PSYC 2015 Ch 11: Stress, Coping & Health

Question 1

clinical’s illusion

11.0 Intro

Question 2

stress

Answer 2

the tension, discomfort, or physical symptoms that arise when a stressor strains our ability to cope effectively.

Question 3

stressor

Answer 3

a type of stimulus that strains our ability to cope effectively

Question 4

traumatic event

11.1 Introduction

Question 5

corticosteroids

Answer 5

stress hormone that activates the body and prepares us to respond to stressful circumstances

Question 6

posttraumatic growth

Answer 6

the perception of beneficial change or personal transformation in struggle to overcome adversity

Question 7

Folkman and Lazarus

Answer 7

coined the concept of cognitive appraisal and reappraisal. They believed that coping with stress is a complex process that involves assigning meaning to a situation

Question 8

primary appraisal

Answer 8

initial decision regarding whether an event is harmful; the initial evaluation of a situation’s relevance to one’s moral norms and personal preferences and to the likelihood of reaching one’s goals. The situation (or other stimulus) is** identified as a threat**, harm, or challenge and is followed by secondary appraisal

Question 9

secondary appraisal

Answer 9

perceptions regarding our ability to cope with an event that follows primary appraisal; one’s evaluation of their ability to cope with the consequences of an interaction with the environment, which follows a primary appraisal

Question 10

emotion-focused coping

Answer 10

a stress-management strategy in which a person focuses on regulating their negative emotional reactions to a stressor. Rather than taking actions to change the stressor itself, the individual tries to control feelings
* used primarily when a person appraises a stressor as beyond their capacity to change.
* Compare problem-focused coping.

Question 11

problem-focused coping

Answer 11

a stress-management strategy in which a person directly confronts a stressor in an attempt to decrease or eliminate it.
* used primarily when a person appraises a stressor as within their capacity to change.
* Compare emotion-focused coping.

Question 12

David Holmes

Answer 12

Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS)

Question 13

Social Readjustment Rating Scale

Answer 13

(David Holmes) effort to measure life events systematically; based on 43 life events ranked in terms of their stressfulness

Question 14

hassle

Answer 14

minor annoyance or nuisance that strains our ability to cope

Question 15

Hassles Scale

Answer 15

: measures how stressful events, ranging from small annoyances to major daily pressures, impact our adjustment

Question 16

ecological momentary assessment
(EMA)

Answer 16

the process of examining the behavior of individuals at random, multiple time points to get a clearer picture of how they behave in various real-world settings

Question 17

general adaptation syndrome (GAS)

Answer 17

stress-response pattern proposed by Hans Selye that consists of three stages: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion

Question 18

Joseph LeDoux (1996)

Answer 18

identified the seat of anxiety within the** limbic system** (aka the emotional brain) that includes the amygdala, hypothalamus, and hippocampus

Question 19

hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis
(HPA)

Answer 19

1. hypothalamus (H) receives fear signal
2. the sympathetic nervous system activates the adrenal gland (A)
3. the adrenal gland secretes the stress hormones epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline).

steps 1-3 ready organism for fight-or-flight

4. the hypothalamus and pituitary gland (P) orchestrate the adrenal gland’s release of cortisol, which floods system with energy

meanwhile hippocampus retrieves terrifying images

Question 20

fight-or-flight response

Answer 20

first described by Walter Cannon in 1915

Question 21

Walter Cannon

Answer 21

first person to describe fight-or-flight response

Question 22

resistance

Answer 22

Selye’s 2nd stage of the GAS; organism adapts to the stressors and finds ways to cope with it

Question 23

exhaustion

Answer 23

Selye’s 3rd stage of the GAS: When the body is unable to maintain its resistance to a stressor due to depleted resources, leading to a state of physical and mental breakdown; results can include damage to an organ system, depression and anxiety, immune system breakdown

Question 24

PTSD and Vietnam War veterans
(Study):

Answer 24

40 years after combat; PTSD was more prevalent among those who were African Americans, attained lower educational levels, and experienced a negative homecoming reception and lower current social support
flashbacks

Question 25

George Bonanno 9/11 (Study):

Answer 25

**evidence for psychological adjustment**: 65.1% of the sample was resilient (reporting 0-1 PTSD symptom); 25% in the WTC developed probable PTSD but more than half were resilient; people who display relatively high levels of functioning before the traumatic event tend to cope well in the aftermath of a serious stressor; people who report a history of ACEs, depression, and other emotional problems prior do not cope so well

Question 26

Resilence

Answer 26

the most common response to traumatic events; the rule rather than the exception

Question 27

Prevalence of PTSD

Answer 27

* 5% men, * 10% women; * 7-8% military personnel who served in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

Question 28

Social support

Answer 28

**the provision of assistance or comfort to others**, typically to **help them cope** with biological, psychological, and social stressors; may take the form of practical help (e.g., doing chores, offering advice), tangible support that involves giving money or other direct material assistance, and emotional support that allows the individual to feel valued, accepted, and understood

Question 29

James House, Cynthia Robbins, and Helen Metzner (1982) | 11.2 Social Support

Question 30

Thomas Strentz and Stephen Auerbach (1988) | 11.2 Social Support

Answer 30

exposed airline pilots and flight attendants to a simulated hijacking attempt and four days of captivity

Question 31

*Behavioral control*

Answer 31

the ability to **do something** to **reduce the impact** of a stressful situation or prevent its recurrence; problem-focused coping (PFC is generally more effective in relieving stress than is avoidance-oriented coping)

Question 32

*Cognitive control*

Answer 32

the ability to **think differently about negative emotions** that arise in response to stress-provoking events; type of **emotion-focused coping**

Question 33

*Decisional control*

Answer 33

the ability to **choose** among alternative course of action

Question 34

*Informational control*

Answer 34

the ability to **acquire information** about a stressful event

Question 35

proactive coping

Answer 35

a stress-management strategy that reflects **efforts to build up resources that facilitate promotion** toward challenging goals and personal growth; Stress is interpreted as *eustress*—that is, productive arousal and vital energy—and coping thus becomes **goal management instead of risk management**

Question 36

*Emotional control*

Answer 36

the ability to control emotions in a **flexible** way to best **meet the demands** of a situation

Question 37

*fallacy of uniform efficacy*

Answer 37

**Bonanno and Burton** (2013); phrase to describe the **assumption** that certain **ways of coping** and regulating emotion are **consistently beneficial**. Rather, the ability to adjust coping strategies as the situation demands is critical to contending with many stressful situations

Question 38

acceptance-based coping

Answer 38

a coping mechanism that involves accepting emotions and situations without trying to control or avoid them. It's a way to tolerate unpleasant experiences and behave adaptively

Question 39

rumination

Answer 39

obsessional thinking involving excessive, repetitive thoughts or themes that interfere with other forms of mental activity

Question 40

Susan Nolen-Hoeksema (1987) re: rumination | 11.2 Gaining Control

Question 41

catharsis

Answer 41

1) in psychoanalytic theory, the discharge of previously repressed affects connected to traumatic events that occurs when these events are brought back into consciousness and reexperienced 2) more generally, the release of strong, pent-up emotions. [from Greek, literally: “purgation,” “purification”]

Question 42

crisis debriefing

Answer 42

: designed to ward off PTSD among people exposed to trauma; usually a single-session procedure, typically conducted in groups, that usually lasts 3-4 hours, most often conducted within 1-2 days of a traumatic event , and proceeds according to standardized steps; NOT effective for trauma reactions and may increase the risk of PTSD among those exposed to trauma

Question 43

hardiness

Answer 43

set of attitudes marked by a sense of control over events, commitment to life and work, and courage and motivation to confront stressful events; an ability to adapt easily to unexpected changes combined with a sense of purpose in daily life and of personal control over what occurs in one’s life; Salvator Maddi (1979);

Question 44

Salvatore Maddi (1979)

Answer 44

found “**hardiness**”: a set of attributes found in **resilient** people

Question 45

Suzanne Kobasa

Answer 45

w/ **Maddi**; hardiness study on 670 managers at public utility company in the US

Question 46

optimism

Answer 46

**hopefulness**: the attitude that good things will happen and that people’s wishes or aims will ultimately be fulfilled. **Optimists** are people who anticipate positive outcomes, whether serendipitously or through perseverance and effort, and who are confident of attaining desired goals; a facilitator of social affiliation, and the tend-and-befriend response in particular; important for pair-bond formation, mate guarding, and recognition of social stimuli

Question 47

spirituality

Answer 47

search for the sacred, which may or may not extend to a belief in God

Question 48

*oxytocin* (re: possible effect on **stress**)

Answer 48

**tend and befriend**, increases desire for social contact in response to stress

Question 49

tend and befriend response

Answer 49

(**Shelley Taylor**); reaction that mobilizes people to nurture (tend) or seek social support (befriend) under stress; suggested link to oxytocin

Question 50

Shelley Taylor

Answer 50

coined “**tend and befriend”**: in times of stress, women rely on their social contacts and nurturing abilities—they tend (to those around them and themselves) and befriend (turn to others for support)

Question 51

Japanese Poison Ivy Study | 11.2 Fight or Flight...

Answer 51

psychological factors can influence our physical processes

Question 52

immune system

Answer 52

our body’s defense system against invading bacteria, viruses, and other potentially illness-producing organism and substances

Question 53

phagocytes

Answer 53

WBC; engulf the invader

Question 54

T cells

Answer 54

(WBC) attach to proteins on the surface of invaders, popping them like balloons

Question 55

B cells

Answer 55

(WBC) produce proteins called antibodies, which stick to the surface of invaders, slow their progress, and attract other proteins that destroy the foreign organisms

Question 56

acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS):

Answer 56

a life-threatening, incurable, and yet treatable condition in which the HIV attacks and damages the immune system

Question 57

human immunodeficiency virus (HIV): | 11.3 The Immune System

Question 58

autoimmune diseases | 11.3 The Immune System

Question 59

**psychoneuroimmunology** | 11.3 The Immune System

Question 60

Sheldon Cohen

Answer 60

exposed healthy people to cold virus and determined the psychosocial factors that predicted a cold 5-6 days later. Increased risk associated with chronical interpersonal & employment related stress, less than two days a week of exercise, smoking, and inadequate levels of vitamin C. Decreased risk associated with a network of social relationships and social support, adequate and sufficient sleep, and moderate alcohol consumption

Question 61

psychosomatic

Answer 61

1. of or relating to the role of the mind (psyche) in diseases or disorders affecting the body (soma); specifically, the role of psychological factors (e.g., anxiety, depression) in the etiology and course of pathology in bodily systems. 2. characterizing an approach based on the belief that a psychological component operates in the cause of somatic disturbances. 3. of or referring to any interaction between mind and body

Question 62

Franz Alexander (1950)

Answer 62

argued that stomach ulcers were linked to infantile cravings to be fed and feelings of dependency

Question 63

*Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)*

Answer 63

an unusual bacterium that thrives in stomach acid; most common cause of stomach ulcers

Question 64

psychophysiological

Answer 64

illnesses such as asthma and ulcers in which **emotions and stress contribute to, maintain, or aggravate** the physical condition

Question 65

biopsychosocial perspective

Answer 65

the view that an illness or a medical condition is the **product of the interplay** of biological, psychological, and social factors

Question 66

**coronary heart disease (CHD)**

Answer 66

damage to the heart from the complete or partial blockage of the arteries that provide oxygen to the heart; **Type A** trait of hostility most associated w/ CHD

Question 67

**Type A personality**

Answer 67

personality type that describes people who are **competitive, driven, hostile, and ambitious**; a personality pattern characterized by chronic competitiveness, high levels of achievement motivation, impatience and **a distorted sense of time urgency, polyphasic activity** (e.g., shaving or eating while reading a newspaper), and aggressiveness and hostility

Question 68

*cholesterol*

Answer 68

a waxy, fatty substance that travels in the bloodstream; in CHD: cholesterol deposits collect in the walls of the arteries, narrowing and blocking coronary arteries. creating atherosclerosis

Question 69

**Type D (distressed) personality**

Answer 69

personality type that describes a person with **high negative affectivity and social inhibition**

Question 70

*Type B personality*

Answer 70

a personality pattern characterized by **low levels of competitiveness and frustration**, an easygoing approach, and a lack of aggressiveness and hostility. Type B individuals typically **do not feel the need to prove their superiority or abilities**

Question 71

*heavy episodic drinking*

Answer 71

(formally *binge drinking*): drinking 5+drinks in one occasion for men, and 4+ for women

Question 72

aerobic exercise

Answer 72

exercise that promotes the use of oxygen in the body

Question 73

*DARE program*

Answer 73

now, *keepin’ it REAL* program

Question 74

**complementary medicine or integrative health medicine (CAM)**

Answer 74

healthcare practices and products **used together with** conventional medicine

Question 75

**biofeedback**

Answer 75

feedback by a device that provides almost an immediate output of a biological function, such as heart or skin temperature

Question 76

**meditation**

Answer 76

a variety of practices that **train attention and awareness**

Question 77

**yoga**

Answer 77

yoga

Question 78

*meridian* | 11.4 Energy Medicine

Question 79

**homeopathic medicine**

Answer 79

remedies that feature a small dose of an **illness-inducing substance** to activate the body’s own natural defense

Question 80

*representativeness heuristic*

Answer 80

a strategy for **making categorical judgments** about a given person or target based on **how closely the exemplar matches the typical or average member of the category** ; to judge the similarity b/t two things by gauging the extent to which they resemble each other (“like goes with like”)

Question 81

*reiki*

Answer 81

a Japanese **energy therapy** and spiritual healing practice that **rebalances and focuses reiki energy (qi)** on different parts of the body

Question 82

*taxol*

Answer 82

derived from the Pacific yew tree; shown to be **effective as an anticancer drug**

Question 83

*St. John’s Worth*

Answer 83

not especially effective for severe depression: somewhat helpful for **mild to moderate depression**

Question 84

R. Barker Bausell (2007)

Answer 84

former advocate of **CAM **concluded that **CAM** treatments **failed to demonstrate** they are more effective than **placebos or “sham”** treatments

Question 85

Tor Wagner

Answer 85

placebo cream reduced fMRI activity in pain areas of the brain

Question 86

*qi* | 11.4 Energy Medicine

Question 87

*energy medicine*

Answer 87

based on the idea that **disruptions** in our body’s **energy field** can be **mapped and treated**

Question 88

**acupuncture** | 11.4 Energy Medicine

Answer 88

| 11.4 Energy Medicine

Question 89

**alternative medicine**

Answer 89

healthcare practices and products **used in place of** conventional medicine

Question 90

Linda Gallo and Karen Matthews (2003)

Answer 90

Understanding the association between socioeconomic status and physical health: Do negative emotions play a role? | 11.3 CHD, Everyday Stress, Discrimination...

Question 91

Meyer Friedman and Ray Rosenman (1959)

Answer 91

coined the term **Type A personality**; characteristics clustered under Type A description: perfectionistic, prone to hostility, stubborn, opinionated, cynical, controlling, and concerned with deadlines; hostility most associated w/ CHD

Question 92

Janice Kiecolt-Glaser

Answer 92

Alzheimer's caregivers and the immune system: small (standardized) wound took 24% longer to heal in Alzheimer's caregivers. The negative psychological effects seem to be lower among black than white people

Question 93

Lisa Berkman and Leonard Syme (1979) | 11.2 Social Support

Question 94

*alarm reaction*

Answer 94

involves **excitation** of the autonomic NS, the discharge of the stress hormone **adrenaline**, and physical symptoms of **anxiety**

Question 95

Hans Selye

Answer 95

physician; published *The Stress of Life* which ignited the **field of modern-day stress research**; general adaptation syndrome (**GAS**)