Terms & Misc. Flashcards
Stress
A response to an overwhelming and demanding situation.
Stressors
Events that trigger stress.
Stimulus View of Stress
Focus on situations that cause stress.
Response View of Stress
Focus on physiological changes that occur when someone encounters a challenging situation.
Relational View of Stress
Defines stress as a particular relationship between people and situations in which they find themselves.
Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe (1960)
Developed the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS) that quantified stress in terms of major life changes.
Why is it hard to measure life events and hassles that cause stress?
Not all people react to situations in the same way.
Lazarus and Folkman (1984)
Appraisals & Dealing with Coping
Primary Appraisal
Quick assessment of the meaning of an event for the person. (Determines whether a emotional response will occur).
Secondary Appraisal
Accessing resources available for us to cope with stress. (What do we do, how do we resolve the problem?)
What are the two main systems in our body that are involved in stress?
The Autonomic Nervous System and the Endocrine System cause physiological changes.
The Neuroendocrine System
Hormonal systems involved in emotions and stress.
Three key structures in the regulation of stress responses?
Hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal gland.
The adrenal gland release…
Catecholamines and glucocorticoids.
Catecholamines
Function as hormones and as neurotransmitters to control ANS activation.
Glucocorticoids
Hormones that maintain activation of physiological systems during emergencies.
Two major neuroendocrine pathways?
Adrenal-Medullary System, and the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal axis.
Adrenal-Madullary System
Major pathway stimulated during stress - hypothalamus activates sympathetic nervous system.
Norepinephrine
Neurotransmitter that activates the sympathetic response to stress, increasing heart rate, rate of respiration, and blood pressure in support of rapid action.
Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis
A major pathway relevant to the stress response involving the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal cortex.
During emotional arousal and stress, the hypothalamus releases a substance called…
Corticotropin Releasing Factor (CRF).
____ stimulates ____ which stimulates ____.
CRF - ACTH - Cortex of the Adrenal Gland.
Cortisol
The “stress hormone” produced by the body to make sure the body gets enough fuel during stress and arousal.
What does Cortisol do?
Breakdown complex molecules, ensuring glucose is available for the bloodstream, regulates immune system by reducing immune cells in bloodstream, which may make it susceptible to infections.
Hans Selye
Proposed the General Adaptation Syndrome.
General Adaptation Syndrome
A general, nonspecific set of changes in the body that occur during extreme stress. Has 3 Stages; Alarm, Resistance, and Exhaustion.
Alarm Stage (GAS)
Phase where all body’s resources respond to a threat.
Resistance Stage (GAS)
Extended effort by the body to deal with a threat.
Exhaustion Stage (GAS)
All resources for fighting a threat have been depleted and illness is likely.
Mason’s Objection to GAS
If you prepare for anticipated stress you are less likely to show severe physiological responses.
Allostasis
A response/adaptation to stress where the body achieves stability through physiological changes.
What happens to the hippocampus when cortisol interacts with it?
The dendrites shrink and we may have trouble with memory, learning, and memory formation.
Coping
Act of dealing with stress or emotions.
Problem-Focused Coping
Aims to change the situation causing stress
Emotion-Focused Coping
Aims to regulate the experience of distress.
Reappraisal
Reevaluation of a situation in new light.
Escape-Avoidance
wishful thinking or doing something to get your mind off a situation.
Seeking Social Support
Talking with friends for emotional support.
Self-Control
Trying to regulate feelings/actions regarding the problem.
Accepting Responsibility
Acknowledging your role in the stressful situation.
James Pennebaker
Emotional Disclosure
Emotional Disclosure
Letting it all out - writing or talking about the situation.
Social Support
Way of coping that combines problem and emotion-focused coping.
Direct Effects Hypothesis
Says social support is beneficial to mental and physical health whether or not someone is under stress.
Buffering Hypothesis
Says social support works as a buffer only under certain conditions.
Social Network
A cluster of related people - web of friends.
Optimists
Emphasize positivity: glass half full - view things as challenging.
Pessimists
Emphasize negative: glass half empty - more depressed, view things as a threat.
Resilience
Personality trait means being more flexible and bouncing back from difficult situations.
Telomerase
an enzyme that adds DNA sequences to telomeres - decreases with age.
Psychosomatic Theory
Idea that emotional factors can lead to the occurrence or worsening of an illness.
Health Psychology
Study of the role of psychological factors in regard to health and illness, includes onset, prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation.
Physiological Reactivity Model
Explains the casual role of stress-related body changes in illness.
Health Behavior Approach
Explanation for illness - focuses on role of behaviors (diet, exercise, substance abuse..)
Cardiovascular System
The heart, blood, and blood vessels.
Antigen
Foreign substance that triggers an immune response.
Psychoneuroimmunology (PHI)
Science of how psychological factors relate to changes in the immune system.
Specific Immunity
Defends against specific threats, operates with B and T cells, provides rapid response.
Non-Specific Immunity
General defense, operates with macrophages and natural killer cells, works slowly against unknown threats.
Natural Immunity
First response to antigens
Acquired Immunity
Immunity provided by antibodies produced in body to specific antigens.
Phagocytosis
White blood cell engulfs a substance and moves it to a place where it’s destroyed.
Inflammation
When tissues are restored following injury.
Natural Immunity=______ Acquired Immunity=______
Non-Specific - Specific.
Cellular Immunity
When the T cells fight antigens.
