Stress

Question 1

Define stress

Answer 1

Feeling pressure or anxiety. The state of psychological or physiological tension

Question 2

Define eustress

Answer 2

Perceived as positive stress, a good challenge and non harmful

Question 3

Define distress

Answer 3

Perceived as negative stress, can be overwhelming and distracting

Question 4

What is a stressor

Answer 4

The event/thing that causes stress

Question 5

What is the yerkes model of performance and arousal

Answer 5

Shows having too low arousal=distress, not enough motivation preform badly
Moderate arousal=eustress, focused attention preform well
Too much stress= distress, burn out too excited preform badly

Question 6

What causes stress

Answer 6

Daily pressures
Life events
Major catastrophe
Acculturation stress

Question 7

Examples of daily pressures

Answer 7

Fighting with friends, homework, losing keys or phone

Question 8

Examples of life events

Answer 8

Poor social relationships
Minimal social interactions
Lack of social skills
Lack of social support

Marriage, kids

Question 9

Examples of major catastrophes

Answer 9

Natrual disaster

Death

Question 10

Define acculturation stress and give examples

Answer 10

Stress of individuals trying to adapt to a new culture

Language difficulties
Racism
Lower socioeconomic status
Separation from family

Question 11

Two types of stress reactions and examples

Answer 11

Physiological (feel) 
Headache
Skin rash
Psychological (think)
Behavioural- changes to eating/sleeping
Emotion-agreesive
Cognitive-loss of concentration

Question 12

What is the initial response to a stress

Answer 12

Flight fight freeze is activated and releases adrenaline

Question 13

What happens when stress is built up over a long period of time

Answer 13

HPA axis is activated
Hypothalamus (in the brain) stimulate
Piturity gland (in the brain) releases hormones in the blood through endocrine system.
Adrenal gland (top of kidney) releases cortisol

Question 14

Define cortisol

Answer 14

A stress hormone that increases vital functions like metabolism. Glucose is increased leading the body to preform better because it has more energy in times of stress.

Question 15

What happens when cortisol is activated for a long period of time

Answer 15

It becomes suppressed leading to surpresed immunity and more susceptible (likely) to get an illness

Question 16

What happens in each step of the Selyes (GAS) model

Answer 16

Alarm reaction stage
-body goes into shock(blood pressure drops)
- rebounds with counter shock. Sympathetic nervous system is activists and high arousal
Resistance stage
- cortisol is released into blood stream
Exhaustion
- extreme fatigue,high levels of anxiety body becomes vulnerable to illness

Question 17

How to remember GAs

Answer 17

GAS gives me a SCARE

Shock &Counter shock occur in Alarm stage, followed by Resistance and finally Exhaustion

Question 18

What does GAS stand for

Answer 18

General adaption syndrome

Question 19

Picture selyes general adaption syndomre

Answer 19

Picture

Question 20

Picture yerkes Dodson law curve

Answer 20

Picture

Question 21

Is GAS biological or psychological

Answer 21

Biological because it looks at the body’s physical response to stress

Question 22

Lazarus and folkman transaction model to stress and coping steps

Answer 22

Picture

Question 23

What does Lazarus and folkmans theory outline

Answer 23

Stress response depends on an individuals interpretation/ appraisal on a stressor and their ability to cope with it.

Question 24

What’s are some psychological factors that cause or influence someone’s response to stress

Answer 24

Prior experience with stress
Outlook on life(optimism)
Personality

Question 25

Define primary apraisal in Lazarus and folk as

Answer 25

To evaluate or judge significance of event. Is it irralevent, benign positive or stressful If stressful is it harm/loss, threat or challenge

Question 26

Explain threat responses according to Lazarus and folkman

Answer 26

Harm/loss- how much damage has already occurred eg. Have I lost my job? Threat-what harm/ loss could occur in future eg. I might not have enough money to pay rent Challenge- potential for personal growth eg I'll get a better job and learn how to budget effectively(this can lead to no stress)

Question 27

Define secondary appraisal

Answer 27

Evaluation of coping options and external/internal resources available

Question 28

What is reappraisal

Answer 28

Going back over an earlier stressor to see if further attention is needed

Question 29

Define coping

Answer 29

An attempt to manage demands of stressor

Question 30

What is problem focused coping compared to emotion focused coping and give examples

Answer 30

Problem focused is manage or change the cause of the problem eg ask to resit failed test and study hard Emotion focused coping- strategies to deal with emotional response to stress but does not deal with the problem as they feel like they have no control eg I don't care about school marks

Question 31

Strengths and limitation for sylyes general adaption syndrome(GAS)

Answer 31

Strengths Measures a predictable patter that's in individuals Tracks biological factors in different types of stress. Limitations Research was conducted on rats not humans Does not account for individuals differences and psychological factors.

Question 32

Lazarus and folkmans transactional model strengths and limitations

Answer 32

Strengths Focuses on individuality of stress response Emphasises importance of stress management strategies. Limitations Difficult to test through experimental research Overlap between primary and secondary stages

Question 33

An example of steps from the Lazarus and folkmans model for this example Your stuck in a traffic jam on your way to work

Answer 33

Stressor- being late for work Primary appraisal- stressful, could lose job?could make boss angry? -threat Secondary appraisal Problem focused coping- call work to tell your gonna be late Emotion focused- i don't care what my work thinks

Question 34

Define self efficiency

Answer 34

Belief that we have our own ability to affect our actual outcome

Question 35

Define resilience

Answer 35

A persons ability to adapt to stressor

Question 36

Define coping flexibility

Answer 36

The ability of a person to change their coping strategy. Positive outcomes with people wig high coping flexibility

Question 37

Define context specific coping

Answer 37

The tendency for some people to cope more efficiently in certain situation then others in that situation.

Question 38

Compare approach vs avoident coping with stress

Answer 38

Approach- confront the problem, attempt to decrease stress by fixing the problem. This is a healthy response to stress. Avoidant- ignore/avoid the problem to illuminate the feeling of stress but not fixing the problem eg ignore facts and denial

Question 39

How does exercise help with stress management

Answer 39

Depletes body of excess stress hormones eg cortisol therefore strengthens the immune system Helps maintain healthy heart rate and relaxes muscles Promotes positive mood therefore increases levels of serotonin

Question 40

How does meditation help with stress management

Answer 40

Slows heart rate and lowers blood pressure Reduces muscle tension Initiates relaxation response and strengthens mind against stress