Chapter 14: Stress, Lifestyle, and Health

Question 1

Stimulus-based Stress

Answer 1

causes a reaction from an event or situation arising from the demands of work

Question 2

Response-based Stressed

Answer 2

physiological responses as a response to environmental conditions arising from the demands of work

Question 3

Stress

Answer 3

process whereby an individual perceives and responds to events that they appraise as overwhelming or threatening to their well-being

Question 4

What are the two kinds of stress appraisals?

Assessments from these appraisals will influence our reactions to events.

Answer 4

• Primary Appraisal - judgement over potential harm or threat to well-being that a stressor may entail
• Secondary Appraisal - judgement of the options available to cope with a stressor, as well as perceptions of how effective such options will be

Question 5

Good Stress

Answer 5

• eustress - from the Greek “eu” (“good”)
• associated with positive feelings, optimal health, and performances such as exercise and visits to the doctor

Question 6

Bad Stress

Answer 6

• distress - from the Latin “dis” (“bad”)
• burnt out, fatigue, exhaustion, performance decline

e.g. severe test anxiety

Question 7

Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome

Answer 7

body’s nonspecific physiological response to stress

Question 8

Three Stages of General Adaptation Syndrome

Answer 8

1. Alarm Reaction - body’s immediate reaction
   
   • alerted to a stressor, body alarms one with physiological reactions to provide the energy to manage the situation
2. Stage of Resistance - initial shock has worn off, body adapted to stressor
   
   • body still remains alert and prepared to react
3. Stage of Exhaustion - no longer able to adapt to the stressor
   
   • mental and physical toll on body, illness, disease

Question 9

What events throughout life could potentially be stressors?

Answer 9

1. Traumatic Events
2. Life Changes
3. Daily Hassles
4. Occupation-Related Stressors

Question 10

Three Dimensions of Job Burnout

Answer 10

1. Exhaustion - emotionally drained, nothing more to give at a psychological level
2. Depersonalization - emotional detachment between the worker and the recipients of their services
3. Diminished Personal Accomplishment - tendency to evaluate one’s work negatively

Question 11

Psychophysiological Disorders

Answer 11

physical disorders whose symptoms are brought about or worsened by stress and emotional factors

• State of mind impacts the body.
• e.g. When one eats to cope with stress, it becomes a physiological issue, as their thought influences the state of their body.

Question 12

When is cortisol, the stress hormone, released?

Answer 12

during hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation

Question 13

Psychoneuroimmunology

Answer 13

associations between the brain, endocrine system, and immune system (connection between the CNS and the immune system)

Question 14

Cardiovascular Disorders

Answer 14

• the cardiovascular system is central to stress response
• risk of hypertension, or high blood pressure

Question 15

Asthma

Answer 15

• airways of the respiratory system become obstructed, difficulty expelling air from lungs, caused by inflammation of airways
• asthma attacks linked to high emotionality
• emotional distress negatively affects airway function

Question 16

Tension Headaches

Also: Migraines.

Answer 16

stress increases pain sensitivity in already sensitive pain pathways

Question 17

Coping

Answer 17

mental and behavorial efforts used to deal with problems

Question 18

What are the two types of coping?

Answer 18

• Problem-focused - identify the problem, consider the solution, weigh the costs and benefits of the solutions
• Emotional-focused - change the negative emotions associated with stress; avoid, minimize, or distance oneself from the problem

Question 19

Perceived Control

Answer 19

• belief in our personal capacity to exert influence over and shape outcomes
• greater personal control is associated with lower reactivity to stressors in daily life

Question 20

Social Support

Answer 20

positive impact of family, friends, and acquaintances through many forms like advice, guidance, encouragement, acceptance, emotional comfort, and tangible assistance (e.g. financial)

Pick and choose the advice you listen to.

Question 21

Happiness

Answer 21

contentment - inner peace and joy that comes from deep satisfaction with one’s surroundings, relationships with others, accomplishments, and oneself

Intelligence does not correlate to happiness.

Question 23

What are the three distinct elements of happiness?

Answer 23

1. The Pleasant Life - attainment of day to day pleasures
2. The Good Life - achieved through work and/or recreational pursuits
3. The Meaningful Life - deep sense of fulfillment that comes using our talents for the greater good and to benefit the lives of others and the world

Question 24

Positive Psychology

Answer 24

science of happiness, area of study that seeks to identify and promote those qualities that lead to greater fulfillment in our lives

Question 25

What problems does positive psychology address?

Answer 25

1. **economic** conditions relate to **declines in happiness** 2. intelligence is **not related** to happiness 3. **extraverted** people tend to be **happier** 4. perceived level of attractiveness seems to predict happiness, a person's objective **physical attractiveness is only weakly correlated with their happiness**

Question 26

Cortisol

Answer 26

most common stress hormone

Question 27

Epinephrine ## Footnote or: Adrenaline

Answer 27

hormone - fight/flight/freeze reaction, return to homeostasis