Psychobiology of Disease Flashcards Preview

YR2: Psychology > Psychobiology of Disease > Flashcards

Flashcards in Psychobiology of Disease Deck (21)
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1
Q

What is the fight or flight response?

A

Physiological response to stress

2
Q

What are the three stages of Selye’s general adaptation syndrome?

A

1: Alarm Reaction: shift to sympathetic dominance –increased arousal
2: Resistance: endocrine system produces ACTH to maintain increased arousal
3: Exhaustion: adrenals lose their ability to function normally

3
Q

Describe the psycho-psychological and behavioural pathways linking stress and disease.

A

Events cause stress
Stress leads to physiological + behavioural changes
These lead to disease

4
Q

Describe the findings of the Steptoe experiment on health behaviour and stress.

A

Interaction between health behaviour + social support
Smoking: During exam time: high social support smoked less, low social support smoked more
Drinking: at baseline high social support smoked more than low. During exam time: low social support drank more, high social support drank less

5
Q

What effect does stress have on the immune system?

A

Immunosuppression

6
Q

What psychological condition increases the risk of developing coronary heart disease?

A

Anxiety

7
Q

What 5 elements characterise Type A behaviour?

A
Time urgency  
Free-floating hostility  
Hyper-aggressiveness 
Focus on accomplishment 
Competitive + goal-driven
8
Q

What is the link between Type A behaviour and cardiovascular disease? What behavioural factor plays a key role in this?

A

Increased risk of coronary heart disease

Hostility

9
Q

What is the placebo effect?

A

An inactive substance can improve a patient’s condition simply because the patient has the expectation that it will be helpful

10
Q

Describe the relationship between social support/relationships and health.

A

Adequate social relationships increases likelihood of survival by 50% vs. those with insufficient social relationships
Social support exerts effects beyond the protective psychological role
High social support is associated with decreased mortality

11
Q

State 7 examples of components of stress management.

A
Organisation  
Time management  
Recognising stress 
Appraisal review  
Relaxation techniques 
Social support  
Formal support
12
Q

What is stress?

A

cognitive appraisals, emotional reactions, physiological responses + behavioural tendencies that occur in response to perceived imbalance between situational demands + resources needed to cope with them

13
Q

What 2 pathways are activated in response to stress?

A

Sympathetic nervous system

Hypothalamic pituitari adrenocortical axis

14
Q

What are the 2 appraisals involved in the stress response?

A

Primary: Situational demands
Secondary: Availability of resources to cope with demands

15
Q

What is the relationship between depression and coronary heart disease?

A

Depression increases risk of developing CHD
Depression worsens the prognosis of CHD (physiological e.g. platelet activity + behavioural changes e.g. lack of activity)

16
Q

What are 3 strategies to coping with stress?

A

Problem focused coping e.g. Planning
Emotion focused coping e.g. Denial
Seeking social support e.g. guidance

17
Q

Define approach and avoidance as coping styles

A

Approach: Activity orientated towards a threat
Avoidance: Activity oriented away from a threat

18
Q

How does branding influence level of perceived symptoms?

A

Branded medication had a greater efficacy at reducing symptoms

19
Q

What are the 4 psychological mechanisms underlying the placebo effect?

A

Framing
Social learning
Experimental learning
Classical conditioning

20
Q

What is the nocebo effect?

A

A negative effect occurring after receiving treatment even when the treatment is inert

21
Q

What can be concluded from studies on the placebo effect?

A

Effect of interventions can be increased by the way they’re presented in form + manner