Week 4: Sources of Stress Flashcards
What can be a source of stress?
Conflicting motives can be a source of stress, making a choice between desirable alternatives.
What is Approach-Approach Conflict?
A conflict arising from having to choose between desirable alternatives.
Examples include choosing which movie to see (minor) or deciding whether to build a career or a family (major).
What is Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict?
A conflict where one must choose between two undesirable alternatives.
Example: Avoid studying for an exam, but also want to avoid failing the test.
What is Approach-Avoidance Conflict?
A conflict where one is simultaneously drawn to and repelled by a choice.
Example: Wanting to take a vacation but needing to empty savings to do so.
What factors increase stress related to unpredictability?
Psychological and physiological well-being is influenced by the degree of control we feel over our lives.
What did Ellen J. Langer and Judith Rodin study?
They studied the effects of control on nursing home residents, finding that those given some control had improved health and lower death rates.
Within 18 months, 30% of residents without choices had died compared to 15% with some control.
How does belief in control affect stress?
Studies suggest we are less subject to stress when we believe we have control over the sources of stress.
What is the Communal Approach to stress?
Believing that one’s family or community has the skills to help can positively mediate the effects of stress.
What is a chronic source of stress for minority groups?
Being a minority in a majority culture can be a chronic source of stress.
How does perceived discrimination affect well-being?
A person’s sense of perceived discrimination affects their general well-being, causing intense stress even without overt evidence of racism.
What historical factors contribute to stress in certain groups?
Colonialism and historical repression can be sources of stress, leading to chronic medical conditions among affected groups.
What are the stages of response to catastrophic events?
People respond in stages: disorientation, concern for others, anxiety, recurring nightmares, and the need for crisis intervention therapy.
What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?
PTSD is a prolonged and severe stress reaction to a catastrophic event or chronic intense stress.
Who is more likely to suffer from PTSD?
Individuals deeply affected by the pandemic, such as healthcare workers and socially isolated individuals, are more likely to suffer from PTSD.
What are the symptoms of PTSD?
Symptoms include flashbacks, nightmares, increased anxiety, and startle responses to reminders of the trauma.
What is Survivor’s Guilt?
Survivor’s Guilt is the feeling of guilt for living when someone else in a similar situation died.
What cognitive difficulties are associated with PTSD?
People with PTSD are more likely to experience difficulties in verbal learning, memory, attention, and speed of information processing.
