chapter 6

Question 1

stress

Answer 1

definitions may come from three different perspectives, the stressor, the response, or the interaction between the stimulus event and the individual experiencing it

Question 2

stressors

Answer 2

those situations or events that may potentially cause stress, which may be categorized as follows: life-event stressors, occupational stressors, psychological stressors and daily hassles

Question 3

life-event stressors

Answer 3

the various life changes and events that can create stress within individuals. according to Holmes & Rahe as the number of significant life changes increases, the risk of illness grows

Question 4

occupational stressors

Answer 4

work-related stressors included the physical environment

Question 5

psychological stressors

Answer 5

potential sources of stress such as pressure, frustration, and conflict

Question 6

type a personalities

Answer 6

Friedman & Rosenman group people who display a particular complex of personality traits, including excessive competitive drive, aggressiveness, impatience, and a hurrying sense of time urgency into a category. they are more likely to suffer from heart disease.

Question 7

type b personalities

Answer 7

individuals who are able to play for fun, who can relax without feeling guilty, and who rarely suffer from a sense of time urgency with the impatience that comes with it. the personality is a mirror image of the other type.

Question 8

pressure

Answer 8

the expectations and demands of us, and how they make us behave in certain ways

Question 9

frustration

Answer 9

a stimulus event that leads to stress. frustration results when your goal is not attained

Question 10

conflict

Answer 10

a potential psychological stressor that may occur when we must choose between two positives, the lesser of two evils, or when we must make a choice that has both positive and negative elements attached. may be internal or interpersonal

Question 11

daily hassles

Answer 11

the commonly occurring, everyday frustrations in life that collectively can be as upsetting as major life traumas

Question 12

general adaptation syndrome (GAS)

Answer 12

the theory developed by Hans Selye as a way of explaining the body’s reaction to stress. according to Selye, stress is the non-specific response of the body to any demand made upon it. It has three basic stages: the alarm reaction, the resistance phase, and the exhaustion state

Question 13

alarm reaction

Answer 13

the stage according to GAS, at which the autonomic nervous system prepares the body for fight-or-flight response. physiologically, blood pressure increase, muscles tense, heart rate increases, blood coagulability increases, adrenaline is secreted ,respiration rate increases, digestion is inhibited, corticosteroids are secreted, blood flow increases to skeletal musculature and perspiration increases

Question 14

resistance phase

Answer 14

one stage of the general adaptation syndrome, as developed by Hans Selye. in this stage, bodily signs characteristics of the alarm reaction stage virtually disappear.

Question 15

exhaustion stage

Answer 15

the stage according to the gas theory, at which physical signs and symptoms of stress originally evident in the alarm reaction reappear. the different is that now many of these symptoms are irreversible. damage to the body can be permanent. the ultimate consequence can be death

Question 16

high sensation seekers

Answer 16

people who actively pursue experiences that others would find stressful

Question 17

hypo-stress

Answer 17

stress brought on by boredom. potentially experienced by high sensation seekers who need higher levels of stimulation to maintain their well-being

Question 18

low sensation seekers

Answer 18

individuals who prefer a peaceful, slower-paced lifestyle

Question 19

distress

Answer 19

as distinguished from eustress (Selye), stressors that lead to this state produce uncomfortable feelings and harmful physical consequences. this is bad. it is something that we dislike and seek to avoid

Question 20

eustress

Answer 20

as distinguished form distress, stressors that lead to this state produce positive feelings and no apparent ill-effects. when we’re experiencing this, we typically develop a motivating surge of energy that can improve the efficiency and quality of whatever we’re doing

Question 21

cognitive appraisal

Answer 21

the notion of mental evaluation in the interactionist account of stress

Question 22

interests

Answer 22

those things that one values or considers to be personally beneficial

Question 23

values

Answer 23

can act as intervening variables between stressor and response when experiencing stress

Question 24

personal wants

Answer 24

according to an interactionist account of stress, whether or not a stimulus event contributes to distress, eustress, or no stress often depends on _______ ______

Question 25

beliefs

Answer 25

according to an interactionist account of stress, your beliefs can affect the kind and amount of stress you experience. whether or not an action, as a stimulus event, eventually results in guilt and fear or joy and elation depends on how the belief intervenes between the stimulus and the response

Question 26

familiarity

Answer 26

research has shown that being familiar with challenges and events as they present themselves can often make difficult obstacles easier to overcome

Question 27

controllability

Answer 27

the amount of control you have over your affairs can affect the amount and type of stress you experience. generally speaking, the more _______ you have, the less stress you tend to feel

Question 28

predicitability

Answer 28

one variable that affects our cognitive appraisals of potentially stressful stimulus events

Question 29

imminence

Answer 29

according to an interactionist account of stress, when you have prior knowledge or advance warning that a threatening event is going to occur, the closer the threat comes, the more stress results

Question 30

A-B-C model of psychological functioning

Answer 30

developed by Albert Ellis and used as part of his system of rational-emotive psychotherapy. an activating event (A) will lead to a particular consequence (C) depending on the belief (B) of the individual

Question 31

irrational beliefs

Answer 31

unreasonable beliefs leading to unnecessary emotional upset

Question 32

thinking styles

Answer 32

according to Lafferty, the manner in which one regards or thinks about a particular stressor determines whether the outcome is distress or eustress. by changing your ________ ______, Lafferty argued, you can more effectively manage your life

Question 33

cognitive reframing

Answer 33

taking another look at a potentially stressful situation to reveal potential benefits. the emotional upset of stress may be reduced by looking at life from a broader perspective or at least from a different one

Question 34

meditation

Answer 34

an effective strategy to cope with stress in which by concentrating attention, we develop the ability to overcome the mind's usual habit of jumping from one thought to another. when the incessant activity of the mind is stilled, the meditator experiences that aspect of being that is prior to and distinct from his or her thoughts and from attention itself

Question 35

deep relaxation

Answer 35

this state, which may be achieved through meditation, that has been described as transcendental awareness, cosmic consciousness or "satori"

Question 36

mandala

Answer 36

a geometric figure that has spiritual or philosophical importance, used in meditation to focus awareness

Question 37

mantra

Answer 37

a silently repeated sound, such as "ohm," used in meditation to focus awareness

Question 38

physical exercise

Answer 38

an alternative method of letting off steam, using physiological arousal productively in sports and other exercise activities

Question 39

clinical biofeedback procedures

Answer 39

the use of electronic and mechanical devices to monitor and gain control of autonomic nervous system functions

Question 40

electromyogram

Answer 40

a technique used in clinical biofeedback. the EMG is a machine that monitors skeletal muscle tension. connected to the EMG are sensors or electrodes that are placed on the forehead, jaw, and trapezius muscles of the person using the machine. by learning to reduce tension at these sites, greater relaxation can be achieved

Question 41

electroencephalogram (EEG)

Answer 41

a technique used in clinical biofeedback. the EEG can help you to create brain wave patterns associated with states of calm.

Question 42

galvanic skin response

Answer 42

a technique used in clinical biofeedback. in this case, a skin graph or dermograph monitors minute changes in the concentration of salt and water in the body's sweat gland ducts. an imperceptible electrical current is passed through the skin. when sweat glands become more active, the GSR machine registers the skin's increased ability to conduct electricity

Question 43

autogenic training

Answer 43

people learn to regulate their autonomic nervous systems and normalize physical, mental, and emotional processes that become imbalanced due to stress

Question 44

WDEP method

Answer 44

a strategy for handling stress based on reality therapy principles