Chapter 17 Flashcards
Healthy psychology
A subfield of psychology that emphasizes psychology’s role in establishing and maintaining health and preventing and treating illness
Behavioral medicine
An interdisciplinary field that focuses on developing and integrating behavioral and biomedical knowledge to promote health and reduce illness; overlaps with health psychology
Health behaviors
Practices that have an impact on physical well-being, such as adopting a healthy approach to stress, exercising, eating right, brushing one’s teeth, performing breast and testicular exams, not smoking, drinking in moderation (or not at all), and practicing safe sex
Theory of reasoned action
Theoretical model stating that effective change requires individuals to have specific intentions about their behaviors, as well as positive attitudes about a new behavior, and to perceive that their social group looks favorably on the new behavior as well
Theory of planned behavior
Theoretical model that includes the basic ideas of the theory of reasoned action but adds the person’s perceptions of control over the outcome
Stages of change model
Theoretical model describing a five-step process by which individuals give up bad habits and adopt healthier lifestyles
Relapse
A return to former unhealthy patterns
Implementation intentions
Specific strategies for dealing with the challenges of making a life change
Social support
Information and feedback from others indicating that one is loved and cared for, esteemed and valued, and included in a network of communication and mutual obligation
General adaptation syndrome (GAS)
Selye’s term for the common effects of stressful demands on the body, consisting of three stages: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion
Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis)
The complex set of interactions among the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, and the adrenal glands that regulates various body processes and controls reactions to stressful events
Psychoneuroimmunology
A field of scientific enquiry that explores connections among psychological factors (such as attitudes and emotions), the nervous system, and the immune system
Problem-focused coping
The coping strategy of squarely facing one’s problems and trying to solve them
Emotion-focused coping
The coping strategy that involves responding to the stress that one is feeling - trying to manage one’s emotional reaction - rather than focusing on the problem itself
Positive reappraisal
Reinterpreting a potentially stressful experience as less threatening, more valuable, or even beneficial
Hardiness
A personality trait characterized by a sense of commitment rather than alienation and of control rather than powerlessness; a perception of problems as challenges rather than threats
Stress management program
A regimen that teaches individuals how to appraise stressful events, how to develop skills for coping with stress, and how to put these skills into use in everyday life
Exercise
Structured activities whose goal is to improve health
Aerobic exercise
Sustained activity - jogging, swimming, or cycling, for example - that stimulates heart and lung functioning
