Chapter 13 - Stress Health & Coping

stress

any circumstances that threaten or are percieved to threaten one’s well-being and that thereby tax one’s coping abilities

what type of disease can be stress related?

chronic diseases (develop gradually)

(ex. heart disease, cancer, stroke)

major stressors

significant immediate impact

(ex. divorce, death, new baby)

routine hassles

cumulative impact with significant impact over time

(ex. daily stress at home, work, or school)

stress depends on what?

the appraisal of the situation

acute stressors

relatively short duration and a clear endpoint

• easier to deal with

chronic stressors

long duration and no apparent time limit

• harder to deal with

what are the 4 main types of stress?

• frustration

• conflict

• change

• pressure

frustration

blocked goal

• occurs in any situation in which the pursuit of some goal is thwarted

• ex. failure, loss of something we are used to having

conflict

two or more incompatible motivations

vacillation

process of going back and forth between options due to indecision

what is approach-approach conflict?

a situation involving a choice between two equally desirable but incompatible alternatives

• ex. deciding whether to eat pizza or spaghetti for dinner

what is avoidance-avoidance conflict?

a situation involving a choice between two equally objectionable alternatives

• ex. choosing between unemployment or a bad job

what is approach-avoidance conflict?

a situation involving a single goal or option that has both desirable and undesirable aspects or consequences

• ex. a date with an attractive person, but chance of rejection

what did holmes and rahe create?

the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS)

pressure

expectations to behave in certain ways

performance pressure

the importance of doing well on a particular occasion

• typically involves performers who care deeply about what they are doing

percieved pressure

influenced by worries about poor performance, balancing perfomance + non-performance commitments, and dealing with expectations (from others and oneself)

what are the 3 main types of stress response?

• emotional responses

• physiological responses

• behavioural responses

what is the inverted U hypothesis?

• task performance improves with increased emotional arousal up to a certain point

• after this point, further arousal is disruptive and performance deteriorates

peak performance

optimal level of arousal

according to the inverted U hypothesis, what is the optimal level of arousal for a simple task?

high level of arousal

according to the inverted U hypothesis, what is the optimal level of arousal for a complex task?

low level of arousal

cognitive anxiety

involves negative expectations about themselves, the situation they are in, and the potential consequences

somatic anxiety

the physiological arousal component of pressure (ex. rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, upset stomach, tense muscles)

what is the cue utilization theory?

as arousal increases, attention focus narrows and the narrowing process tends to gate out irrelevant environmental cues first and then, if arousal is high enough, the relevant ones

according to the cue utilization theory, how does high arousal effect our attention field?

high arousal narrows our attention field, and we may miss task-relevant information

according to the cue utilization theory, how does low arousal effect our attention field?

low arousal lets task-irrelevant information into our attention field

what did selye say about stress?

stress is a disease of adaptation

what are the 3 phases of stress response according to selye’s general adaptation syndrome model?

• alarm

• resistance

• exhaustion

what is the “alarm” stage of selye’s general adaptation syndrome model?

recognizing a threat and mobilizing resources to deal with it

what is the “resistance” stage of selye’s general adaptation syndrome model?

arousal stabilizes, but is still above baseline

• prolonged stress

what is the “exhaustion” stage of selye’s general adaptation syndrome model?

the body’s resources for fighting stress are limited or depleted

what does the autonomic nervous system (ANS) do when stress is present?

the hypothalamus activates the sympathetic division of the ANS, stimulates the adrenal glands to release catechlolamines = mobilize body for action

what does the pituitary gland do when stress is present?

hypothalamus sends signals to the pituitary to secrete corticosteroids = increase energy and inhibit tissue inflammation

coping

efforts to master, reduce, or tolerate the demands created by stress

how does “positive illusion” help stress?

normal people tend to have overly favorable self-images, overestimate the degree to which they control chance events, and display unrealistic optimism about the future

what are the 4 things that constructive coping involves?

• confronting problems directly

• realistic appraisals

• recognizing disruptive emotional reactions

• self-care

what are the 4 components to burnout?

• exhaustion

• cynicism

• reduced self-efficacy

• loss of meaning

psychosomatic

physical ailments with a genuine organic basis that are caused in part by psychological factors

hypochondriasis

physical ailments are viewed as being “all in one’s head” or imagined

what are the three elements of a type A personality?

• strong competitiveness

• impatience and time urgency

• anger and hostility

what is the optimistic explanatory style?

leads people to attribute setbacks to temporary situational factors

what is the pessimistic explanatory style?

leads people to blame setbacks on their own personal shortcomings