Chapter 15 Flashcards
(22 cards)
stressors
Specific events or chronic pressures that place demands on a person or threaten the person’s well-being.
stress
The physical and psychological response to internal or external stressors.
health psychology
The subfield of psychology concerned with ways psychological factors influence the causes and treatment of physical illness and the maintenance of health.
chronic stressor
A source of stress that occurs continuously or repeatedly.
fight-or-flight response
An emotional and physiological reaction to an emergency that increases readiness for action.
general adaptation syndrome (GAS)
A three-stage physiological response that appears regardless of the stressor that is encountered.
immune system
A complex response system that protects the body from bacteria, viruses, and other foreign substances.
Type A behavior pattern
The tendency toward easily aroused hostility, impatience, a sense of time urgency, and competitive achievement strivings.
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
A disorder characterized by chronic physiological arousal, recurrent unwanted thoughts or images of the trauma, and avoidance of things that call the traumatic event to mind.
burnout
A state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion created by long-term involvement in an emotionally demanding situation and accompanied by lowered performance and motivation.
repressive coping
Avoiding situations or thoughts that are reminders of a stressor and maintaining an artificially positive viewpoint.
rational coping
Facing a stressor and working to overcome it.
reframing
Finding a new or creative way to think about a stressor that reduces its threat.
relaxation therapy
A technique for reducing tension by consciously relaxing muscles of the body.
relaxation response
A condition of reduced muscle tension, cortical activity, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure.
biofeedback
The use of an external monitoring device to obtain information about a bodily function and possibly gain control over that function.
social support
The aid gained through interacting with others.
psychosomatic illness
An illness produced by an interaction between mind and body.
somatoform disorder
A psychological disorder in which the patient displays physical symptoms not fully explained by a general medical condition.
hypochondriasis
A psychological disorder in which a person is preoccupied with minor symptoms and develops an exaggerated belief that the symptoms signify a life-threatening illness.
sick role
A socially recognized set of rights and obligations linked with illness.
self-regulation
The exercise of voluntary control over the self to bring the self into line with preferred standards.
