Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
38 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Stress |
Physical and psychological response to internal and external stressors |
|
Stressors |
Specific events or chronic pressures that place demands on a person or threaten the person's well-being |
|
Health psychology |
Subfield of psychology concerned with ways psychological factors influence the causes and treatment of physical illness and the maintenance of health |
|
Chronic stressors |
Sources of stress that occur continuously or repeatedly Effects can accumulate and be long-lasting Chronic stressors have been shown to be linked to environments through environmental psychology |
|
Perceived control over stressful events |
Stressors challenge you to do something about it Having lack of control over the situation can add to the stress Perceived control over stressful events can be related to more effective coping |
|
Stress Reactions |
Stress can produce changes in every system of the body and mind, stimulating both physical reactions and psychological reactions Severe stress significantly accelerates the aging process Stressors can cause hormones (glucocorticoids) to flood the brain wearing down the immune system and making it less able to fight invaders The heart and circulatory system are also sensitive to stress Research links intensity, drive, anger and hostility to increased rates of heart disease The heart and circulatory system are also sensitive to stress |
|
Fight-or-flight response |
Emotional and physiological reaction to an emergency that increases readiness for action Brain activation in response to threat occurs in the hypothalamus, stimulating the nearby pituitary gland, which in turn releases ACTH, the HPA axis, catecholamines, and cortisol |
|
General adaptation Syndrome (GAS) |
Three-stage physiological stress response that appears, regardless of stressor encountered Alarm phase: rapid mobilization Resistance phase: adaptation and coping Exhaustion phase: collapse |
|
Telomeres |
Caps at the end of each chromosome that protect the ends of chromosomes and prevent them from sticking to each other |
|
Telomerase |
Enzyme that rebuilds telomeres at the tips of chromosomes |
|
Immune system |
Complex response system that protects the body from bacteria, viruses, and other foreign substances |
|
Psychoneuroimmunology |
Study of how the immune system responds to psychological variables |
|
Atherosclerosis |
Gradual narrowing of the arteries that occurs as fatty deposits or plaque, build up on the inner walls of the arteries |
|
Type A behavior pattern |
Tendency toward easily aroused hostility, impatience, a sense of time urgency, and competitive achievement strivings |
|
Primary appraisal |
Interpretation of stimulus as stressful or not |
|
Secondary appraisal |
Determination of whether the stressor is something that can be handled or not |
|
Threat |
Stressor you believe that might not be overcome (negative appraisal) |
|
Challenge |
Stress you feel fairly confident you can control (positive appraisal) |
|
Burnout |
A state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion created by long-term involvement in an emotionally demanding situation and accompanied by lowered performance and motivation |
|
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) |
Disorder characterized by chronic physical arousal, recurrent unwanted thoughts or images of the trauma, and avoidance of things that call the traumatic event to mind |
|
Stress management: dealing with it |
A significant part of stress management is control of the mind Stress often manifests itself through bodily symptoms; bodily techniques such as meditation, relaxation therapy, biofeedback, and aerobic exercise are useful in its management The value of social support in protecting against stress Spirituality has been observed to be helpful in a wide range of areas Humor can help with stress coping Directing attention toward the body or away from it can influence the symptoms we perceive |
|
Repressive coping |
Avoiding situations or thoughts that are reminders of a stressor and maintaining an artificially positive viewpoint |
|
Rational coping |
Facing a stressor and working to overcome it Three step process: acceptance, exposure, understanding |
|
Reframing |
Finding a new or creative way to think about a stressor that reduces a threat |
|
Stress inoculation training (SIT) |
Reframing technique that helps people cope with stressful situations by developing positive ways to think about situation |
|
Meditation |
Practice of intentional contemplation |
|
Relaxation therapy |
Technique for reducing tension by consciously relaxing muscles of the body |
|
Relaxation response |
Condition of reduced muscle tension, cortical activity, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure |
|
Biofeedback |
Use of an external monitoring device to obtain information about a bodily function and possibly gain control over that function |
|
Aerobic exercise |
Exercise that increases heart rate and oxygen intake for sustained period May increase serotonin and endorphins Keeps the body fit and healthy |
|
Social support |
Aid gained through interacting with others Can offer help in times of stress Being in relationships correlates with mental health Women are more likely to seek support under stress |
|
Oxytocin effects |
Triggers social responses: a tendency to seek out social contacts, nurture others, and create and maintain cooperative groups lowers stress boosts the warm fuzzies |
|
Sickness response |
Coordinated, adaptive set of reactions to illness organized by brain; can be prompted through stress without infection Withdrawal from activity and eating to conserve energy to fight illness Immune response begins activation of white cells Release of cytokines |
|
Cytokines |
Proteins that activate vagus nerve and induce "I am sick" message |
|
Sick role |
Socially recognized set of rights and obligations linked to illness; exemptions and obligations |
|
Malingering |
Feigning medical or psychological symptoms to achieve something one wants |
|
Optimism |
Presence of positive future expectancies predict positive health outcomes Optimism (seeing the sunny side of every situation) is healthier than pessimism (expecting things to go wrong) |
|
Hardness |
Stress-resistant group characteristics include commitment, control, and challenge Hardy individuals who are thick-skinned (committed, in control, accept challenges) tend to handle stress better and are healthier |