PD 12: MIDTERMS

Stress

- Simply a reaction to a stimulus that disturbs our physical or mental equilibrium

- An omnipresent part of life

- A way the body reacts to challenging situations

- Also a stimulus and relational condition between persons and the situations they're in

- Fight-or-Flight

- adrenaline

- cortisol

- Stress can trigger "_____________" response, cause hormones such as ___________ and _________ to surge through the body

Stress hormone

- Stress involves the interactions between the hormones, glands, and nervous systems where the adrenal gland drives the production of cortisol better known as the "____________"

Dr. Lazarus

He suggested that there is a difference between stress: Eustress and Distress

Eustress

- Motivates the person, focus energy

- Perceived as within our coping abilities

- Feels exciting

- Improves performance

- Is short-term

Ex: Receiving a promotion, marriage, new job, new home, vacation, retiring, holiday, school, having a child, moving places

Distress

- Causes anxiety or concern

- Can be short or long term

- Perceived as outside our coping abilities

- Feels unpleasant

- Decreases performance

- Can lead to mental and physical problems

Ex: Death, separation, divorce, injury/illness, abuse, sleep problems, poverty, legal problems, losing something, unemployment

Health Stress

- Stressors have a major influence upon mood, our sense of well-being, behavior, and health

- Acute stress responses in young, healthy individuals may be adaptive and typically do not impose a health burden. However, it is the threat is unremitting, particularly in older or unhealthy individuals, the long-term effects of stressors can damage health

Coping

- May be a combination of both problems focused on emotional focused remedies

1.) Alteration of one's appraisal of stressful situations

-> Improves mood, reduce anxiety, mental relaxation or encourages a more positive thinking

Emotional-Focused Strategies

Unhealthy lifestyle

It relieves stress for the short term but the consequences often create even more stress for the individual

1.) Wrong priorities

2.) Wrong major/degree

3) Skills do not match degree/major

4.) Cannot assume responsibility

5.) Family problems

6.) Procrastination

7.) Poor attendance

8.) Poor time management

9.) Willingness to pursue field of study (unwilling to pursue career)

9 reasons you're failing in school

Paul Broca

- French physician, anatomist, and anthropologist known for pioneering work in brain localization, particularly related to speech

- He studied patients with speech impairments and found that damage to this specific area resulted in expressive Aphasia

- His work challenged the older view that all parts of the brain contribute equally to all functions, paving the way for functional specialization in brain science

Broca's Area

- Located in the left frontal lobe of the brain

- Critical for speech production

Aphasia

- Difficulty speaking but understanding remains intact

Louis Victor Leborgne

- Nicknamed "Tan" because he could only say the syllable "tan"

- Broca performed an autopsy after his death

Roger Sperry

- American neuropsychologist, neurobiologist who won the 1981 Nobel Prize in Psychology and Medicine for his work with split-brain research

- Discovered hemispheric lateralization

Split-Brain Research

- Study of patients with severed corpus callosum

- Involves sending messages to only one side of the brain

- Demonstrates right and left brain specialization

Callosotomy

- A surgical procedure that severed the corpus callosum

Hemispheric Specialization

- The control of distinct neurological functions by the right and left hemispheres of the brain.

- Language, logic, analytical thinking

(Ex: Control over right side of the body, written and spoken language, math calculations, logical decision making, reasoning)

Left Hemisphere

- Spatial ability, creativity, facial recognition, holistic processing

(Ex: Control of the left side of the body, understanding language, non-literal thinking, spatial awareness, imagination, facial recognition)

Right Hemisphere

Impact of the Split-Brain Theory

- Changed how we view the brain - not as one unified organ but as a system of cooperating yet distinct hemispheres. Influenced fields like: Neuroscience, Psychology, Education, Cognitive Science

Ned Hermann

- Majored in physics and music at Cornell University and pursued further studies at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and New York University

- Developed theories of the whole brain

- Responsible for overseeing training programs aimed at maintaining or increasing productivity

Whole Brain Theory (or Whole Brain Thinking)

- Divides the brain into four quadrants

- Each quadrant represents a different part of the brain

- It advocates that we all have a preferred way of thinking without even realizing it

Quadrant A (Analytical)

- Thinks things through logically and methodically

- Good at problem solving and making decisions

Color Significance: Blue - Clear to the point (specifically Cerulean Blue)

Quadrant B (Practical)

- Applies knowledge to real world situations

- Adept at organizing/planning, taking action, and managing

Color Significance: Green - Grounded and pragmatic

Quadrant C (Relational)

- Very expressive, interacts well with others, and fosters relationships, effective at communicating and collaborating

Color Significance: Red - Emotional and Warm

Quadrant D (Experimental)

- Thinks creatively and is open to trying new things: loves concepts, generates new ideas, and envisions the big picture

- Imaginative qualities

Color Significance: Yellow - Vibrancy and Energy

1. Enhanced Problem-Solving

2. Increased Productivity

3. Improved Communication

4. Fostered Innovation

Benefits of Whole Brain Thinking

Tony Buzan

- A British author and educational consultant known as the inventor of mind mapping

- He was a pioneer in techniques to brain training, memory, enhancing and thinking

Mind Map

- A diagram used to represent ideas or information branching out from a single or central key word or idea

- Used to aid in study, organization, problem solving, decision-making, and writing

- Useful visual tools helped in linking together concepts and information in such a way that the interconnection and interrelation of these are clearly laid out and easily accessible to help in problem solving and for reference and review

1. Center image represents the main idea, subject, or focus

2. The main branches radiate from the central image

3. The branches comprise a key image or word drawn or printed on its line

4. Twigs represent the lesser topics

5. The branches form a connected nodal structure

5 Essential Characteristics of a Mind Map

1. Write title of the subject, draw a circle

2. Draw out of the circle

3. Draw additional lines that will connect to other ideas for major topics

4. Individual facts or ideas

5. Link additional information to the mind map

Steps in Creating a Mind Map

Using Mind Map Effectively

- Use Single Words or phrases

- Print Words

- Use color to separate different ideas

- Use symbols and images

- Use color-linkages

Mental Health

- Includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being

- Affects how we think, feel, and act as we cope with life

- Helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices

Subjective Well-being

- Personal thoughts and feelings about overall state of being

- Mental health denotes positive and healthy interpretation of a person's self-concept, how a person feels

Perceived Self-Efficacy

- One's perception of one's value or worth, effectiveness, and ability in performance

- Anchored to one's self-worth and value or self-esteem

Autonomy

- Deal with one's capacity to separate one identity from significant persons like lovers and special friends

- Capacity for self-direction and having a clearly defined role identity

Competence

- Is related to self-esteem and self-identity

- Perception of one's capacity to perform using ones skill and knowledge to achieve desirable results in a given time

Intergenerational Independence

- Individuals who belong to different generations but may be living separately as independent, autonomous persons during a specific period of time

Self-Actualization of One's Intellectual and Emotional Potential

- One fulfills his/her physiological needs, security and safety needs, emotional and social needs, and self-esteem needs, the next need to be fulfilled is self-actualization

- About fulfilling ones perceived potential, becoming the person that one has always aspired for

1. Connect

2. Be Active

3. Keep learning

4. Give to others

5. Take Notice (Be in the present moment)

Steps to Improve Mental Health and Well-being