Chapter 4 (STRESS AS AN EXAMPLE OF A PSYCHOBIOLOGICAL PROCESS)

Question 1

Stressor

Answer 1

Any event that causes stress or
is perceived as a threat and a
challenge to our ability to cope

Question 2

Stress

Answer 2

a state of mental, emotional and
physiological tension, resulting
from a stressor

Question 3

Internal Stressor

Answer 3

a cause of stress that originates within an individual; can be both
psychological and biological/ physiological

Question 4

External Stressor

Answer 4

a cause of stress that originates
from outside an individual, such as an event or environmental extreme

Question 5

Acute Stress

Answer 5

stress that usually occurs because of a sudden threat
and only lasts for a short time

Question 6

Chronic Stress

Answer 6

stress that lasts for a long time

Question 7

Flight-or-fight-or-freeze response

Answer 7

an automatic biological response to a perceived stressor that increases our chances of survival in our environment

Question 8

Flight Response

Answer 8

Run away or escape

Question 9

Fight Response

Answer 9

Deal/confront the stressor

Question 10

Freeze

Answer 10

Hide or remain still to avoid the stressor

Question 11

Cortisol

Answer 11

a hormone produced by the
adrenal glands that regulates
a wide range of bodily processes, including metabolism, and is released
in response to stress

Question 12

GAS (General Adaptation Syndrome)

Answer 12

a biological model of stress that proposes we have a non-specific biological response to stress that occurs in three stages

Question 13

Alarm Reaction Stage

Answer 13

the first stage of the general
adaptation syndrome, in which we become aware of the stressor; it consists of two phases – shock and countershock

Question 14

Shock

Answer 14

the first phase of the alarm reaction stage of the general adaptation syndrome, in which the body’s ability to deal with the stressor falls below normal

Question 15

Countershock

Answer 15

the second phase of the alarm
reaction stage of the general adaptation syndrome, in which the body’s ability to deal with the stressor rises above normal

Question 16

Resistance Stage

Answer 16

the second stage of the general
adaptation syndrome, in which the stressor persists, and the body’s resources are maximised to cope and adapt over time

Question 17

Exhaustion Stage

Answer 17

the third stage of the general
adaptation syndrome, in which the continued depletion of energy stores and high levels of hormones such as cortisol decrease resistance to the stressor and impair the immune system

Question 18

Appraisal

Answer 18

the process of categorising an event on the basis of its perceived significance and how it may affect our wellbeing

Question 19

Transactional model of stress and coping

Answer 19

a model that suggests a stress response is only elicited if an event is perceived to exceed our
ability to cope and is based on our appraisal of the situation

Question 20

Primary Appraisal

Answer 20

when an individual determines
whether a situation or event is significant to them and stressful or not

Question 21

Irrelevant

Answer 21

describes a situation or event that has no implications for an individual’s wellbeing because nothing will be gained or lost, or they are not invested in the situation

Question 22

Benign/Positive

Answer 22

describes a situation or event that is perceived as having a positive outcome for an individual, i.e. it either maintains
(benign) or enhances their wellbeing (positive)

Question 23

Threat

Answer 23

the anticipated harm/loss in the
future because of an event

Question 24

Harm/Loss

Answer 24

the damage to the individual that has already occurred as
a result of a stressor

Question 25

Challenge

Answer 25

the perceived potential for personal gain or growth from an event

Question 26

Secondary Appraisal

Answer 26

when an individual considers the available resources and their own coping strategies, to decide the best way of dealing with a stressor

Question 27

Coping

Answer 27

all the things we do to manage and reduce the stress we experience

Question 28

Coping Strategy

Answer 28

a method that we use to manage or reduce the stress produced by a stressor

Question 29

Coping Flexibility

Answer 29

the ability to modify our coping strategies to adapt and meet the demands of different stressful situations

Question 30

Context -Specific Effectiveness

Answer 30

when a coping strategy matches or is appropriate to the stressful situation

Question 31

Approach Strategy

Answer 31

an effort to confront a stressor and deal directly with it and its effects

Question 32

Avoidance Strategy

Answer 32

an effort to avoid a stressor and not deal directly with it and its effects

Question 33

Gut- Brain Axis (GBA)

Answer 33

the connection between the central nervous system and the enteric nervous system, that enables bidirectional communication between the brain and the gastrointestinal tract

Question 34

Enteric Nervous System (ENS)

Answer 34

a subdivision of the autonomic nervous system; it consists of nerve cells lining the gastrointestinal tract and controls the digestive system

Question 35

Vagus Nerve

Answer 35

a nerve that connects the brain (central nervous system) to organs within the autonomic nervous system, via nerve fibres that directly link organs such as the lungs, heart, oesophagus and intestinal tract

Question 36

Gut

Answer 36

the gastrointestinal tract or long tube that starts at the mouth and ends at the anus

Question 37

Gut Microbiota

Answer 37

the microbe population found in the gut (digestive system)

Question 38

Microbe

Answer 38

a microscopic living thing found in water, soil and the air