Stress, Coping, and Health Flashcards
(32 cards)
Any circumstances that threaten or are perceived to threaten one’s well-being and that thereby tax one’s coping abilities
Stress
Stress lies in the eye of the beholder
True
Experience whenever the pursuit if some goal is thwarted
Frustration
Occurs when two or more incompatible motivations or behavioral impulses compete for expression
Conflict
Major types of stress:
Conflict
Change
Pressure
Any noticeable alterations in one’s living circumstances that require readjustment
Change
Involves expectations or demands that one behave in a certain way
Pressure
We can analyze a person’s reactions to stress at 3 levels:
- Emotional responses
- Physiological responses
- Behavioral responses
Stress frequently produces feelings of anger ranging from mild annoyance to uncontrollable rage
Annoyance, anger, and rage
Stress probably evokes anxiety and fear more frequently than any other emotion.
Apprehension, anxiety, and fear
Stress makes people sad, routine setbacks make us feel rejected, and profound setbacks typically leave us grief-stricken
Dejection, sadness, and grief
Physiological arousal occurs as the body musters its resources to combat the threat
Fight-or-flight reaction
Refers to the active efforts to master, reduce, or tolerate the demands created by stress.
Coping
People often respond to stress by striking out at others with aggressive behavior
Striking out at others
Any behavior that is intended to hurt someone, either physically or verbally
Aggression
Aggression is always caused by frustration
Frustration-aggression hypothesis
When troubled by stress, many people engage in excessive consummatory behavior
Indulging oneself
Sigmund Freud originally developed the concept of defense mechanism
Defensive coping
Largely unconscious reactions that protect a person from unpleasant emotions such as anxiety and guilt
Defense mechanisms
Refers to relatively healthy efforts that people make to deal with stressful events
Constructive coping
What accounts for nearly 40% of the deaths in the United States every year?
Heart disease
Involves a reduction in blood flow in the coronary arteries
Coronary heart disease
Connection between coronary risk and this syndrome.
Involves self-imposed stress and intense reactions to stress
Type A behavior
The Type A personality includes 3 elements:
A strong competitive orientation
Impatience and time urgency
Anger and hostility