Stress & Coping Flashcards
stress
- > any circumstance that threatens (real or perceived) one’s well being, and taxes ability to cope
- > subjective
- > not all stress is negative (having a baby is great but it’s very stressful)
health psychology
focuses on psychosocial factors related to health
- > specialization in psychology
how do we promote health
- > maintain
- > prevent
- > treat
types of stress
Acute
- > acute stressors are relatively short duration, clear endpoint (i.e. exam period)
Chronic
- > long duration, no clear endpoint (i.e. active military during war, covid pandemic)
daily hassles
- > everyday occurrence that annoy and upset
- > tend to be cumulative
- > daily stress of home, school, work
- > significant impact over time
*daily hassles have the greatest impact on your mental health than acute and chronic stress, especially if there’s a lot every day*
uplifts
things that make you feel happy, joy, satisfied
- > don’t notice them all the time
important to counter daily hassles
types of appraising stressors
Primary and Secondary appraisal
Primary appraisal
is the situation a problem?
- > if yes: positive “challenge” or threatening
- > if you’re talking in front of a class are you freaking out (threatening) or are you excited (positive)
secondary appraisal
assess resources; decide how to cope
- > what can I do about it
characteristics of appraising stressors
- > perceived (lack) of control
- > appraisal often inaccurate
- > some people are more “threat prone”
what produces stress
Frustration
- > blocked goal
Change
- > having to adapt to new circumstances, not necessarily negative
Conflict
- > need to choose between incompatible needs, motives, goals, or demands
Pressure
- > expectations or demands to perform/conform
what leads to frustration
failures and losses
different approaches to conflict
Approach-Approach
- > choose between 2+ attractive options
- > win-win, least stressful
Avoidance-Avoidance
- > choose between 2 undesirable options
- > lose-lose, very stressful
Approach-Avoidance
- > choose between single goal with an attractive and undesirable qualities; creates ambivalence
homes and Rahe: social readjustment rating scale
(change)
- > higher points for more “life change units”
- > higher points = higher stress
- > higher stress = vulnerable to phys and psych problems
characteristics of pressure
- > its pressure to perform or comply
- > other’s and our own expectations create pressure
- > over half of Canadians that there’s not enough time for work and sped adequate time with family members, especially when expected to execute tasks and responsibilities quickly, efficiently, and successfully
- > this type of stress is especially toxic to your health
responses to stress
Aggression
- > response with intent to harm
Displaced aggression
- > redirecting aggression to a target rather than the source, scapegoating
Escape
- > leave source or escape psychologically
Yerkes-Dodson law
inverted U
- > peak performance linked to optimal arousal
- > otherwise strong response interferes with coping and attention, memory, judjment and decision making
describe the 3 stages of general adaptation syndrome
Alarm reaction
- > body resources mobilized to cope with threat/stress; immediate/during the initial stressful situation
Stage of resistance
- > body adjusts to stress by at high physical cost; resistance to other stressors is lowered
Stage of exhaustion
- > body’s resources are drained and resistant to depletion; body begins to breakdown
- > possible outcome: disease/lowered immunity, collapse
