Stress, coping & health (Chapter 14)

Question 1

Biopsychosocial model

Answer 1

Physical illness is caused by a complex interaction of biological, psychological and sociocultural factors

Question 2

Primary appraisal

Answer 2

An initial evaluation of whether an event is:

• Irrelevant to you
• Relevant but not threatening
• Stressfull

Question 3

Secondary appraisal

Answer 3

An evaluation of your coping resources and options for dealing with the stress

Question 4

Acute stressors

Answer 4

Are threatening events that have a relatively short duration and clear endpoint

Question 5

Chronic stressors

Answer 5

Are threatening events that have a relatively long duration and no readily apparent time limit

Question 6

Significant life changes

Answer 6

Personal events isolated to you

Question 7

Catastrophes

Answer 7

Unpleasant large scale events

Question 8

4 principles of stress

• Frustration
• Conflict
• Change
• Pressure

Answer 8

• Frustration: blocked goal
• Conflict: 2 or more incompatible motivations
• Change: having to adapt
• Pressure: expectations to behave in a certain way

Question 9

Approach-approach conflict

Answer 9

A choice must be made between 2 attractive goals

- Tends to be the least stressful

Question 10

Avoidance-avoidance conflict

Answer 10

A choice between 2 unattractive goals

- Most unpleasant

Question 11

Approach-avoidance conflict

Answer 11

A choice made about whether to pursue a single goal that has both attractive and unattractive aspects

Question 12

What are the 3 levels of responding to stress

Answer 12

Emotional response
Physiological response
Behavioural response

Question 13

Emotional responses

Answer 13

Can continue for a long time
Annoyance, anger, rage
Dejection, sadness, grief
Gratitude, joy
Positive emotional style is associated with enhanced immune response

Question 14

Inverted U hypothesis

Answer 14

Predicts that task performance should improve with increased emotion arousal up to a certain point, after which further increases in arousal become disruptive and performance deteriorates

Question 15

Physiological response

Answer 15

Autonomic arousal, hormonal fluctuations, neurochemical changes

Question 16

Flight or fight response

Answer 16

Reaction to threat in which the autonomic nervous system mobilizes the organism for attacking (fight) or fleeing (flight) an enemy

Question 17

Selye’s general adaptation syndrome

- 3 stages

Answer 17

A model of the body’s stress response
Alarm (fight or flight response)
- Physiological arousal occurs as the body musters its resources to combat the challenge
Resistance phase
- Body attempts to resist or cope with stressors that cannot be avoided
Exhaustion phase
- Persistent stress depletes the body of energy
- Increased vulnerability to physical problems and illness

Question 18

Behavioural responses

Answer 18

Most involve coping

Question 19

Type A personalilty

Answer 19

Involves self-imposed stress and intense reactions to stress

• Strong competitive orientation
• Impatience and time urgency
• Anger and hostility

Question 20

Type B personality

Answer 20

Marked by relatively relaxed, patient, easygoing, amicable behaviour
- Less hurried, less competitive and easy going

Question 21

Social support

• Explicit
• Implicit

Answer 21

Positive correlations between high social support and greater immune functioning

• Explicit: physically there
• Implicit: feeling of support; independent relationships

Question 22

Stress-debilitating mindet

Answer 22

Assume stress is harmful

Question 23

Stress-enhancing mindset

Answer 23

View stress as an invigorating challenge and opportunity for growth