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-bein, 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