stress and health Flashcards
what is stress?
physical and psychological response to internal or external stressors
what are stressors?
specific events or chronic pressure that place demands on a person or threaten the person’s well-being
do stress/stressors impact health?
yes, both have immediate and cumulative effects
what is GAS and its 3 features?
-general adaptation response
-idea by Selye
- alarm reaction, resistance, and exhasution
what is an alarm reaction?
-how you will immediately respond
-fight or flight; mobilize resources
what is resistance?
-how you cope with the stressor
what is exhaustion?
when you run out of resources to deal with the stressor
why is the amygdala important?
-important in regulating fear
-amygdala makes ‘quick decisions’
-damage to amygdala made rats fearless
what does the SAM system stand for and what does it do?
-sympathetic adrenal–medullary (SAM) system
-A circuit that responds to perceived stressors by initiating the release of epinephrine and norepinephrine into the bloodstream.
-how the body responds to acute, immediate stress
what is the HPA axis?
-hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis
-A circuit that responds to perceived stressors by initiating the release of cortisol into the bloodstream.
-deals with long term, chronic stress; cortisol levels increase
what was the testing being done in abbot et al. 2003, are subordinate more stressed than dominants?
-comparative study of primate species
-dominance status and cortisol
what were the results in the abbot et al. study?
highly variable results
-subordinates had higher cortisol than dominants
-dominants had higher cortisol than subordinates
-dominants and subordinates had same cortisol levels
what are some predicators of higher cortisol in subordinates according to the study?
-higher rates of stressors
-decreased opportunities for social support
is intensity, drive, anger , and hostility linked to increased rates of heart disease?
-Yes
-BUT, hostility more predictive of heart disease than competitiveness
what is a Type A behavior pattern?
tendency toward easily aroused hostility, impatience, a sense of time urgency and competitive achievement stiving
what is primary appraisal?
the interpretation of a stimulus as stressful or not
what is secondary appraisal?
determining whether the stressor is something you can handle/have control over or not
what is negative appraisal?
the response to a stressor as a threat
ex. losing a job
what is positive appraisal?
the response to a stressor as a challenge
what are the 3 coping strategies talked about in lecture?
mind management
body management
situation management
what is repressive coping and what type of strategy is it?
-mind management
-avoiding situations or thoughts that are reminders of a stressor; maintaining an artificially positive viewpoint
what is rational coping and what type of strategy is it?
-mind management
-facing a stressor and working to overcome it
what is problem-focused coping and what type of strategy is it?
-mind management
-address specific problems by finding solutions
what is emotion-focused coping and what type of strategy is it?
-mind management
-target negative emotions
what is relationship-focused coping and what type of strategy is it?
-mind management
-maintain and protect social relationship
what is reframing?
finding a new or creative way to think about a stressor that reduces its threat
-mind management
what is stress inoculation training (SIT)?
-mind management
-a therapy that helps people to cope with stressful situations by developing positive ways to think about the situation
why is perceived control important?
-perceived control of stressful events can be related to more effective coping
-perceived lack of control can add to stress
what is relaxation therapy and what type of strategy is it?
-a technique for reducing tension by consciously relaxing muscles of the body
-body management
what is biofeedback and what type of strategy is it?
-the use of an external monitoring device to obtain information about a bodily function and possibly gain control over that function
-body management
what is aerobic exercise and what type of strategy is it?
-promotes stress relief and psychological well-being
-body management
what is situation management?
changing your life situation to reduce stress
what is social support?
aid gained through interacting with others
-women are more likely to seek support under stress (“tend and befriend”)
what is positive psychology?
approach that emphasizes normal behavior and human strengths
