Textbook Chapter 6 Flashcards
anxiety and coping strategies began with…
concepts introduced by psychoanalytic theory
but took their thinking in new directions
how do traditional psychoanalysts think about anxiety and coping mechanisms?
emphasize unconscious sources of anxiety
and defense mechanisms
are we more anxious today than our parents and their parents? or do we just complain more
data suggests that we indeed have entered an age of anxiety
anxiety
an UNPLEASANT emotional experience
feelings of worry, panic, fear, dread
Freud’s 3 types of anxiety
- reality anxiety
- neurotic anxiety
- moral anxiety
reality anxiety
response to PERCEIVED THREAT in real world
ie. when followed by a stranger at night
you’re AWARE of the SOURCE of the anxiety
reality anxiety is less interesting to Freud because…
it’s conscious
neurotic anxiety
when unacceptable id impulses are DANGEROUSLY CLOSE to breaking the SURFACE
this anxiety leads EGO to use DEFENSE MECHANISMS
neurotic anxiety leads ego to…
use defense mechanisms
to try to keep unacceptable id impulses under the surface
moral anxiety
brought about by SUPEREGO
in response to id impulses that violate superego’s strict moral code
experienced as guilt
moral anxiety is experienced as…
guilt
defense mechanisms versus coping mechanisms
defense mechs:
- unconscious
coping mechs:
- conscious
coping with anxiety: we respond to stress-provoking situations with…
calculated efforts to reduce our anxiety
coping strategies
efforts to cope with anxiety in the face of a perceived threat
endless different ones: long walks, drinking alcohol, attacking problem at the source, ignoring problem, exercise
women and men: differences in coping strategies
women report more coping strategies than men
but not sure if this difference is real
not everyone uses the same strategies, but there are _____ patterns in the ways that people cope
stable
consistently rely on our favourite coping strategies across problems and time
coping styles
stable patterns of coping strategy use/types employed by different people
2 types of coping strategies
repression
sensitizing
some people would rather IGNORE anxiety provoking topics
others want to educate themselves so they can deal with problems should they arise
personality dimension related to coping strategies
repression-sensitization
repressors
people who respond to threatening situations by AVOIDING them
try not to think about the situation and avoid anxiety this way
“worrying about it will do no good”
“get your mind off of it”
sensitizers
deal with stressful situations by FINDING OUT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE
and thereby putting themselves in effective place for action
3 basic ways to deal with anxiety
- problem-focused strategies
- emotion-focused strategies
- avoidance strategies
problem-focused strategies
intended to TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM
ie. financial problem - look for ways to earn money or reduce expenses
these people feel that MAKING A PLAN reduces their anxiety
problem focused strategic people feel that doing what reduces their anxiety?
making a plan