3.7 - Stress (set C - Personalty Types A, B And C + Hardiness And Drug Therapy)

Question 1

What is personality?

Answer 1

A set of characteristic behaviours , attitudes and general temperament that remain relatively stable and distinguish one individual from another

• fundamental thing that makes us who we are and different from others

Question 2

Outline the characteristics of type A personality?

Answer 2

• impatient
• competitive
• hostile and aggressive
• time urgent

very time pressured (have to do it themselves, wont let others do it for them) and rushing - linked to stress, as they continue experience fight or flight response - increase in stress hormones (adrenaline) which can lead to CHD

Question 3

Outline the characteristics of type B personality?

Answer 3

• relaxed
• one thing at a time
• patient
• express feelings

more laid back and patient so are less vulnerable to stress-related illnesses

Question 4

Outline the characteristics of type C personality?

Answer 4

• people pleaser (try and accommodate everybody)
• suppression of negative emotions (do not show outward signs of anger)
• emotionally dysfunctional
• external locus of control (seek others for behaviour)

incur a risk of cancer due to some stressors activation the ANS and chronic stress impacting on the immune system

Question 5

Outline the study conducted by Friedman and Rosenman on personality types?

Answer 5

Wanted to test hypothesis that type A individuals (noticed the impatience, hostility and competitiveness) were more likely to develop CHD than type Bs

• obtained a self-selected sample of 3200 men - longitudinal study which involved a structured interview (constantly interrupted participants and observed their behaviour in response) and a questionnaire
• assigned to either type A, B or X (equal amounts of A and B) - would then see the participants again 8 1/2 years later

Question 6

Outline the findings of the study conducted by Friedman and Rosenman on personality types?

Answer 6

257 participants had developed CHD - 70% of them were classified as type A

Other factors known to be associated with heart disease (smoking, obesity and blood pressure) were taken into account

• compared to type B - type As were found to have higher levels of adrenaline and noradrenaline and cholesterol

significant but moderate positive correlation found between personality type and CHD

Question 7

Outline research which distress with type A and its relation to CHD?

Answer 7

Ragland and brand - carried out follow up study

• study confirmed importance of CHD risk factors (age, smoking and high BP) found little evidence of a relationship between Type A behaviours and morality challenges Friedman and rosenman research

Question 8

Outline research for personality type C - involving Vietnam veterans?

Answer 8

Studied 200 people from Vietnam war - 75 had cancer diagnosis

• completed self-report questionnaire - veterans diagnosed with cancer scored much higher on the repression of emotions but lower on depression scale compared to non-cancer group
• support idea that repressing emotions may increase vulnerability to illness (depression would not become evident as they have repressed acknowledging they feel depressed

Question 9

Explain the 3 characteristics of hardy people suggested by Kobasa?

Answer 9

• commitment - hardy people throw themselves into life, believing they will get something valuable
• challenge - they are resilient and welcome change as opportunity rather than threat
• control - active rather than passive - believe they are in charge of what happens to them (internal locus of control)

people who thrive is stressful situations have hardiness

Question 10

Outline and explain research by Kobasa?

Answer 10

• asked by workforce to identify people in workforce who are able to cope with stressful situations (Kobasa said hardy people are less likely to suffer from stress - can cope more effectively)
• 800 middle and upper level executives from large company - asked them about life events of last 3 years (gave them SRRS) and any illnesses in that period

Question 11

Outline and explain findings and conclusion from Kobasa research?

Answer 11

• findings - 150 have high SRRS score - identifies 2 groups - first group had high stress and low illness (86) - second group had high stress and high illness (75)
• Kobasa found those that were highly stressed but experienced low illness scored high on all 3 hardiness characteristics - suggests that to have a hardy personality it modified the effects of stress and illness

Question 12

Outline application for hardiness?

Answer 12

• US navy seals screen for hardiness to ensure recruits are capable of dealing with the struggles of war
• mental fitness now being assessed alongside physical
• can be applied to students to increase hardiness and how students deal with stress for exams

Question 13

Explain what happens focusing on chemicals and internal activity when we experience stress?

Answer 13

Increase in neurotransmitter GABA

Increased activity within lambic system (which regulates ANS)

Increased activity in sympathetic nervous system

can not prevent these things happening when we experience a stressful situation - we can calm them down

Question 14

Outline and explain how BZs work focus on their function with GABA?

Answer 14

1) BZs enhance the action of GABA
2) GABA is a neurotransmitter that natural helps calm the CNS
3) BZs bind to GABA receptors
4) receptors are blocked - making it difficult to be stimulated by other neurotransmitters (eg serotonin)
5) causes an overall calming effect on the CNS

Question 15

Explain how BZs are used to treat stress - how do they work?

Answer 15

Most common drug used to treat stress and anxiety - slows down the CNS activity

1) GABA is neurotransmitter responsible for anxiety relief with 40% of neurones in brain responding to GABA

2) BZs enhance GABA by binding to its receptors and slowing activity of postsynaptic neurone boosting action of GABA and reducing serotonin activity in the brain (neurotransmitter which causes arousal - leading to less stress) this slows the CNS

Question 16

Explain what the drug therapy beta-blockers (BB) do?

Answer 16

Reduces activity of adrenaline and noradrenaline (both involved in fight or flight response)

• initially developed for heart problems - application for stress and anxiety discovered
• effective in variety of stressful situations eg among musicians and in sports which are accuracy intensive (investigated 2000 musicians in orchestra and found that 27% reported taking BBs - those musicians who took BBs felt better about their performance)

Question 17

Explain how beta-blockers work?

Answer 17

Bind to receptors on the cells of the heart and other parts of body stimulated during arousal - lowers adrenaline/noradrenaline action to reduce physical symptoms of anxiety

lower heart rate and less stress on heart - which causes fall in BP and decrease in anxiety

Question 18

What is biofeedback?

Answer 18

Heart rate and BP are not under our voluntary control, controlled by ANS - biofeedback is a method were an individual learns to exert voluntary control over involuntary behaviours by being made away of what is happening in the ANS

Question 19

Explain millers belief on biofeedback?

Answer 19

• showed that such autonomic processes (muscle tension and heart rate) were controllable - led to creation of biofeedback
• works on principles of operant conditioning (of involuntary responses) and psychology (relaxation techniques)
• considered a biological management method - involves playing attention to heart beat and BP

Question 20

Explain how biofeedback treatment works?

Answer 20

• involves individual being connected to a machine via electrodes that provides feedback (visual or auditory) on ANS arousal signs of stress (heart rate or muscular tension)
• heart rate measured - feedback will indicate if its too high or OK
• series of things that you’ll do (relaxation techniques) to help reduce the responses of the SNS and activate the parasympathetic nervous system

Question 21

Explain relaxation techniques used in biofeedback?

Answer 21

• relaxation techniques reduce the activity of SNS and activate the parasympathetic nervous system - slows heart rate and makes them feel relaxed (adrenaline and noradrenaline no longer produced)
• could be breathing techniques or muscle relaxation
• relaxation acts like a reward with feedback from monitor helping to positively reinforces the behaviour (will require practise to relax without feedback from monitor)

Question 22

Outline research into biofeedback - looking at its effect on group of patients + which does not support technique?

Answer 22

Doctors taught techniques for biofeedback and used for around a month - reported reduced levels of stress (measured through questionnaire) compared to control group who didn’t get feedback

• also measured physiological symptoms (heart rate, BP) in same patients and found no significant changes - suggests it may act as a placebo effect

Question 23

Outline research into biofeedback - focus on investigation in treating tension headaches?

Answer 23

Researcher assigned 18 participants who were experiencing tension headaches into 3 groups of 6 (group A, B and C)

Group A - had biofeedback sessions
Group B - were taught relaxation techniques
Group C - control - received no intevention

group a reported significant reduction in headaches - shows biofeedback can be effective

Question 24

What are the advantages of biofeedback as a treatment for stress?

Answer 24

• can be used on children - drugs can not (due to risks and ethical problems)
• once trained if stress returns they will be capable of dealing]
• no side effects + wont get addicted
• research support suggests they work - study looking at treatment for tension headaches found group which were taught biofeedback reported significant decrease

Question 25

What are the disadvantages of biofeedback as a treatment for stress?

Answer 25

- expensive - not likely to be covered by NHS - will require equipment and training (compared to drugs which are much cheaper) no accessible for everyone - research support from doctor study - no significant physiological changes only reported feeling better - acts like a placebo - need to be committed - will require numerous sessions

Question 26

What is stress inoculation therapy?

Answer 26

- type of CBT - based on idea that changing the thinking will change the behaviour - CBT therapists believe its not the situation that makes you stressed but how you think about it

Question 27

What did Meichenbaum believe about stress?

Answer 27

Believe that although we cannot usually change the causes of stress, we can change the way we think about these stressors - the way we perceive situations/stimuli impacts on our response - they can all be changed - leads to more positive attitudes and feelings - reduces stress response

Question 28

Outline the the first stage of stress inoculation training - **conceptualisation**?

Answer 28

conceptualisation - client and therapist identify the source of stress (could include keeping a diary of when and where stressful experiences occurred) - may not be obvious what triggers stress - therapist will encourage keeping a diary

Question 29

Outline the second stage of stress inoculation training - **skills acquisition**?

Answer 29

skills acquisition - client will learn specific skills and practises them with therapist (taught and tailored to individual client) - skills which might be taught are positive thinking and talking about thinks that make you stressed

Question 30

Outline the third stage of stress inoculation training - **application phase**?

Answer 30

Client will try and use these skills in the real world - will apply skills to different and increasingly stressful situations - client and therapist will consider how well these new skills worked - will continue to monitor success of therapy

Question 31

Give research support for stress inoculation training?

Answer 31

- SIT found to be effective - examined effects of SIT on anxiety, stress and academic performance of first year law students - participants received 4 weekly sessions of SIT (lasting 90 mins) - all participants displayed lower levels of anxiety and stress over time (many did better academically)

Question 32

Outline the positives for stress inoculation training?

Answer 32

- once trained you have the skills for life - psychological method - treats the cause of stress and does not cause side effects - tailored specifically for you

Question 33

Outline the negatives for stress inoculation training?

Answer 33

- have to be committed - will require frequent sessions - costly - requires training which is expensive (wont be accessible to everyone) - impacts for economy would be that it will contribute to economy through taxes - not likely to be available for children - impacts on generalisability - research may only be successful because of the person who delivers it - a comfortable environment is required for it to work

Question 34

Explain why drug therapies are an effective form of stress management?

Answer 34

- BZs are effective because teeny act quickly to calm down the nervous system within hours - more effective than antidepressants - drugs are easy to use - require little effort compared to psychological methods like therapies

Question 35

Explain why drug therapies are an not an effective form of stress management?

Answer 35

- short recommended time frame for BZs before they can become really addictive - use of BBs has been linked to diabetes - effect of drug only lasts as long as you take it - and only treats symptoms rather than the root cause

Question 36

Give evidence that supports that drug therapies are effective?

Answer 36

- study by khan used 200 participants over 3 weeks and found BZs superior to a placebo - **suggests they are effective** - meta analysis of students with social anxiety found BZs are more effective than other drugs - eg antidepressants - beta blockers used in real-life situations where accuracy is more important than stamina (eg golf)

Question 37

Give evidence that supports that drug therapy is a particularly ineffective form of stress management?

Answer 37

- BZs are addictive - even in low zones (taking them for too long can lead to withdrawals - not recommended to take longer than 4 weeks) - side effects include aggressiveness and cognitive impairment - BBs linked to diabetes - only treats symptoms not cause of problem - effects of drug only lasts as long as they are taken

Question 38

Outline and explain gender differences in coping with stress - suggested by Taylor 2000?

Answer 38

- males tend to respond to stress through aggression or denial (fight or flight) - women more likely to respond in a protecting, nurturing, calming way to a stressor (tend and befriend) **other research suggests stereotypes mean men are less likely to open up about feelings resorting to smoking and drinking instead - men also feel anger is an acceptable response**

Question 39

Explain the role of the hormone oxytocin?

Answer 39

Released during tend and befriend - described as love and friendship hormone (produced in both sexes) promotes feelings of goodwill and affiliation towards others - encouraging bonding behaviour - effects increased by oestrogen and decreased by testosterone

Question 40

explain why woman may be more likely to seek closeness and resort to ‘tend and befriend’ compared to men?

Answer 40

Hormone Oxytocin encourages bonding behaviour but its effected are dampened by testosterone - does not last long in men decreasing likelihood for them to tend and befriend instead becoming aggressive - oestrogen increases the effects allowing woman to be better protected and seek closeness

Question 41

Outline the 2 types of coping responses - emotion and problem focused?

Answer 41

Emotion focused - coping involves trying to to reduce negative emotional responses associated with stress (eg fear/embarrassment/anxiety) Problem focused - coping targets the cause of stress in practical ways which tackles the problem or stressful situation that is causing stress - directly reduces stress

Question 42

Outline research into gender differences surrounding coping with stress - which gender uses which approach and give study support?

Answer 42

men are more likely to use problem focused and females emotion focused (because woman are taught to express their emotions more) - other study looked at coping strategies with men and women diagnosed with infertility - found both used variety of strategies but men were more likely to plan and problem solve (problem focused) women more likely to use avoidance tactics (emotion focused)

Question 43

Evaluate research into gender differences in coping with stress - give 3 points and explain?

Answer 43

- may be due to different types of stressors - problems at work are better tackled by problem-focused where as problems with family members is better dealt with by emotion-focused techniques - gender differences are a response to different types of stressors rather than a fundamental difference in way men and women cope with stress - gender socialisation has led to women engaging in fewer unhealthy behaviours - where as men are more likely to drink and smoke in excess - men socialise though involvement in aggressive or competing sports or going to the pub (increase stress levels)

Question 44

What is social support?

Answer 44

Refers to help given by friends and family members to assist person coping with a stressful situation - Schaffer identified 3 types which can be provided - instrumental, emotional and esteem support

Question 45

Explain instrumental support for stress?

Answer 45

- practical support in coping - eg lending money/giving lift to hospital - tangible aid and service - supporter understands and offers opportunity for emotional release **males use this method more than emotional**

Question 46

Explain emotional support for stress?

Answer 46

- providing comfort and expressing empathy through statements - eg “I’m really sorry what your going though” ext - supporter informs person giving advice and guidance - support suggests it helps reduce the effects of stress and illness (cancer study found group provided with emotional support were more likely to recover and be cancer free than control group) **females use this method more than instrumental**

Question 47

Explain esteem support for stress?

Answer 47

- trying to raise persons self-confidence - so they believe they can cope with demands of stressor - supporter helps build persons confidence and bolster self esteem

Question 48

Outline research support for social support and its role of protecting from effects of stress?

Answer 48

Participants contacted and asked how many hugs they received each day + completed questionnaire to assess perceived social support - stress measured by assessing participants daily personal conflicts - participants exposed to common cold - found those who experienced more interpersonal conflict were more likely to get ill (rarely receive hugs ext) - those who reported more social support had reduced risk of illness