Psychology Exam Flashcards

Flashcards covering key concepts from the lecture notes on stress, psychological disorders, and therapeutic approaches.

Stress

A process where an individual perceives and responds to events that they appraise as overwhelming or threatening to their well being.

Stressor

The threatening or overwhelming events that trigger stress.

Eustress

Stress associated with positive feelings, optimal health, and performance.

Distress

Excessive and debilitating stress associated with fatigue, exhaustion, and poor performance.

General Adaptation Syndrome

A model that describes the body's response to stress in three phases: Alarm Reaction, Resistance, and Exhaustion.

Acute Stress

Brief events that sometimes continue to be experienced as overwhelming well after the event has ended.

Daily Hassles

Day-to-day stressors.

Job Burnout

A sense of emotional exhaustion and cynicism about one's job.

Immunosuppression

Decreased effectiveness of the immune system due to stress.

Psychoneuroimmunology

Study of how psychological factors influence the immune system.

Type A Personality

Characterized by hostility, competitiveness, and a sense of time urgency, often more stressed.

Type B Personality

Characterized by patience, cooperativeness, and lack of stress.

Learned Helplessness

The belief that one is unable to exert control and change a particular outcome.

Social Support

The soothing impact of friends or family during times of stress.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Focuses on changing cognitive distortions and self-defeating behaviors.

Exposure Therapy

A method to help individuals change their response to a conditioned stimulus.

Self-Actualization

The achievement of our fullest potential.

Neurotransmitters

Chemicals in the brain that can affect mood disorders.

Dopamine Hypothesis

Proposes that an overabundance of dopamine may be responsible for the onset of schizophrenia.

Anxiety Disorders

Characterized by excessive and persistent fear and anxiety.

Schizophrenia

Characterized by major disturbances in thought, perception, emotion, and behavior.

Dissociative Identity Disorder

A condition in which an individual exhibits two or more separate personalities.

Avolition

Lack of motivation to engage in self-initiated and meaningful activities.

Unconditional Positive Regard

Therapist accepts clients for who they are without judgment.

Mood Stabilizers

Medications that treat episodes of mania and depression.

Positive Psychology

Focus on strengths and factors that contribute to happiness.

Flow

A state of complete absorption and engagement in an activity.