stress and health

Question 1

what is stress?

Answer 1

physical and psychological response to internal or external stressors

Question 2

what are stressors?

Answer 2

specific events or chronic pressure that place demands on a person or threaten the person’s well-being

Question 3

do stress/stressors impact health?

Answer 3

yes, both have immediate and cumulative effects

Question 4

what is GAS and its 3 features?

Answer 4

-general adaptation response
-idea by Selye
- alarm reaction, resistance, and exhasution

Question 5

what is an alarm reaction?

Answer 5

-how you will immediately respond
-fight or flight; mobilize resources

Question 6

what is resistance?

Answer 6

-how you cope with the stressor

Question 7

what is exhaustion?

Answer 7

when you run out of resources to deal with the stressor

Question 8

why is the amygdala important?

Answer 8

-important in regulating fear
-amygdala makes ‘quick decisions’
-damage to amygdala made rats fearless

Question 9

what does the SAM system stand for and what does it do?

Answer 9

-sympathetic adrenal–medullary (SAM) system
-A circuit that responds to perceived stressors by initiating the release of epinephrine and norepinephrine into the bloodstream.
-how the body responds to acute, immediate stress

Question 10

what is the HPA axis?

Answer 10

-hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis
-A circuit that responds to perceived stressors by initiating the release of cortisol into the bloodstream.
-deals with long term, chronic stress; cortisol levels increase

Question 11

what was the testing being done in abbot et al. 2003, are subordinate more stressed than dominants?

Answer 11

-comparative study of primate species
-dominance status and cortisol

Question 12

what were the results in the abbot et al. study?

Answer 12

highly variable results
-subordinates had higher cortisol than dominants
-dominants had higher cortisol than subordinates
-dominants and subordinates had same cortisol levels

Question 13

what are some predicators of higher cortisol in subordinates according to the study?

Answer 13

-higher rates of stressors
-decreased opportunities for social support

Question 14

is intensity, drive, anger , and hostility linked to increased rates of heart disease?

Answer 14

-Yes
-BUT, hostility more predictive of heart disease than competitiveness

Question 15

what is a Type A behavior pattern?

Answer 15

tendency toward easily aroused hostility, impatience, a sense of time urgency and competitive achievement stiving

Question 16

what is primary appraisal?

Answer 16

the interpretation of a stimulus as stressful or not

Question 17

what is secondary appraisal?

Answer 17

determining whether the stressor is something you can handle/have control over or not

Question 18

what is negative appraisal?

Answer 18

the response to a stressor as a threat
ex. losing a job

Question 19

what is positive appraisal?

Answer 19

the response to a stressor as a challenge

Question 20

what are the 3 coping strategies talked about in lecture?

Answer 20

mind management
body management
situation management

Question 21

what is repressive coping and what type of strategy is it?

Answer 21

-mind management
-avoiding situations or thoughts that are reminders of a stressor; maintaining an artificially positive viewpoint

Question 22

what is rational coping and what type of strategy is it?

Answer 22

-mind management
-facing a stressor and working to overcome it

Question 23

what is problem-focused coping and what type of strategy is it?

Answer 23

-mind management
-address specific problems by finding solutions

Question 24

what is emotion-focused coping and what type of strategy is it?

Answer 24

-mind management
-target negative emotions

Question 25

what is relationship-focused coping and what type of strategy is it?

Answer 25

-mind management
-maintain and protect social relationship

Question 26

what is reframing?

Answer 26

finding a new or creative way to think about a stressor that reduces its threat
-mind management

Question 27

what is stress inoculation training (SIT)?

Answer 27

-mind management
-a therapy that helps people to cope with stressful situations by developing positive ways to think about the situation

Question 28

why is perceived control important?

Answer 28

-perceived control of stressful events can be related to more effective coping
-perceived lack of control can add to stress

Question 29

what is relaxation therapy and what type of strategy is it?

Answer 29

-a technique for reducing tension by consciously relaxing muscles of the body
-body management

Question 30

what is biofeedback and what type of strategy is it?

Answer 30

-the use of an external monitoring device to obtain information about a bodily function and possibly gain control over that function
-body management

Question 31

what is aerobic exercise and what type of strategy is it?

Answer 31

-promotes stress relief and psychological well-being
-body management

Question 32

what is situation management?

Answer 32

changing your life situation to reduce stress

Question 33

what is social support?

Answer 33

aid gained through interacting with others
-women are more likely to seek support under stress (“tend and befriend”)

Question 34

what is positive psychology?

Answer 34

approach that emphasizes normal behavior and human strengths