Stress, Coping, and Health

Question 1

What is Stress?

Answer 1

Tension, discomfort, and physical symptoms

Question 1

What is stressor

Answer 1

Stress from threatening or
demanding situation
(e.g., exams)

Question 2

Stress as a transaction

Answer 2

The relationship between people and their environments are examined and the interaction between potentially stressful life events and how people interpret and cope with them

*includes primary and secondary appraisals

Question 3

Stressors as stimuli

Answer 3

The stressors as stimuli approach focuses on identifying different types of stressful events, ranging from job loss to combat. This approach has pinpointed categories of events that most of us find dangerous and unpredictable. For example, pregnancy is often a joyous yet stressful event, fraught with uncertainties, including concerns about the child’s health

Question 4

primary appraisal

Answer 4

initial decision regarding whether an event is harmful

Question 5

secondary appraisal

Answer 5

perceptions regarding our ability to cope with an event that follows primary appraisal

Question 6

Stress as a response

Answer 6

Psychological and physiological reactions to stress…Lab-induced or real-world stressors

Question 7

Measuring Stress: Two Approaches

Answer 7

1. Significant life events: Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS)
2. Daily hassles: Hassles Scale

Question 8

Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS)

Answer 8

This is for significant life events, it is a 43-item list of typically experienced life change events commonly used by researchers interested in the impact of stress on health and well-being.

Question 9

Hassles Scale

Answer 9

Minor annoyances or nuisances that strain our ability to cope, Frequency and severity of daily hassles predicts likelihood of physical
and mental health issues

Question 9

general adaptation syndrome (GAS)

Answer 9

stress-response pattern proposed by Hans Selye that consists of three stages: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion

Question 10

THE ALARM REACTION

Answer 10

The alarm reaction, involves excitation of the autonomic nervous system, the discharge of the stress hormone adrenaline, and physical symptoms of anxiety, a flight or fight response

Question 11

RESISTANCE

Answer 11

Adapting and finding ways to cope with stressors and anxiety, limited resources

Question 12

EXHAUSTION

Answer 12

If the threat persists the body eventually gives up..can lead to depression and breakdown of the immune system

Question 13

How Can We Cope with Stress

Answer 13

• Relaxation
• Social support
• Reappraising the situation
• Individual differences

Question 14

Relaxation Techniques

Answer 14

Relaxation involves low arousal

• Incompatible with stress
• Progressive muscle relaxation
• Meditation
• Biofeedback -People are given direct feedback on the state of their body e.g., muscle tension, heart rate, blood pressur

Question 15

Reappraising the Situation

Answer 15

One way to reduce the impact of a stressor is to re-appraise it (a
powerful therapeutic technique

Question 16

Social Support

Answer 16

Support from others, often in the form of comfort, caring,
or help, just having someone to talk

Question 16

Pets as social support

Answer 16

although some situation pets can help lower depression, but there is a negative correlation between pet ownership & depression, trips to
the doctor, death following heart attack

Question 17

Individual Differences

Answer 17

Stress is in the eye of the beholder, related to perceived control or personality (Optimism vs. Pessimism)

Question 18

How Does Stress Impact Health?

Answer 18

Stress can affect us physically. Stress may weaken the immune system..e.g Students have fewer white blood cells during exam period than before. Another example is the loss of a spouse

• Part of the “fight-or-flight” response is increased blood
  pressure
• Stress is linked to higher blood cholestero

Question 19

Type A Personality

Answer 19

Low on “agreeableness”

• The detrimental effect of the “anger” component
• e.g., higher risk of cardiovascular disease

Question 20

✗ Problem Drinking

Answer 20

More than 50% Canadians drink alcohol at least once per month, although adults rates are decreasing but young adults having been drinking more

Question 20

Physical affects of drinking

Answer 20

• Increases in cancer
• Liver problems
• Pregnancy complications
• Brain shrinkage

Question 21

Cognitive effects of drinking

Answer 21

Alcohol is a depressant – it inhibits the activity of neurons = inhibits
or reduces anxiety

Question 22

Alcohol Myopia

Answer 22

The brain then prioritizes the immediate information. Alcohol also leads to risky behavior because alcohol decreases a person’s inhibitions. For example, someone who is afraid of heights may nevertheless decide to go bungee jumping because of alcohol myopia.

Question 23

Aerobic Exercise as coping

Answer 23

Female college students suffering from mild
depression were asked to

• Group 1: Engage in aerobic exercise
• Group 2: Learn relaxation techniques
• Group 3: Do nothing
• After 10 weeks, Group 1 was happiest.

Question 23

Why does aerobic exercise reduce stress and improve
mood?

Answer 23

• Improved cardiovascular fitness
• Release of mood-altering neurotransmitters
• Increased fitness may increase perceived control