W18 Interacting with Tough Content, Self-Care and Wellness

Question 1

What model does health psychology use and describe it

Answer 1

Health psychology uses a biopsychosocial model of health- posits the importance of biology, psychology and social factors.

Question 2

Describe the role of psychological stress in disease development.

Answer 2

The emotion of stress is correlated with disease development.

Question 3

Detail the model of stress

Answer 3

General adaptation syndrome: A three-phase model of stress, which includes an alarm phase (fight or flight), a coping phase (resistance) and an exhaustion phase (when someone fails to cope with the stress adequately and depletes its energy). This being the one that health psychology relies on.
Alarm, resistance and exhaustion.

Question 4

What is psychosomatic medicine and psychoneuroimmunology?

Answer 4

Two fields of psychology are concerned with the relationship between psychology influencing physiology.

Question 5

What are 5 factors that contribute to resilience?

Answer 5

coping, self-efficacy, social relationships, dispositions and emotion and stress management.

Question 6

What are the categories of coping strategies and what do they entail?

Answer 6

Problem-solving coping and emotion-focused coping

Problem-solving coping is a proactive strategy of solving the problem that is producing stress. For example, a test is coming up and you are stressed so you study for it.

Emotion-focused coping regulates the emotions that come with stress. For example, instead of studying for the exam, you watch Netflix to get your mind off it.

Question 7

When would the emotion-focused method of coping potentially be better?

Answer 7

When dealing with an event that is uncontrollable emotion-focused coping may be more effective.

Question 8

Why is control and self-efficacy significant for alleviating stress?

Answer 8

The belief in having control over a situation greatly benefits your ability to do anything as it decreases stress and clears your mind. When you believe you have no control over a situation you are likely to not change or act on anything.

Question 9

Why are social relationships important for health?

Answer 9

They are important because encouragement and support are crucial for health (emotional or financial)

Question 10

What is the relationship between stress and positive emotions?

Answer 10

Positive emotions are the anecdote to stress.

Question 11

What is self-efficacy?

Answer 11

The belief that one can perform adequately in a specific situation is likely to feel in control (confidence).

Question 12

What is behavioral medicine?

Answer 12

A field that integrates psychological factors (e.g. emotion, behavior, cognition and social factors) in the treatment of disease.

Question 13

What is chronic disease?

Answer 13

A health condition that persists over a period of 3 months (e.g. HIV, asthma, diabetes)

Question 14

What is mind-body connection?

Answer 14

The idea that our emotions and thoughts can influence how our body operates.

Question 15

What is Type A behavior?

Answer 15

Type A behavior is characterized by impatience, competitiveness, neuroticism, hostility and anger.

Question 16

What is Type B behavior?

Answer 16

Type B behavior reflects more laid-back behaviors.

Question 17

What is happiness referred to in health psychology?

Answer 17

Subjective well-being (SWB)

Question 18

Describe the three major forms of happiness and the cause of each of them.

Answer 18

Life satisfaction is feeling content with where you are in life (relationship, job, etc.) This is the cause of a good income, achieving one’s goals and high self-esteem.

Positive feelings are associated with enjoying life and loving others. The causes of this are supportive friends, interesting work and extroverted personality.

Low negative feelings are associated with few chronic worries (fear or anxiety) or rarely feeling sad or angry. The causes of these are associated with low neuroticism, one’s goals are in harmony and a positive outlook.

Question 19

What is the root cause of happiness?

Answer 19

Happiness is derived from how you view the world (outlook) and your personality.

Question 20

List internal causes of subjective well-being and explain them.

Answer 20

Inborn temperament- People have a genetic predisposition for positive or negative emotions.

Personality- This is the mix between genetics and environment.

Outlook: Optimism, hope, gratitude and positivity.

Resilience: Ability to adapt to changes and challenges, positively associated with happiness.

Question 21

List external causes of subjective well-being and explain them.

Answer 21

Sufficient material resources- it’s about having enough to meet our fundamental needs and to pursue our goals but it’s also about how you spend it to benefit others.

Sufficient social resources- relationships and belonging is a fundamental human need, of which the more of it the merrier (increased life satisfaction).

Desirable society- War and conflict

Question 22

Why do some societies receive more happiness than others?

Answer 22

Living conditions: some countries have limited access to necessities for survival (food, shelter, water, etc.) and because of conflict.

Question 22

What are some psychological influences of happiness and describe them.

Answer 22

Aspirations, social comparisons and adaptations.

Aspirations pertaining to what goals you have for the future.

Social comparisons can be harmful as they contribute to less gratefulness.

Adaptation to circumstances around you (outlook) is important. It is never what happens to you, it is how you perceive it and respond to it.

Question 22

How is happiness measured?

Answer 22

Subjective well-being is measured either by self-report scales which can be prone to bias depending on the patients’ current moods and situational factors. There are also informant reports, but this is rare and is less valid. As a result, they may use biological measures of happiness: the strength of a person’s immune system or measuring various brain areas that are associated with greater happiness.

Question 22

Top-down causes of happiness.

Answer 22

Internal causes such as biology, outlook and personality (i.e. their temperament or optimism)

Question 22

What problems do materialistic people have?

Answer 22

Materialistic people value money over relationships, spirituality and more enjoyable jobs. Having a job that has meaning towards other people and being grateful has shown to increase happiness.

Question 22

What are the benefits of happiness?

Answer 22

More social relationships, health and longevity, productivity, philanthropy.

Question 22

Bottom-up causes of happiness.

Answer 22

External causes such as good or bad events and circumstances such as health and wealth.

Question 23

How is personality formed?

Answer 23

The basis of personality is genetics that is later developed through the environment.

Question 23

What is the relationship between extraversion and happiness?

Answer 23

Extraversion is invigorated by socializing and is heightened by positive feelings.

Question 24

What is the relationship between neuroticism and happiness?

Answer 24

Neuroticism is invigorated by arousal and slow relaxation (increased anxiety and emotional instability) and is heightened by negative feelings.