Describe the leading perspectives on stress
3 perspectives
stress as a:
1. stimulus: stress is stimulus
2. response: physiological response
3. transaction: process involving continuous interactions & adjustments between person & enviroment what affect eachother
Examples of stress where its applicable
Stress as stimulus/environment:
types of stressors (4) & examples
- Acute: one and done
- chronic: prolonged & repeated
- Major life events : All change is considered stressful as it requires people to adapt & respond (increase chance of colds when increase stressful event)
- Daily hassles: Frequent unpleasant/possible harmful events. More predictive of future health ( Inc. mortality among people who report high frequ daily hassles)
What is the stress response
A persons physiological response (1) or psychological response (2)
- Fight or flight: Allows mobilisation & increased energy & focus by shutting down non-essential processes.
- Thoughts & emotions
Whats the transactional model of stress and how does it relate to stress as a transaction
types of appraisal (2)
Transactional model of stress: Dependent on how event is appraised -> aka cognitive appraisal
Primary Appraisal: is this stress good or irrelevant. would it be a threat to me?
secondary appraisal: Do i have the resources to meet the demands. (behavioural & cognitive control)
Stress is a transaction leading a person to perceive a discrepancy between demands of a situation and the resources of their biological, psychological, or social systems
primary health effects of chronic stress
3
Dysregulation of HPA -> elevated cortisol
Elevated blood glucose
* more storage of visceral fat
* higher BP, cholesterol
impaired immune functioning
* accelerate cancer growth
inflammation
Factors affecting appraisal
2 factors
Personal Factors: Personality, self-esteem, motivation, perfectionism, etc.
Situational Factors:
- Desirability: some situations are undesirable to most people.
- Controllability: some situations are outside of behavioural or cognitive influences.
primary health effects of cortisol
Suppressed nonessential systems. Eg: Immunity
Reduce inflammation
Helps return us into homeostasis
Regulated by negative feedback from hypothalamus when the stressor is gone
Define the general adaptation syndrome
- Alarm :Physiological mobilisation for action (eg. fight or flight). High amounts of cortisol
- Resistance: Cope with stressor. Continues until body resources deplites
- Exhaustion: Body breaks down
Define allostatic load
define, what does it do, example
- accumulating effects for having to adapt to stress over time
- impairing body’s ability to adapt to future stressors
- Eg. Daily hassle
Define PTSD
definition, effects, how long, association with cortisol and why?
- disorder thats resulted from exposure to highly stressful/traumatic event.
- higher reactivity to new stress
- symptoms lasting 1 month+
- Showing lower cortisol @ morning
cortisol is usually high during the morning to help wake us up. aka harder to wake up for people with PTSD
Factors associated with posttramatic growth
Define then 4 factors
The positive psychological change following the highly challenging experience
- appreciation of life
- renewed commitments to goals
- greater intimacy in relationships and sense of personal growth
- warmer/more loving personality
describe the freeze response
what causes it and why it happens, what could it affect
due to intense fear.
- Parasympathetic break on the motor system
- allows dissociation from highly dangerous events
- increase chance of PTSD
Identify sources of stress
3 sources
- individual
- family/social network
- community/society
occupational stress
what model?
- stress originating from work place
Demand control support model
* Perceived demand
* perceived control
* perceived social support
environmental stress
- occupational stress
- uncontrollable environmental stimuli
stress contagion
2 types
- stress spillover: within individual, brought to another place
- stress crossover: between people
Benefits of stress:
types & factors (4)
- Eustress= stress that is beneficial or constructive
- Flow: Optimal state of complete absorption in work, play, or creativity. Arises spontaneously while engrossed
feeling perfectly challenged (neither bored nor overwhelmed). indicator of mental health and optimal functioning
Factors:
- Stimulate cell growth in brain’s learning centres
- Stimulate immune activity
- Improve accuracy in cognitive tasks
- Reinforce good (and bad) habits
