CLPS 0010 Readings - Chapter 11

Question 1

What is health psychology?

Answer 1

The area of study that integrates research on health and on psychology

Question 2

Why was the health psychology movement launched?

Answer 2

Because psychologists and health professionals realized the importance of lifestyle factors to physical health

Question 3

What do health psychologists depend on?

Answer 3

Research methods of psychology to understand the relationship between thoughts, actions, and physical and mental health

Question 4

What is the biopsychosocial model?

Answer 4

OUTDATED! But no: it views health/illness as the product of a combination of factors including biological characteristics, behavioral factors, and social conditions

Question 5

What is the most likely reason people die?

Answer 5

Due to causes that stem from their own behaviors; or accidents that we can’t control

Question 6

What is regression to the mean?

Answer 6

When a more extreme event tends to be followed by an event closer to the average or mean; happens pretty much a lot.

Question 7

What is the most powerful placebo?

Answer 7

One that has symptoms of its own that can be misattributed to its success

Question 8

What is the HPA axis?

Answer 8

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis; biological system responsible for stress response

Question 9

What hormones does the pituitary gland release when the brain perceives a stressor?

Answer 9

ACTH: adrenocorticotropic hormone

Question 10

Where does the pituitary gland secrete ACTH to after the brain detects a stress response?

Answer 10

The adrenal gland

Question 11

What happens after ACTH activates the adrenal glands during the stress response?

Answer 11

The adrenal glands release cortisol, which increases blood glucose levels; they also release epinephrine and norepinephrine to activate the sympathetic nervous system

Question 12

What is the order of events in the HPA axis?

Answer 12

Brain detects stressor, hypothalamus sends message to pituitary gland, which releases ACTH to the adrenal glands, which release cortisol (increases blood glucose) and norepinephrine and epinephrine, which initiate the sympathetic nervous system

Question 13

What particular cognitive function does stress particularly impair?

Answer 13

Memory: worse memory under stress

Question 14

What is the female counter to fight-or-flight?

Answer 14

Tend and befriend

Question 15

What is the tend and befriend response?

Answer 15

the female response to stress by protecting and caring for their offspring as well as forming alliances with social groups to reduce risk to individuals, including themselves

Question 16

What is oxytocin?

Answer 16

A hormone important for mothers in bonding to newborns and may encourage affiliation during social stress

Question 17

What is the current biological basis for tend-and-befriend?

Answer 17

Oxytocin, which is especially important in women’s stress resoinse

Question 18

What responses are the hallmarks of a nonspecific stress response, or the general adaptation syndrome?

Answer 18

Enlarged adrenal glands, damaged to the immune system resulting in decreased levels of lymphocytes, and stomach ulcers

Question 19

What are the three stages of the general adaptation syndrome?

Answer 19

Alarm, resistance, and exhaustion

Question 20

What is the alarm stage of the generalized adaptation syndrome?

Answer 20

The physical preparation for fight or flight; boosts physical abilities and reduces activities that make the organism vulnerable to infection after injury

Question 21

What is the resistance stage of the generalized adaptation syndrome?

Answer 21

The defenses prepare for a longer, sustained attack against the stressor; immunity increases a bit

Question 22

What is the exhaustion stage of the generalized adaptation syndrome?

Answer 22

A variety of physiological and immune systems fail, especially body systems that were already weak

Question 23

What does psychoneuroimmunology study?

Answer 23

The response of the body’s immune system to psychological variables

Question 24

What is the reason for the detrimental effects of long term stress on physical health?

Answer 24

Decreased lymphocyte production (immune system damage)

Question 25

What kind of chronic stress has the greatest impact on the immune system?

Answer 25

Stress associated with changes in social roles or identity, like losing a job, getting divorced, etc.

Question 26

How does chronic stress affect the heart?

Answer 26

Leads to overstimulation of the sympathetic nervous system causing higher blood pressure, constriction of blood vessels, and greater buildup of plaque on arteries

Question 27

What set of personality traits predicts heart deisease/

Answer 27

Type A behavior pattern: competitive, achievement oriented, aggressive, hostile, impatient, and time-pressed

Question 28

What is Type B behavior pattern?

Answer 28

Noncompetitive, relaxed, easygoing, accommodating people

Question 29

What is the most toxic Type A personality trait?

Answer 29

Hostility

Question 30

How do negative personality traits combine to pormote coronary heart disease?

Answer 30

1) Poor coping mechanisms and behavioral strategies; 2) overtax the sympathetic nervous system

Question 31

What are primary appraisals?

Answer 31

Part of the coping process that involves making decisions about whether a stimulus is stressful, benign, or irrelevant

Question 32

What are secondary appraisals?

Answer 32

Part of the coping process during which people evaluate their response options and choose coping behaviors

Question 33

What is emotion-focused coping?

Answer 33

Trying to prevent an emotional response to the stressor; adopting strategies to numb the pain

Question 34

What is problem-focused coping?

Answer 34

Involves taking direct steps to solve the problem; generating alternative solutions, weighing the costs and benefits, choosing between them

Question 35

When do people often use emotion-based or problem-based coping strategies?

Answer 35

Emotional to continue functioning in the face on uncontrollable stressors or high stress; problem when stressors are perceived as controllable and are experiencing only moderate stress

Question 36

What are downward comparisons?

Answer 36

Comparing oneself to those who are worse off; especially helpful for those with serious illness

Question 37

What is creation of positive events?

Answer 37

Giving positive spin to ordinary events or stressful events

Question 38

What are the three characteristics of hardiness, and what is it?

Answer 38

Resistance to stress because you're capable of adapting to life changes by viewing them constructively; commitment, challenge, and control

Question 39

What are two factors that are likely to be able to explain the increase on obesity?

Answer 39

The sheer variety of high calorie foods and large portions served

Question 40

What are the three components to positive psychology?

Answer 40

Positive emotion and pleasure; engagement in life; and a meaningful life

Question 41

What is the buffering hypothesis?

Answer 41

Knowing that other people care and can provide direct emotional support can help individuals cope with stressful events