Chp 15.2 Stress

Question 1

Stressors

Answer 1

• Physical or psychological stimuli
• Put demands on us that threaten well-being
• Cause release of stress hormones
• Require adaptation

Question 2

Stress (transactional model of stress by Lazarus)

Answer 2

• Person-situation interaction
• Results from perceived imbalance between demands (stressors) and resources to deal with demands
• Psychological and physiological reaction

Question 3

A worker experiences everyday stressors on their way to work (e.g., traffic) and at work (e.g., a broken copying machine). These stressors would be categorized as ________.

Answer 3

Microstressor

Question 4

Cognitive Appraisal Theory of Stress (Lazarus)

Answer 4

Leading to stress response:

• Primary Appraisal (perception, how demanding is it? Eg. Scared of goose)
• Secondary Appraisal (do I have resources to cope with it? Eg. Run away from goose)
• Judgement of consequences (what happens after?)
• Appraisal of personal meaning

Question 5

Distorted appraisal (Cognitive Appraisal Theory of Stress)

Answer 5

• Can happen at any of the point of in appraisal process

- Can cause inappropriate stress response

Question 6

Characteristics of highly stressful events

Answer 6

Events that have the most significant negative effects on well-being tend to be those

• That occur suddenly/unpredictaby
• That impact us over long periods of time

Question 7

When faced with stressed and go into fight-or-flight, which part of the brain is activated?

Answer 7

Reticular formation activated, helps focus and adapt to the moment

Question 8

Can stress ever be a good thing?

Answer 8

• Acute: increased motivation and productivity
  However,
• Stressful thoughts occupy cognitive resources
• Working memory deficits
  Thus, benefits may ne gained with less cognitively demanding tasks

Question 9

What happens to our body during stress?

Answer 9

If a stimulus is considered to be a stressor:
Fight-or-flight response (increase in heart rate/ blood pressure: bring oxygen to muscles and arms, help fight or flee, dialated pupils, more sensitive to light…)

Question 10

Physiology of Stress: Pathway 1: Automatic Nervous Systen (ANS)

Answer 10

Experience Stress -> Hypothalamus: stress response -> sympathetic branch of autonomic nervous system activated -> adrenal medulla -> releases hormones that trigger fight-or-flight response

Question 11

Physiology of Stress: Pathway 2: Hypothatlamic-Pituitary Arsenal (HPA) Axis

Answer 11

Hypothalamus -> Stimulates Pituitary Gland -> Stimulates Adrenal Cortex -> Secretes cortisol (used as a physiological indication of stress) -> Prepares body to respond to stress

Question 12

General Adaption Syndrome (GAS) (Selye)

Answer 12

Happens to our bodies during stress:

• Alarm: Threat recognised, physiological reactions associative with fight or flight
• Resistance: Prepares to fight stressor, uses physical and mental resources
• Exhaustion: when faced with prolonged stress, depleted resources; stress response declines

Question 13

Psychoneuroimmunology

Answer 13

The study of the links between nervous system and immune system functioning

Question 14

Immunosuppression

Answer 14

Major life events cause immunosuppression (immune systems not work well
- Chronic stress associated with wide variety of different illnesses

Question 15

Stress and Upper Respiratory Tract Infection (UTRI)

Answer 15

• Eg. Cold, flu, bronchitis
• Those with more life stress -> more likely to develop cold-related symptoms (study of Cohen 2005)
• less antibody produced when stressed

Question 16

Stress and coronary heart disease

Answer 16

• More stress= more risk for coronary heart disease
• Chronic secretion of stress hormones:
• Affects heart activity
• Causes damage to lining of arteries
• Contributes to clogging of arteries

Question 17

Stressor characteristics

Answer 17

• intensity/severity
• duration
• predictability
• controllability
• chronicity

Question 18

life event scales

Answer 18

questionnaires that measure the number (and, sometimes, the intensity) of positive and negative life events that have occurred over a specific period of time

Question 19

Stress and illness: Indirect effects

Answer 19

Eg. Eating fatty and sweet foods
- Activate dopamine reward system dulled by chronic stress
- Extra calories to fuel stress-related energy
-
Stress is also. Related to:
- Decreased likelihood of adhering to medical regimens
- Quitting or decreasing amount of exercise
- Less sleep
- Increased substance use

Question 20

Type A personality

Answer 20

a behavioural pattern involving a sense of time urgency, pressured behaviour, and hostility that appears to be a risk factor in coronary heart disease

Question 21

Type B personality

Answer 21

a relaxed and agreeable personality type, with little sense of time urgency

Question 22

Do some personality types experience more stress and related illnesses?

Answer 22

Type A individuals (more tense):

• Double the risk of coronary heart disease
• Puts themselves in more stressful situation
• Particularly, aggression and hostility tied to illness
• Aggression and hostility -> less social support (not as many friends as unfriendly)

Type B more relaxed

Question 23

post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Answer 23

a pattern of distressing symptoms, such as flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance, and anxiety responses that recur after a traumatic experience