Stress and health

Question 1

appraisal of stressors come in a two-step process. what is this process and differentiate challenges vs different types of threats.

Answer 1

1. primary appraisal
   - determines the nature of the stressor, is it a threat or a challenge
2. secondary appraisal
   - what are the options to cope with the threat if it is one.

stressor –> primary app. –> challenge (potential for growth) or threat (potential hard, loss, etc), if challenge –> secondary app –> effective coping options (low threat) or ineffective/no options (high threat)

Question 2

what is learned helplessness and who conducted the experiment with the dogs and shocks

Answer 2

after repeated exposure to long-term stress, people start to believe they are powerless to change their situation even when opportunities to do so arise

seligman and maier

Question 3

what is the five-factor personality model and how does a high level of each one affect the interpretation of stressors

Answer 3

acronym OCEAN
- openness
high openness; stressors = challenges, creative problem-solving and adaptability

• conscientiousness
  high conscientiousness; stressors = manageable, organized proactive coping
• extraversion
  high extraversion; stressor = challenges, confidence in coping
• agreeableness
  high extraversion; stressors = less threatening, focus on social support
• neuroticism
  high neuroticism; stressors = threat, feelings of helplessness

Question 4

what are the two types of stress and their impact on general performance

Answer 4

eustress
- positive form of stress, beneficial to health, motivation, performance and emotional well-bring

distress
- negative form of stress that is severe or/and prolonged, overwhelming, anxiety inducing and worrying

the optimal amount of stress can be beneficial for performance, too little leads to boredom and too much leads to panic

Question 5

what is walter-cannon’s fight or flight response and how can it be explained with the hypothalamic-pituary-adrenal axis

Answer 5

• emotional & physical reaction to a perceived threat that increases readiness for action
• viewed as adaptive because it enabled survival

the response occurs because of the HPA, hypothalamus –> pituitary gland –> adrenal gland –> cortisol

1. Hypothalamus releasing factor to pituitary gland
2. Pituitary gland releases ACTH through blood to adrenal gland
3. Adrenal gland releases cortisol and catecholamines

Question 6

what is General adaptation syndrome and what did Hans Selye discover

Answer 6

General adaptation syndrome
1. alarm phase
- mobilizes energy to respond to threat
- like cannon’s fight or flight
- release of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol
2. resistance phase
- continues to draw on ressources
- body shuts down/reduce unnecessary processes
3. exhaustion phase
- costs of damage can be seen in this phase
- resistance collapse, energy depletion

Hans Selye
- he was studying endocrine response in rats exposed to injury/illness, hormonal focus
- showed that stressors caused rats to have enlarged adrenal cortex, shrunken lymph glands and stomach ulcers

Question 7

define psychoneuroimmunology

Answer 7

• study of how the immune system reacts to psychological variables such as stress

Question 8

what are telomeres and explain how stress affects them and the aging process

Answer 8

• protective caps on chromosomes that shorten after multiple multiplication aka over time
• but stress accelerates this process thus accelerates the aging process

Question 9

what is the difference between type A and B personality and which is more prone to heart attacks

Answer 9

Type A more prone
- agressive, chronic struggle to achieve more
- competitive drive
- chronic sense of urgency
- impatience and hostility towards others

Type B
- calm

Question 10

what are the 3 forms of stress management and their respective coping techniques

Answer 10

Mind management
1. recessive coping/emotional; avoiding feelings/thoughts/situations that remind of a stressor and force a positive viewpoint
2. rational coping/problem-solving; facing stressor and working to overcome it
3. reframing/emotional or problem-solving; finding new/creative way to think about a stressor thus reducing its threat

Body management
1. meditation
2. aerobic exercise
3. biofeedback

Situational management
- changing life situation to reduce stress
Eg. social support, humour