Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Psychology > 8. Stress and coping > Flashcards

8. Stress and coping Flashcards

(80 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

What are the 3 approaches to health and illness?

A

Biomedical model
Biopsychsocial model
Health psychology

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is the biological model for health and illness?

A

Takes into account illness and biological factors

Biomedical model is predominant view in medicine. Does not consider psychological factors.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is the biopsychosocial model for health and illness?

A

Includes biological, psychological, social factors
Biopsychic considers all 3 factors in the maintenance and development of health and wellness. All 3 factors can work favouring or against health and wellness

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is the health psychology model for health and illness?

A

This idea of health psychology is particularly important because many prevalent diseases like cancer and heart disease are related to unhealthy lifestyles and stress.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Who is Hans Selye and what did he do?

A

Hans Selye most known for studying stress and health (from McGill!)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is stress?

A

Physiological and psychological response to condition that threatens or challenges person
Requires adaptation or adjustment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is a stressor?

A

Any event capable of producing physical or emotional stress

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What did Walter Cannon do?

A

Walter Cannon first described the fight or flight response –> sympathetic nervous system and endocrine glands prepare body to flight threat or flee from it (response to stress). It is adaptive and responds quickly to threats, but can become harmful for the organism if experiencing prolonged stress.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is the general adaptation syndrome (GAS) and who explored it?

A

Hans Selye

Predictable sequence of reactions organisms show in response to stressors.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

How did Hans Selye experiment GAS?

A

Hans Selye did experiments on rats, injecting them with hormone-rich cow ovary extracts. Had major adverse effects on the rats: adrenal glands swelled, immune system weakened, developed bleeding ulcers in stomach and intestine. He then tried doing all kinds of different things, each with the same result. The response of the body to all types of stress was so predictable he called it the GAS.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What are the 3 stages of GAS?

A
  1. Alarm
  2. Resistance
  3. Exhaustion
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Explain the alarm stage of GAS.

A

Sympathetic NS releases hormones, fight or flight

It is when some sort of arousal occurs and the body prepares its defenses.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Explain the resistance phase of GAS.

A

Physiological efforts to resist or adapt to stressor
If the stressors can’t be dealt with quickly, body enters the resistance stage where intense physiological efforts are made to either adapt to or resist the stress. The adrenal glands pour out powerful hormones to resist the stressor.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Explain the exhaustion phase of GAS.

A

If organism fails in efforts to resist stressor.
If resistance fails, the body enters the exhaustion stage, where if the stressors continue, the body uses its deep energy stores and the body becomes vulnerable to depletion, illness, disease, and even death.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What characteristics affect the length of the resistance phase?

A

How long the resistance stage lasts depends on the intensity of the stressor and the body’s power to adapt.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Any event requiring readjustment, positive or negative, will produce _____

A

Stress

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is eustress? Give examples

A

Positive or good stress

E.g. exhilaration, thrill, excitement

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What is distress? Give examples

A

Damaging or unpleasant stress

Frustration, inadequacy, loss, disappointment, insecurity, helplessness, desperation.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Explain the “resistance to stress” curve for the general adaptation syndrome

A

At first, when there is emotional arousal, the body’s resistance to stress decreases but increases fast during the alarm stage, stays high during the resistance stage and decreases under normal during the exhaustion stage.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What is Lazarus’s cognitive theory?

A

Includes primary appraisal and secondary appraisal of a stressor.
First you undergo primary appraisal of the stressor, then secondary appraisal.
Appraisal of harm can be anything important to us at the primary level – a friendship, part of body, work, finances, etc. The important thing is that the same event can be appraised differently by different people. Ex: doing presentation in class (can see as challenge or see as source of embarrassment). If it involves harm, loss, or threat, we feel negative emotions like fear, anxiety, anger, and sadness.
When something assessed and stressful, we evaluate our resources that we have to deal with it (physical, social, material coping resources). Level of stress we feel depends on whether our resources are adequate to deal with the stress.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What is a problem with Selye’s GAS theory that is touched by Lazarus’s theory?

A

One thing about Seyle’s GAS theory is that it does not include a psychological component. One powerful component is how a person perceives and evaluates a stressor. Lazarus’ Cognitive theory included this.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Explain primary appraisal.

A

Person evaluates potentially stressful event and how it affects well-being. It can be evaluated as either positive, neutral or negative.
Negative appraisal can involve:
- Harm or loss (damage has already happened)
- Threat (the potential for harm or loss)
- Challenge (the opportunity to grow or gain)

Is perception irrelevant or involving harm, loss, threat, challenge.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Explain secondary appraisal.

A

If the situation is judged to be within the person’s control:

  1. Person evaluates coping resources (physical, social, psychological, material) to determine if they are adequate to deal with stressor
  2. Person considers options in dealing with stressor.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Name 3 types of stress response and give examples.

A

Physiological: Autonomic arousal, fluctuations in hormones
Emotional: Anxiety, fear, grief, resentment, excitement
Behavioural: Coping behaviours (including problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
What is proactive coping and what is it used for?
You can prepare yourself to deal with stressors ahead of time. Proactive coping efforts can be put forward in advance to avoid or minimize the effects of potentially stressful situations.
26
Which categories of people experience stress disproportionately?
Poor Minorities Elderly
27
Name 3 conflicting motives that can be sources of stress in everyday life.
1. Approach-approach conflict 2. Avoidance-avoidance conflict 3. Approach-avoidance conflict
28
Explain the approach-approach conflict. Give examples.
Conflict from choosing between desirable alternatives | e.g. What movie to see, building a career or raising a child
29
Explain the avoidance-avoidance conflict. Give examples.
Choosing between equally undesirable alternatives | Avoid studying an exam, but also want to avoid failing the exam
30
Explain the approach-avoidance conflict. Give examples.
Choice has both desirable and undesirable features. | Want to go on vacation, but have to empty bank account
31
Name 2 sources of everyday stress
Unpredictability and lack of control Nursing home residents had improved health, well-being, lower death rate if given some control and life choices (Langer and Rodin study) This general belief in control of factors in one’s own life can go a long way. Another study had loud buzzer playing, subjects told they could control it. Those with greater belief in own ability had a lower stress response (cortisol levels) than those who did not. Historical racism More stress simply being a minority in a setting, across settings (classroom, work, social). Higher incidence of blood pressure and chronic medical conditions in African American population attributed to stress experienced from historical racism.
32
What are the 3 stages of stress in catastrophes?
1. First stage = disoriented, often unaware of own injuries 2. Second stage = victims show concern for others, follow directions of rescue workers 3. Third stage = shock replaced by generalized anxiety Catastrophes not only stressful for those who experience them but also those who witness them, although reactions are more significant for those who are affected directly by them. Often recurring nightmares and thoughts of the catastrophe are common. They feel the compulsive need to retell the experience, perhaps to help desensitize them to the experience. Most eventually manage to do ok, but sometimes it can develop into PTDS
33
What is PTSD?
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) • Prolonged, severe stress reaction to catastrophic or traumatic event OR chronic stress (combat, imprisonment). • Anxiety, psychic numbing, withdrawal from others. • Psychologically re-experiencing traumatic event.
34
Who are the most severe cases of PTSD? | Do catastrophes need to happen outside home environment to develop PTSD?
These do not need to be catastrophes experienced outside the home environment. Domestic violence, abuse, living in a violent environment can all potentially cause PTSD. Most severe cases of PTSD from those who have witnessed brutal atrocities: sexual violence, child abuse, soldiers in combat
35
Name symptoms of PTSD.
Flashbacks, nightmares, intrusive memories as if re-experiencing the traumatic event.
36
What is delayed PTSD?
Appears up to six months or more after traumatic experience (can be immediate)
37
Who commonly have the survivor's guilt and what is it?
survivors of war, catastrophic events experience. | They have survivors guilt because they lived with those who died and feel like they could have done more to save them.
38
Name other mental health problems common in those who have the survivor's guilt.
Experience other mental health problems like depression, and have cognitive difficulties like poor concentration.
39
When we have a stressful situation, we have to either try to _____ them, or ______ them so we can tackle them or make them seem favorable.
Alter | Reinterpret
40
What is coping?
our efforts to deal with taxing or overwhelming demands
41
What is problem-focused coping?
Reducing, modifying, eliminating source(s) of stress Problem-focused coping is a direct attempt to change the stress Failing history? Study harder, talk with prof, make study group = problem-focused coping.
42
What is emotion-focused coping?
changing emotional responses Some try to relax, meditate, others may over eat, use drugs, alcohol, promiscuous sex etc can lead to major problems. (some more adaptive than others).
43
Which type of coping do you use if we face stress that we can’t do anything about?
Use emotion-focused coping
44
Name an example of a combination of emotion-focused and problem-focused coping
If you reappraise the stress from tragedy to challenge you change your approach to it (lose job = opportunity to find a new one you like with better pay rather than a tragedy).
45
What is the best coping method to tackle stress?
Combination of problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping best to tackle stress.
46
Who developed SRRS and what is it?
Holmes and Rahes developed SRRS Ranks life events from most to least stressful Connection between degree of life stress and major health problems Limitations of SRRS: doesn’t consider if it is a change for better or worse Event assigned point value, higher points mean greater life change that requires the most adaptation, whether they are positive or negative. Ex: get ticket = 11 points, but death of spouse = 100, divorce = 73, etc. Holmes and Rahe reviewed a lot of medical files (5000) and found that major life changes often preceded illness.
47
What does lazarus believe add more stress: | Hassles or major life events?
Lazarus believes hassles add more stress than major life events.
48
What are hassles?
irritating, frustrating, distressing demands, troubled relationships day in and day out. E.g. Standing in line, being stuck in traffic, waiting for someone, etc. But also not having enough money, feel like they’re being treated differently because of their race, cultural stereotypes, or gender; feeling lonely, having no friends, difficulty making friends.
49
What are uplifts?
Positive experiences which may neutralize hassles. | Uplifts, like stress, are different for everyone. One person’s uplifting experience may be another’s most stressful
50
What is the first leading cause of death? Second?
1. Heart disease | 2. Cancer
51
Name risk factors for cancer
Unhealthy diet, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, promiscuous sexual behaviour, sexually active early teens (especially females)
52
What are the 2 elements in coping with cancer?
Coping = medical treatment + maintaining QOL
53
What is the link between stress and cancer?
Many cancer patients say they faced more high stress situations in their life than others. Those who maintain a more optimistic outlook, accepted reality, and maintained sense of humour experience less distress later (study with breast cancer patients 3-6 month after surgery). Thus, helping patients build adaptive coping strategies important, given information and opportunity to discuss fears, lower arousal to things they’re experiencing.
54
What are AIDs? What virus causes AIDs?
``` AIDS = acquired immune deficiency syndrome HIV = human immunodeficiency virus, causes AIDS ```
55
What does the HIV virus cause to the body?
HIV attacks immune system until it becomes non-functional Virus attacks helper cells and relentlessly weakens the immune system. HIV enters bloodstream with no symptoms for a awhile, can only be detected when looking for antibodies against it. It basically renders immune system non-functional, and all little things that you’d be able to deal with cause extensive damage (viruses, stress, etc). Often develop pneumonia and certain types of cancers. No cure or vaccine
56
How are AIDs transmitted?
* HIV transmitted via blood, semen, vaginal secretions. * During unprotected sexual contact. * IV (intravenous) drug users with contaminated needles, syringes. * Infected mothers can infect fetus prenatally, during childbirth, or breastfeeding.
57
How are AIDs treated? (medically and psychologically)?
- HAART = highly active antiretroviral therapy; combination of at least three medications. - Education and information. - Psychotherapy, self-help groups. - Antidepressants, anti-anxiety drugs. - Self-help groups, group therapy. People with AIDs are not only sentenced to an early death, but also have to deal with the social stigma around it. Groups can provide a voice to these people whereas otherwise they’d be too afraid to speak about their experience.
58
What is psychoneuroimmunology?
how psychological factors (emotions, thinking, behaviour) affect immune system
59
How does stress affect the immune system?
* Stress can decrease levels of immune system’s B and T cells. Increased instances of infectious disease. * Stress and anxiety can worsen autoimmune diseases. Bigger changes in life can experience more problems. Studies show that emotions, psychological factors, and stress can affect immune system functioning. Social factors, like having close social ties with friends and family, can have positive effects on the immune system. This effect is true for all ages, genders, racial groups, education levels, and throughout the year! Poor relations, sleep deprivation, exams, academic pressure, can hinder immune system. Depression can also lower immune response. Ex: Spousal death suffers weakened immune system and at risk of higher mortality for up to 2 years (dying of a broken heart).
60
What is the link between positive attitude and physical health?
Strong link between positive attitude and physical health. More optimistic = can cope more effectively with stressful events, reducing risk of illness. Expect good outcomes and thus are more resistant than pessimists, who expecting the worst! Optimist excrete less stress hormones than pessimists. This is even to the extent of reducing symptomology of certain autoimmune diseases (MS flare ups)!
61
What do positive psychologists believe?
Positive psychologists believe that psychology should focus more on using research and practice to improve people’s lives rather than reducing and treating psychological disorders. So, take a more positive outlook on life! Think of the health benefits!
62
What is psychological hardiness and who studies it?
Psychological Hardiness: commitment, challenge, control Kobasa study on hardiness – linked types of personality with less experiences of illness despite similar amount and types of stressors. Those who are hardy feel a strong sense of commitment to their work and personal life, see themselves as having control over consequences and outcomes, and they welcome challenges. Being so can help reduce academic stress!
63
How does social support affect stress?
Feeling loved, valued does a lot. Social support has positive effect not only on mood but also on immune system and cardiovascular health. Can reduce depression and enhance self-esteem.
64
How does smoking increase the risk of death?
Lung cancer and coronary heart disease. (second hand smoke as well)
65
What substance in smoking leads to addiction? Which types of addiction?
Nicotine = powerful substance leading to addiction. | Physical and psychological addiction.
66
Why does nicotine lead to addiction?
Nicotine can improve mental sharpness, alertness, memory, and reduce tension and anxiety.
67
How many attempts does one make to quit smoking on average?
Average smoker makes 5-6 attempts to quit before succeeding
68
What is the success rate of nicotine patches to quit smoking?
20%
69
Does high social support improve quitting smoking?
YES
70
Does alcohol abuse have a genetic factor?
Yes (twin studies)
71
Is alcohol abuse/dependence more common in men or women?
Men
72
What organ is most touched by alcohol?
Cirrhosis of liver | Brain damage long term alcoholics
73
Why is alcohol not allowed during pregnancy?
Alcohol during pregnancy affects developing fetus.
74
What factors are involved in alcoholism?
Genetic and environment factors
75
What is the exercise recommendation to achieve health benefits?
Aerobic exercise minimum 2.5 hours per week to achieve health benefits.
76
What type of exercise decrease the risk of sarcopenia and osteoporosis?
Strength training increases muscle and bone strength in older people
77
What type of exercise helps reduce stress and lowers death rate?
Daily brisk walk 30 minutes or more helps reduce stress, lowers death rate. Engage in moderate activity every day to reduce stress, anxiety, illness risk, weight!
78
What proportion of canadians are physically inactive?
> 50%
79
What weight loss has big health benefits?
5kg
80
How much fiber per day improves digestive health?
20-30g

Psychology (7 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions