Mechanisms of Acute "Feel-Better" Effects

Question 1

mediator

Answer 1

mechanism underlying an observed relationship (assessed statistically); mediator = mechanism

Question 2

mechanism

Answer 2

how an intervention works; what biological or psychological process translates the intervention into the treatment effect; also called change mechanism; assessed w/ an experiment or trial
- designed to block/augment an effect

Question 3

What are the key mechanisms of effective treatments to optimize changes?

Answer 3

• refining interventions by distilling them to their most essential elements
• teaching providers what key elements need to be delivered
• helping providers understand how to individualize treatments in a way that will maximize effects

Question 4

proximal (close) effects

Answer 4

immediate effects of an experiment that are directly caused by the intervention in question; muscle contraction happens during exercise - anything related to muscle contraction is a _______ effect of exercising

Question 5

distal (distance away) effects

Answer 5

effects that are delayed/downstream with likely mechanisms that result in these ______ effects occurring; exercising releases endorphins that lead to decreased pain sensitivity

Question 6

What are some difficulties with mechanisms?

Answer 6

• how do we find them?
• need to know what causes the target
• unclear for most psychological targets
• need to experimentally manipulate to determine the importance on the distal outcome

Question 7

What does the circumplex model of affect show?

Answer 7

1. activation/arousal
2. valence/pleasantness
   - all affective states arise from different amounts of valence and arousal