U3AOS1B - Stress Flashcards
(41 cards)
1
Q
Define stress
A
- A psychological and physiological state of tension
- Occurs when an individual encounters something of significance that demands their attention and/or efforts to cope
2
Q
What is distress?
A
- Form of stress characterised by a negative psychological state
- Also ‘eustress’ (taken out of study design), where it is a positive psychological state
3
Q
Define acute stress
A
- Form of stress characterised by intense psychological and physiological symptoms that are brief in duration
4
Q
Define chronic stress
A
- Form of stress that endures for several months or longer
5
Q
Briefly describe the Yerkes-Dodson law
A
- Low and high arousal is linked to poor performance
- Moderate arousal is linked to optimal performance
6
Q
Define stressor
A
- A stimulus (internal or external) that prompts the stress response
- Can be internal or external
7
Q
Define and list examples of internal stressors
A
- A stimulus from within a person’s body that prompts the stress response
- Hunger, illness (physiological)
- Pessimistic attitude, low self-esteem (psychological)
8
Q
Define and list examples of external stressors
A
- A stimulus from outside of a person’s body that prompts the stress response
- An upcoming exam
- Financial difficulties
- Relationship conflicts
- Being overworked
9
Q
State examples of physiological stress responses
A
- Skin rashes
- Headaches
- Colds/flu
- Heart palpitations
- Heart attack
- Stomach ulcers
10
Q
State examples of psychological stress responses
A
-
Behavioural
- Changes to eating habits
- Changes to sleep
-
Emotional
- Irritability
- Aggression
-
Cognitive
- Decreased concentration
- Memory impairment
11
Q
Explain the fight-flight-freeze response in relation to stress
A
- More prominent during acute stress
- Can include any adaptive response that gives the body all necessary resources to maximise survival
12
Q
Define cortisol
A
- Hormone released in times of stress to aid the body in initiating and maintaining heightened arousal
- Increases glucose to help different bodily functions repair damage done through stress and to help combat the stress itself
- Released after the FFF response to help sustain high levels of energy
- More prominent in chronic stress
- Also has a job in defending the immune system
- If used in stress, cannot protect the immune system
13
Q
How can stress damage the body?
A
- During acute stress adrenaline is released
- If for a prolonged time, adrenaline can stay in the body and eventually cause damage to the stomach (stomach ulcers)
- Cortisol is released to repair damage and sustain heightened arousal
14
Q
Does stress cause disease?
A
- No, but prolonged stress can make individuals more susceptible
15
Q
Describe the HPA axis in relation to stress
A
- Hypothalamus, Pituitary and Adrenal glands
- FFF response activates adrenaline
- Stress continues, therefore the release of adrenaline must continue
- Amygdala senses that there is a threat
- Triggers HPA axis to release cortisol
16
Q
Draw and label each stage of Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome model
A
- Graph should include:
- Y-Axis of Resistance levels to stress
- X-axis of Time
- Stages - Alarm (split into shock and counter shock), Resistance and Exhaustion
- Should decrease in shock, increase in counter shock and peak around the middle of Resistance (adrenaline requires assistance from cortisol) until final decrease in Exhaustion
- Line starts at ‘Normal levels of resistance to stress’
17
Q
Describe the elements of General Adaptation Syndrome
A
-
Alarm - Shock
- RTS is below normal
- Body acts as though it is injured, blood pressure and body temperature drop
-
Alarm - Counter shock
- RTS is above normal
- Sympathetic NS is activated
- FFF response is activated
- Adrenaline and cortisol released
-
Resistance
- RTS is above normal
- Cortisol is released and all unnecessary functions are shut down
- Individual appears as though all is normal
-
Exhaustion
- RTS is below normal
- Resources are depleted
- Immune system is left weakened and prolonged release of adrenaline has negative effects on the body (stomach ulcers)
- Individual is susceptible to illness and disease
RTS = Resistance to Stress
18
Q
How does GAS explain stress?
A
- Explains stress from a biological perspective
19
Q
What are the strengths of GAS?
A
- Evidence of relationship between stress and illness
- Highlights predictable pattern that can be measured in individuals
20
Q
What are the weaknesses of GAS?
A
- Research was not conducted on humans (done on rats)
- Does not account for individual differences and psychological factors
21
Q
What is the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping?
A
- Involves encounter between an individual and their external environment
- Stress response depends upon the individual’s interpretation (appraisal) of the stressor and their ability to cope with it
22
Q
Describe the first stage of the TMS
A
-
Primary Appraisal
- Individual’s assessment of the situation
- Benign-Positive, Stressful or Irrelevant
- If stressful, it is deduced as either a harm/loss (past), threat (could happen in future) or challenge
23
Q
Describe the second stage of the TMS
A
-
Secondary Appraisal
- Assessment of available sources for coping
- If not enough - Stress
- If enough - Reduced/ eliminated stress OR reappraisal (go back to primary)
- Internal resources - Character, personality
- External resources - Support networks, money, time
24
Q
Is reappraisal important?
A
- Yes because the consideration of one’s resources can change their perception of a situation
25
What is the equation of the Transactional Model?
* Demands > resources = stress
26
How does the TMS explain stress?
* Primary and secondary appraisal are **dependent on individual factors and the many psychological determinants** that may influence this response
* Explains stress as a **psychological** process
27
What are the strengths of the TMS?
* Accounts for **individual differences** in responses to similar situations
* Responds to **changes in an individual's response** through the **reappraisal** stage
* Explains **why differences can occur** within an individual's response to situations
28
What are the weaknesses of the TMS?
* **Lack of empirical evidence** due to the **subjective** nature of data collected
* Often **overlap between primary and secondary appraisal** stages
* **Less discrete and reoccur more simultaneously** than the model suggests
29
Compare GAS to TMS
* **Similarities**
* Stress over **time**
* References to stress as a **psychobiological** process
* **Differences**
* GAS - Biological, TMS - Psychological
* GAS - Study done on animals, TMS - Study done on humans
30
What is the relationship between gut microbiota and stress?
* Biome - Area for a community of living things
* Gut **becomes its own microbiome** due to the microbiota that live thre
* Study conducted where **microorganisms were removed from gut** of animals
* Animals were found to **secrete more stress hormone**
* Showed **anxiety-like behaviours**
* Recent research on **humans** show **unhealthy gut microbiota** is linked to...
* Higher stress levels
* Anxiety disorders
* Cognitive decline
31
What is the gut-brain axis?
* **Bi-directional** relationship **between the gut and the brain** through the enteric and central nervous systems
* Messages are relayed between gut and brain through **vagus nerve**
* Connect **cognitive & emotional regions** of brain via **sensory + motor neurons**
* **90%** information **afferent** pathway
* Gut microbiota
* Produce **GABA, serotonin + dopamine**
* **Chronic** stress and **cortisol** levels have an impact
* **Type + Variety** of microbiota influence **responsiveness** to stress
* Examples of gut-brain axis in action...
* **Bowel inflammation 👅 → Impacts brain function 🧠**
* **Depression 🧠 → Impacts gut health 👅**
## Footnote
🔗- Zietgebers = Blue Light ↑ Cortisol
**Important** → Bidirectional, link emotional & cognitive parts of the brain with peripheral intestinal functions
32
How can ingesting antibiotics influence stress levels?
* Antibiotics are designed to *kill bacteria*
* This can include **both good and bad bacteria** in the gut microbiome → **Alters its composition**
* Results in a **change in the balance of hormones** released by the enteric nervous system → **Higher levels of stress**
33
What is an approach strategy?
* Coping strategies that **directly confront the source** of the stress
* Involve behaviours that **attempt to decrease the stress by addressing or finding solutions** to the problem
* **Typically a healthy** response
34
What is an avoidance strategy?
* Coping strategies that **evade the stressor, seeking to indirectly reduce stress**
* Involve **failing to engage or deal with the stress** by **protecting oneself from psychological distress**
* **Typically maladaptive**
* Unhealthy for the individual
* Unhelpful for relieving the source of the stress
35
What can influence which coping strategy we engage in?
* **Self-efficacy**
* The **belief** in **our own ability** and that **our actions can influence outcomes**
* **Resilience**
* Our ability to **bounce back** following **adversity**
36
What are the strengths of an approach strategy?
* Generally considered more **adaptive and effective**
* People who rely on approach strategies tend to experience **fewer psychological symptoms**
* Can **function more effectively**
37
What are the weaknesses of an approach strategy?
* In **short term**, they **may increase stress levels** while the individual is **directly engaged** with the stressor and its causes
* May **require a lot of energy to focus and deal with the stressor**
* Cause them to **neglect other aspects of their lives**
38
What are the strengths of an avoidance strategy?
* Appropriate in a situation where **nothing can be done**
* Avoiding unchangeable stressor → **Adaptive**
* Allows you to **conserve energy** for other **stressors that can be changed**
* More **effective in short term**
39
What are the weaknesses of an avoidance strategy?
* Tend to be **maladaptive**
* Excessive reliance associated with **negative consequences**
* Tend to **only** be helpful in **short term**
* Use in long-term can **prevent** people from **responding to stressors in constructive ways**
* Use can be **detrimental when action is needed**
40
What is context-specific effectiveness?
* When the coping strategy used is **appropriate for the unique demands** of the stressor
41
What is coping flexibility?
* The ability to **adjust or change one's coping strategies** depending on the **unique and changing demands of a stressor**
* **High** levels are associated with a **lower incidence of mental illness** and a **higher incidence of positive** outcomes
