chap 3 key terms Flashcards
acute stress
o Acute stress- a state of brief but intense physiological arousal in response to an immediate perceived psychological stressor that normally has no long-term negative effects on health and wellbeing.
adrenaline
o Adrenaline- a neurohormone that’s released by the adrenal glands during the stress response, acting on the heart, lungs and muscles to optimise the body’s fight-flight-freeze response to the stressor by increasing heart rate, oxygenation of blood and blood sugar levels, and relaxing smooth muscles to open airways; also referred to as epinephrine.
alarm-reaction stage
o Alarm-reaction stage- the first stage of Selye’s general adaptation syndrome response to stress, during which an initial physiological shock response changes to countershock, releasing cortisol and adrenaline to adapt to the stressor.
approach strategy
o Approach strategy- any response to coping that involves direct engagement with the stressor; consisting of behavioural or psychological responses designed to change the nature of the stressor and/or how one thinks about it.
avoidance strategy
o Avoidance strategy- any response to coping in which the person doesn’t address the problem directly; diverting attention away from a threat or disengaging from a problem to escape painful or threatening thoughts, feelings, memories, or sensations associated with the stressor.
chronic stress
o Chronic stress- a state of prolonged physiological arousal in response to a persistent stressor that negatively affects health and wellbeing.
context-specific effectiveness
o Context-specific effectiveness- in relation to coping strategies, the effectiveness of a strategy is influenced by the degree to which is provides a good match to the situation.
coping
o Coping- the process of adapting ones thinking and/or behaviour to manage the demands of a stressful or unpleasant situation.
coping flexibility
o Coping flexibility- the ability to stop an ineffective coping strategy and implement an alternative effective coping strategy.
coping skills
o Coping skills- learned behaviours or techniques that help us solve problems or meet the demands of a stressor.
coping strategy
o Coping strategy- a deliberate action or thought process used to manage a stressful or unpleasant situation and/or to regulate ones response to such a situation.
cortisol
o Cortisol- the primary stress hormone secreted into the bloodstream; it enables adaptive changes to energise the body in response to a stressor; however, prolonged abnormal levels in the bloodstream can cause health problems.
countershock
o Countershock- the stage of the alarm-reaction in Selye’s GAS model during which the sympathetic NS is aroused and adrenaline increases, triggering a defensive fight, flight or freeze response.
distress
o Distress- a negative psychological response to a stressor that results from being overwhelmed by the perceived demands of a situation, loss or threat.
eustress
o Eustress- a positive psychological response to a stressor that has been appraised as a challenge rather than a threat; characterised by positive psychological and physiological responses that allow the person to meet the challenge effectively.
exhaustion stage
o Exhaustion stage- the last stage of Selye’s GAS model during which the adaptations made to resist the stressor break down, depleting the body of resources, causing symptoms such as increased risk of illness, sleep disturbance, fatigue and trembling.
external stressor
o External stressor- a stressor that comes from external factors, which are forces that you cant easily control; examples include major life events, discovering your pay has been cut, urgent deadlines or an upcoming exam.
Flight-or-fight-or-freeze response (FFF)-
o Flight-or-fight-or-freeze response (FFF)- the body’s automatic reaction to danger in which the autonomic NS mobilises energy and prepares the body for one of three responses. A) confront stressor (fight), b) escape stressor (flight), c) immobilise the evade detection and prepare (freeze)
freeze response
o Freeze response- an automatic reaction to threat, controlled by the parasympathetic NS, that immobilises the body; adaptive to avoid detection from a predator and allowing time to respond; maladaptive when the response is so overwhelming that it prevents further adaptive action.
General adaptation syndrome (GAS)
o General adaptation syndrome (GAS)- the physiological model of the stress response proposed by Hans Selye which describes three stages of alarm reaction (shock/countershock), resistance (or adaptation) and exhaustion.
gut-brain axis
o Gut-brain axis (GBA)- The network of bidirectional communication pathways that allows communication between bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, includes communication via chemical transmission through the bloodstream, neuronal and hormonal pathways, and via the immune system; causes disorders within the gut to affect the brain and vice versa.
gut microbiota
o Gut microbiota- the system of microorganisms, including bacteria, that live in the gastrointestinal tract, playing important roles in digestion and metabolism; also affecting brain health and functioning through extensive connections between the enteric NS and the central NS.
internal stressor
o Internal stressor- a stressor that is internal, such as stress-inducing thoughts from ones psychological mindset or expectations or behaviours; examples include putting pressure on yourself to be perfect or fear of public speaking.
noadrenaline
o Noradrenaline- a neurohormone that’s produced in the brainstem and adrenal glands; as a hormone it works together with epinephrine to support the stress response, constricting arteries to increase blood pressure, heart rate and blood sugar levels; as a neurotransmitter it is released in response to emotional arousal and enhances the learning and memory for emotionally arousing events, also referred to as norepinephrine.
