Stress and illness 5.1a Flashcards
Psychoneuroimmunology
The study of how psychological, neural, and endocrine processes together affect the immune system and the resulting health
Stress
The process by which we perceive and respond to certain events, called stressors, that we appraise as threatening or challenging
(How we respond affects how much stress we experience.)
Primary appraisal
Assess the event as a stressor
Secondary appraisal
Assess our ability to respond to it
Distress
Stress that is perceived as negative
Eustress
Stress is perceived as positive, but it still involves heightened arousal
Catastrophes (main stressors)
Unpredictable large-scale events, such as wars, earthquakes, floods, wildfires, and famines
Can negatively affect physical and mental health
Significant life changes (main stressors)
Life transformations can cause stress and health problems, moving, a new job, marriage, and a new baby
More vulnerable to diseases around big life changes
Daily hassles (main stressors)
Ex: rush-hour traffic, aggravating siblings, long lunch lines, too many things to do, and family frustrations - these can add up and cause stress
Daily uplifts
Counteracts stress - Pleasant and satisfying experiences, like hearing good news, getting a good night of sleep, or solving a difficult problem
Approach-approach conflict
Must choose between two desirable or attractive goals
Avoidance-avoidance conflict
Must choose between two more or less equally undesirable or unattractive goals
Approach-avoidance conflict
Choose to pursue or avoid something that has both positive and negative aspects to it
Fight-or-flight
The sympathetic nervous system increases heart rate and respiration, diverts blood from digestion to skeletal muscles, dulls feelings of pain, and releases sugar and fat from the body’s stores
Cortisol
The body’s stress hormone
General adaptation syndrome (GAS)
Hans Selye’s concept of the body’s adaptive response to stress in three phases - alarm, resistance, exhaustion (Rats)
Phase 1 of GAS
Stress occurs - alarm reaction (mobilize resources)
Phase 2 of GAS
Resistance (only lasts so long before tired)
Phase 3 of GAS
Exhaustion (reserves depleted)
B Lymphocytes
Fight bacterial infections
T Lymphocytes
Fight cancer cells, viruses, and foreign substances
Marcophage
Fights harmful invaders and worn-out cells
Natural killer cells
Fights diseased cells
Catharsis
The idea that “releasing” aggressive energy relieves aggressive urges - fails to cleanse rage
