Stress:
Stress is very common and natural
Most individuals experience stress, including serious stressors, at some point in their lives
Stress is not the same as __________
Situations are stressful when we lack resources to cope
The tension, discomfort, or physical symptoms that arise when a situation called a stressor – a type of stimulus – strains our ability to cope effectively
trauma
Stressors as Stimuli:
Problem: not all people respond to stressors in the same way
- Individuals vary
- Complexity in responses: e.g., unity (and stress) after a natural disaster
Stimuli that cause stress and negative experiences
Stress as a Transaction
Stress is ___________
Interaction between individual and _________________
Primary appraisal: initial (…)
Secondary appraisal: perceptions (…)
subjective
environment
initial decision regarding whether an event is harmful
perceptions regarding ability to cope with an event that follows a primary appraisal
Problem-focused coping versus emotion-focused coping
Stress as a Response
Physiological and psychological responses to stressful events or experiences
Self-Report Measures
Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS)
Participants rate anticipated ____________ (readjustment) of 43 events
Focus is on __________ events
difficulty
significant
Hassles Scale
Hassle:
minor annoyance or nuisance that strains our ability to cope
Potential hassles become hassles when we appraise them as such
Major life events and hassles are associated with ______________________
Frequency and perceived severity of minor issues are better predictors of _______________ health
Negative responses to minor stressful events predict _________ and _____________
Major life events are also important: may “set us off”
poor general health
psychological
anxiety and depression
Name 3 Physiological Measures
Heart rate and blood pressure
EEG (brain activity)
Hormonal Testing (cortisol and adrenaline)
General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS):
Proposed by:
Stress response pattern that consists of three stages: alarm reaction, resistance, and exhaustion
Proposed by Hans Selye
Alarm Reaction
Fight-or-Flight Response:
Resistance
Adapt to stressor:
Exhaustion
No longer able to adapt to stressor
Body becomes depleted:
Negative psychological effects:
physical and psychological reaction that mobilizes people and animals to either defend themselves or escape a frightening situation
physiological responses are lessened (but continue to be higher than baseline)
illness, disease, damage to body, death
fatigue, depression, anxiety
Stress can be good: “Eustress” vs. “Distress” why?:
Give an E.g.
Because it gives us motivation
E.g.; Stress related to an upcoming exam
Pre-game stress for athletes
Lab research on memory (mild stressors)
Sympathetic Nervous System:
Fight or flight functions:
Parasympathetic nervous system activates to reduce stress response (balances sympathetic responses)
adrenaline is released
HPA Axis
Hypothalamus
Pituitary Gland
Adrenal Glands
Chain reaction of hormonal response lead to release of cortisol
HPA Axis functions to keep us _____ and ___________ to deal with or avoid danger
Chronic levels of hormones has _________ effects on the body
alert and motivated
negative
Individual Differences:
Perception/interpretation
Coping strategy
Type and degree of stress: acute or chronic
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Mental health condition caused by:
Symptoms:
highly stressful or frightening event
vivid memories, images, emotions pertaining to traumatic experience commonly called “flashbacks”
Gender Differences
Men exhibit more “_______________”
Women “_______________” more than men
Fight or flight is not absent in women (e.g., physical threats)
“fight or flight”
“tend and befriend”
Social Support:
Relationships with people and groups that can provide us with emotional comfort and personal and financial resources
May “buffer” against negative effects of stress
Coping Strategies
Problem-focused coping:
Emotion-focused coping:
May involve “avoidance-coping”
Match between stressor and either problem- or emotion-focused coping can be important
actively address the stressor by trying to solve the issue at hand
this involves regulating our emotions that come with stress, rather than trying to change the stressor
Control:
Behavioural control:
Cognitive control:
Informational control:
Decisional control:
Emotional control:
Catharsis: expressing anger or other intense negative emotions - expressing anger tends to increase anger
Merely talking about problems may not be helpful - constructive action is needed
C: Belief that a situation or stressor can be controlled
B: control behaviours (e.g., coping strategies)
C: controlling our thoughts; “cognitive restructuring”
I: seek out information to manage a stressful event
Can lead to proactive coping
D: can choose among alternative courses of action
E: can choose to suppress and express emotions (and the manner of doing so).
Individual Differences: People vary in how they are able to cope with stress
Hardiness: set of attitudes marked by (…)
Optimism: a tendency to view life’s (…)
Hostility and Competitiveness are associated with worse health outcomes
Spirituality and Religious Involvement
Rumination: excessive, repetitive thoughts that interfere (…)
a sense of control over events, commitment to life and work, and courage and motivation to confront stressful circumstances
events more positively
with other forms of mental activity
Health psychology examines the relationship between psychology and _______________
- Interdisciplinary
- Utilizes the biopsychosocial model
physical health.
Biopsychosocial Model:
illnesses or medical conditions are often the result of the interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors
Includes psychosomatic disorders
Skin Health
Suggestibility in contracting a rash
- Nocebo Effect
Skin and Psychosomatics:
many skin issues are impacted by various biological, psychological, and social factors
Immune System:
Immune system includes organs, barriers, proteins and chemicals that protect us from pathogens
Antibodies:
Phagocytes and lymphocytes
Killer T-cells are signaled by cytokines to attack viruses and cancer cells
Also includes: Lymph nodes, bone marrow, spleen, tonsils, thymus, skin and mucosa
our body’s defence against bacteria, viruses, and other potentially illness-producing organisms and substances.
A: proteins that bind to foreign substances
