Health and Well-Being Ch. 11

Health psychology

A field that involves the application of psychological principles to promote health and well-being

Biopsychosocial Model

An approach to psychological science that integrates biological factors, psychological processes, and social-contextual influences in shaping human mental life and behavior

(Contrasts with the traditional medical model that views the individual as passive recipient of both disease and treatment)

Stressor

Something in the environment that is perceived as threatening/demanding

Eustress

The stress of positive event

Distress

The stress of negative events

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis

body system involved in stress response and regulation

• Hypothalamus

• Pituitary Gland

• Adrenal Glands:

Cortisol

Circulates throughout the body to various brain areas (Hypothalamus, Pituitary Gland, and Adrenal Glands)

It triggers a negative-feedback look to turn off the HPA Axis (stress response regulation)

Signals the hypothalamus and amygdala to encode memory and process emotions related to stress

SLOWS THE STRESS RESPONSE

The General Adaptation Syndrome

Three stages of psychological response to stress

Alarm Stage

Resistance Stage

Exhaustion Stage (systems fail)

Allostatic Load

The cumulative “wear and tear” on biological systems including the stress, digestive, immune, cardiovascular, and hormonal systems, after repeated or chronic stressful events.

Psychoneuroimmunology

a field of study that explores the complex interactions between the brain, nervous system, immune system, and behavior

 Ex - how chronic stress can trigger or worsen inflammatory conditions like psoriasis

Types of coping 

Emotion focused coping

• Try to prevent having an emotional response to a stressor

Problem-focused coping

• Confront or minimize stressor

Buffering Hypothesis

When others provide emotional support, the recipient is better able to cope with stressful events