Stress and Illness

Question 1

Stress

Answer 1

psychological and physiological reaction that occurs when perceived demands exceed existing resources to see those demands

Uses many cognitive resources, therefore if task is complex, stress will harm performance

Question 2

Stressor

Answer 2

Thing that causes the stress

Question 3

Stress Response

Answer 3

Reaction to stressor

Question 4

Acute Stress

Answer 4

short events (giving a speech, car accident)

Question 5

Chronic Stress

Answer 5

long term events (i.e. marital problems, illness)

Question 6

Appraisal

Answer 6

cognitive act of assessing and evaluating potential threat and demands of an event

Question 7

Primary Appraisal

Answer 7

is this a threat?

Question 8

Secondary Appraisal

Answer 8

determining how to cope with stress (can i deal with it?)

-if yes, stress is minimized, if no stress increases/continues

Question 9

Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS)

Answer 9

• increased stress can lead to health problems

- death of spouse or divorce most stressful

Question 10

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS):

Answer 10

-theory of stress responses involving stages of alarm, resistance, and exhaustion

Question 11

Alarm

Answer 11

recognition of threat and physiological reactions that accompany it (i.e. increased heart rate)

Question 12

Resistance

Answer 12

using physical and mental resources to respond to stressor in appropriate way (i.e. studying for quiz)

Question 13

Exhaustion

Answer 13

stressful experience depletes physical resources and physiological stress response declines

Question 14

Stress Pathways

Answer 14

Hypothalamic- Pituitary- Adrenal (HPA) Axis

Tend and Befriend Response

Question 15

Hypothalamic- Pituitary- Adrenal (HPA) Axis

Answer 15

Hypothalamus (corticotrophin releasing factor)-> Pituitary (adrenocorticotrophic hormone)-> Adrenal Cortex (cortisol)

Question 16

Glucocorticoids

Answer 16

chemicals that are a part of HPA axis ad is affected by social stressors

high level of stress-> glucocorticoid increases-> receptors in brain inactive to try to bring down stress level

Question 17

Tend and Befriend Response

Answer 17

women tend to seek out friendship networks for support rather than running away or fighting

Question 18

Oxytocin

Answer 18

stress sensitive hormone typically associated with maternal bonding and social relationships

-lowers stress, associated with bonding, trust

Question 19

Psychoneuroimmunology

Answer 19

study of relationship between immune system and nervous system functioning

• Stress can cause decrease in immune response, easier to get sick if stressed
• Acute stress tens to activate immune system, chronic stress suppresses it

Question 20

Food and Stress

Answer 20

• High levels of stress linked to developing coronary heart disease
• People are drawn towards sweet and fatty foods when stressed
• Food influences dopamine reward system
• Chronic stress suppresses reward system, eating sweets increases activity to bring it back to normal
• Eating sweets and fatty foods provides body with more energy to deal with stressor

Question 21

Stress and Aids, Cancer

Answer 21

Stress causes those with HIV to be less responsive to vaccines, elevated levels of norepinephrine worsen illness

-Stress can cause cancer to progress (norepinephrine and cortisol support cancer cell growth, and are released when stress occurs)

Question 22

Stress, Personality, and Illness

Answer 22

• Easily distressed children tend to be more prone to illness during adulthood
• Children better able to focus their attention on tasks tend to be healthier in adulthood
• infants securely attached to mothers show reduced activity in sympathetic nervous system when mothers are absent

Question 23

Type A Personality

Answer 23

people who tend to be impatient and worry about time, easily angered, competitive, highly motivated

		 - tend to drink, smoke more and sleep less than Type B personality
		 - usually more stressed

Question 24

Type B Personality

Answer 24

people who tend to be more laid back, patient, easy going, relaxed