stress

Question 1

what is the first type of stress?

Answer 1

acute stress - the most common type of stress, immediate or short term, such as a near accident, exam or work deadline

Question 2

what is the second type of stress?

Answer 2

episodic acute stress - repeated instances of short term stress, such as taking on too much work so experiencing frequent deadlines, stress will cease and become part of normal life

Question 3

what is the third type of stress?

Answer 3

chronic stress - persistent stress over a long period, such as poverty, relationship problems, can be difficult to treat as they’re used to it being there

Question 4

explain stress as a physiological response and its evidence

Answer 4

when stressed, the nervous system is activated and releases hormones. adrenaline, flight or fight, SAM. cortisol, glucose, HPA. Seyle, rats, GAS. Lazarus and Folkman, interaction between person and environment

Question 5

what are the physical effects of stress?

Answer 5

GAS short term : increased blood pressure, sweaty palms, headaches.
chronic/episodic : physical illness, digestive problems, immune systems, heart disease

Question 6

explain stress as a psychological response

Answer 6

feelings of isolation and low self-esteem, can lead to anxiety and depression, lifestyle changes such as drinking and smoking more, less exercise, less healthy diet, sleeping problems

Question 7

what is the first biological explanation of stress?

Answer 7

sympathomedullary pathway (SAM) : when someone perceives a threat, hypothalamus activates sympathetic branch of ANS, causes adrenal medulla to release adrenaline and noradrenaline, increases energy, alertness, blood flow to muscles and respiration rate. when stressor stops, parasympathetic branch reduces heart rate. SAM is seen as an evolutionary response. effects on heart

Question 8

what are the evaluation points for the bodies response to acute stress?

Answer 8

supporting evidence : Leor et al Northridge California earthquake 1994 + stress cardiomyopathy (BHS)
gender differences : Taylor et al oxytocin and testosterone rats

Question 9

what is the second biological explanation of stress?

Answer 9

hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system (HPA) : hypothalamus releases corticotropic- releasing factor (CRF), causes pituitary gland to release adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) which stimulates adrenal cortex (adrenal gland-kidney) to release corticosteroids. cortisol maintains blood pressure, blood glucose levels, reduces immune system activity, lowers sensitivity to pain. Kuhlmann research, immunosuppression

Question 10

what are the evaluation points for the bodies response to chronic stress?

Answer 10

issues with research : cause-and-effect, Lopez-Duran age and gender differences
low levels of cortisol : illness not until stressor removed, Heim chronic fatigue syndrome and PTSD

Question 11

what is the first individual differences explanation of stress?

Answer 11

hardiness : hardy personality can cope with stressors, positive approach to stress. commitment, challenge, control, coping strategies, self-care, social support. Kobasa, hardy businessmen vs not hardy. Bartone, hardy soldiers less likely to have PTSD

Question 12

what are the evaluation points of a hardy personality?

Answer 12

importance of all 3 elements : Maddi, all 3 needed to buffer stress. Sandvik 21 cadets, hardiness and blood samples, unbalanced more risk
issues with measuring hardiness : self-report, social desirability, different scales. Funk DRS measures all 3 equally and more positive

Question 13

what is the second individual difference explanation of stress?

Answer 13

type a + type b : impatient and impulsive VS relaxed and flexible. Friedman and Rosenman, 3200 Californian men 39-59, 70% that developed CHD were type A, 13% of type A had heart attacks VS 6% of type B, type A is linked to CHD

Question 14

what are the evaluation points of type a + type b personalities?

Answer 14

gender and cultural bias : originally only on men, type A traits for both, Baker, women show similar type A, same negative health effects. Helman, type A is culture based, USA, different values in western world
supporting evidence : Friedman, noisy puzzle, type A more stressed and higher adrenaline, more prone to CHD

Question 15

what is the first social psychological explanation of stress?

Answer 15

life events : negative or positive, moving house, bereavement, ‘psychic cost’. Holmes, TB and disturbing occurrences, SSRS from 394 participants rating readjustment, baseline 50, 150+ 30%, 300 50%. Rahe, SRE, 2684 navy, +.118 correlation between life events and illness

Question 16

what are the evaluation points for life events?

Answer 16

issues in recall : validity of SRRS, Raphael, women, 10 months, 1/4 on both lists, checklist by Holmes and Rahe not good for health, social desirability, interview instead but less economical
supporting evidence : Cohen, 394 ptp, questionnaires, life events scale, cold virus, high life events = high risk of cold, research controlled factors like age, weight and health, some personality factors excluded

Question 17

what is the second social psychological explanation of stress?

Answer 17

daily hassles : minor day-to-day, uplifts are positive experiences, gives break from hassles and give energy. Kanner, 100 ptp 45-65, hassle and uplift questionnaire, 9 months, mental health also recorded, negative correlation, hassles predictor of well-being. accumulation of hassles, chronic stress amplifies hassles, lack of social support

Question 18

what are the evaluation points of daily hassles?

Answer 18

age differences : Aldwin, 1389 male ptp 48-101, 48-70 fewer hassles, 70+ more hassles, less uplifts and hassles more impact, more hassles and less uplifts = stress
supporting evidence : Bouteyre, 233 French moving to uni, 41% depressive symptoms and risk factor was hassles. Sher, hassles correlate to cortisol levels, depression in vulnerable individuals, biological response

Question 19

what is stress inoculation therapy?

Answer 19

a form of CBT, which teaches them to be resilient against future stress. SIT uses the transactional model of stress and uses storytelling techniques

Question 20

what are the three stages of SIT?

Answer 20

1. conceptualisation phase : therapist and client develop a relationship, client is encouraged to talk about their stressors, identify things that can be changed, client is taught to break down global stressors into smaller components (re-conceptualise)
2. skills acquisition phase : coping skills are taught and practised, skills are tailored to individual’s problems (relaxation, positive thinking, social skills, time management), use coping self-statements
3. application phase : clients have opportunity to apply new coping strategies, train with others, booster sessions

Question 21

what are the evaluation points for SIT?

Question 22

how do beta blockers work?

Answer 22

antagonist action, they reduce sympathetic nervous system activity by reducing activity of adrenaline and noradrenaline. cells in the muscles of the heart have beta-adrenergic receptors. when nerve endings release noradrenaline or adrenaline into the bloodstream, these receptors are stimulated causing the heart rate to increase. beta-blockers “block” the receptor cells in the heart and other organs. this reduces the fight or flight reactions.

Question 23

what are the types of beta-blockers?

Answer 23

1. non-selective such as propranolol, block adrenaline and noradrenaline in other areas of the body, as well as the heart
2. selective such as atenolol, mostly affect the heart and reduce cardiac output so have less affects on other body parts

Question 24

what is the research for beta-blockers?

Answer 24

Lockwood, studied 2000 US symphony orchestra musicians and found that 27% used beta-blockers and 19% used on a daily basis. they reported it helped them to overcome stage fright and they could perform better under pressure