Chapter 14: Health Psychology (5C) Flashcards
What do personality traits do?
They improve immune system functioning and resilience in dealing with stress
- people exhibiting type C behaviour pattern appear to be more at risk for cancer
What does Social support do?
It helps to shield us from the negative effects of stress
What are healthy communities?
Healthy communities share activities and real close-knit and often have lower illness rates that other communities
What is eustress?
Optimal stress even that promotes psychical and psychological health
What is inoculation?
Dealing with small levels of stress to improve functioning in increasingly stressful situations
What is PTSD?
Anxiety disorder in response to a traumatic event
What are some symtoms of PTSD?
- Memories, dreams, or nightmares about event
- Avoid activities, thoughts, feelings, or conversations that are reminders of th event
- Guilt, fear, helplessness
- Sleep problems
- my feel detached from others
What events cause PTSD?
Most commonly combat, natural disasters, abuse, and victimization
Who develops PTSD
It can occur t any age even in childhood
Women appear more likely than men
What are some biological factors that explain who develops ptsd?
They can increase biochemical reactions that continue far beyond flight-or fight
- Increased cortisol and norepinephrine in those experiencing traumatic events
- exaggerated sympathetic nervous system system responses and blunted HPA axis responses to stress
- May have have a smaller hippocampus or biochemical arousal may eventually shrink the hippocampus
What are personality factors?
Traits associated with decreased likelihood of developing PTSD
- optimism, constructive coping, more resilient
What is childhood experience?
May increase risk of developing PTSD
- poverty, abuse, assault, family psychological disorders, experience a catastrophe at a young age
What is social support?
Social environment may influence whether PTSD develops
- Inadequate social support intensifies and lowers immune system functioning
