as not an event …
but a consequence of a dynamic process where primary and secondary appraisal’s work to assess the significance of a situation as well as evaluate ways to deal with it
define coping
the process by which an individual manages the challenges they perceive as stressful along with the emotions associated with them
what did Lazarus and Folkman say about interactions between individuals and the environment?
described how individuals interact with their environment and that stress arises from the continual need to assess their current situation
what relationship is emphasised is interactions of individuals and their environment
relationship between the person, including their unique traits and characteristics of the environmental event taken place
what is the role of cognitive appraisal?
individuals make judgements on the environmental event via cognitive appraisal (cognitive abilities used to assess situations)
what depends on the whether person-environment relationship is stressful or not
cognitive appraisal
between the individual and their cognitive appraisal
define primary appraisal
an initial assessment of the situation conducted to determine whether the situation is a potential threat, challenge or may cause harm
define secondary appraisal
available resources and coping options are evaluated to see what can be used to manage the situation
do secondary and primary appraisal work after one another
no, they work simultaneously, alongside eachother
what are the 2 methods of coping?
emotional-focussed coping
problem-focussed coping
define what occurs during emotional- focussed coping , and why would individuals use emotional-focussed coping?
goal - manage emotional responses to stress
individuals will use emotional-focussed coping if they believe that they don’t have the resources to effectively respond to, or cope with stress
what are 2 examples of emotional-focussed coping
meditation
relaxation techniques
define what occurs during problem- focussed coping , and why would individuals use problem-focussed coping?
main focus - addressing the root cause of the stress
typically used when individuals believe they have the resources to deal with stress
what are 2 examples of problem-focussed coping?
conducting research to find solutions to issues
working out a plan to resolve issues
what are the 2 types of coping strategies
Maladaptive
Adaptive
define what is meant by Maladaptive strategies
coping strategies involving harmful and unhealthy stress management that exacerbates its adverse affects
what do maladaptive coping strategies influence the individual to do ?
give examples
avoid dealing with stressors that cause problems
ex. negative self-talk, denial, substance abuse, procrastination
define what is meant by Adaptive coping strategies
beneficial and productive methods for managing stress that can decrease the adverse impacts of stress
what do Adaptive coping strategies influence the individual to do ?
give examples
face stressors allowing them to be dealt with
eg. meditation, exercise, planning, acceptance
