Stress: Chapter 13 Flashcards
What is stress?
A negative emotional state that occurs in response to events that a person sees as beyond his or her ability to cope with
What is cognitive appraisal?
The process we go through after an event to evaluate whether it is an overwhelming threat or a challenge we can deal with; determines how stressful we perceive the event to be
What are three sources of stress?
- Life events—major life events that are counted and ranked for how stressful they are
- Daily hassles—minor everyday annoyances that have a cumulative effect of stress
- Social/Cultural—characteristics of our environment that cause stress
What is the fight-or-flight response?
The response to stress that helps people react to an immediate threat. Activates the sympathetic nervous system to fight or flee. Involves catecholamine hormones (adrenaline).
What are catecholamines?
Hormones that cause physical arousal and the fight-or-flight reponse: adrenaline and noradrenaline
What are corticosteroids?
Hormones involved in the body’s response to long-term stress. Involves corticosteroid hormones: cortisol
What is psychoneuroimmunology?
The field that studies the interaction between psychology, the nervous system and the immune system.
What is the relationship between stress and illness?
People are more susceptible to illnesses when they experience stress. In one classic study, people who were exposed to the cold virus and were under chronic stress were more likely to develop a cold than those who were not under stress.
