Health Psych 1-3

acute disorder

an illness or other medical problem that occurs over a short period of time

adrenal glands

lying above the kidneys, the pair of endocrine glands that secrete epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol, which are hormones that arouse the body during moments of stress

amygdala

two clusters of neurons in the limbic system that are linked to emotion, especially aggression

antigen

a foreign substance that stimulates an immune response

arteries

blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart to other organs and tissues

association cortex

areas of the cerebral cortex that integrate multisensory information and higher mental functions such as thinking and speaking

attributable risk

the actual amount that a disease can be attributed to exposure to a particular risk factor

biomedical model

the dominant view of twentieth-century medicine that maintains that illness always has a physical cause

biopsychosocial model

the viewpoint that health and other behaviors are determined by the interaction of biological mechanisms, psychological processes, and social influences

birth cohort

a group of people who, because they were born at about the same time, experience similar historical and social influences

brainstem

the oldest and most central region of the brain; includes the medulla, pons, and reticular formation

bronchi

the pair of respiratory tubes that branch into progressively smaller passageways culminating in the air sacs within the right and left lungs

case–control studies

a retrospective epidemiological study in which people with a disease or condition are compared with people who are not affected by the disease or condition

cerebellum

located at the rear of the brain, this brain structure coordinates voluntary movement and balance

cerebral cortex

the thin layer of cells that covers the cerebrum, the seat of conscious sensation, skilled motor response, language, and information processing

confirmation bias

a form of faulty reasoning in which our expectations prevent us from seeing alternative explanations for our observations

correlation coefficient

a statistical measure of the strength and direction of the relationship between two variables, and thus of how well one predicts the other

critical thinking

a skeptical attitude that encourages health care providers and researchers to evaluate evidence and scrutinize conclusions

cross-sectional study

a type of observational study in which data are collected from a population, or representative subset, and one specific point in time

cytokines

protein molecules produced by immune cells that act on other cells to regulate immunity

debrief

the process in which research participants are given more details about the study following its completion

descriptive study

a research method in which researchers observe and record participants’ behaviors, often forming hypotheses that are later tested more systematically

ecological-systems approach

the viewpoint that nature is best understood as a hierarchy of systems, in which each system is simultaneously composed of smaller subsystems and larger, interrelated systems

epidemiology

the scientific study of the frequency, distribution, and causes of a particular disease or other health outcome in a population

epigenetic

the effects of environmental forces on how genes are expressed

etiology

the scientific study of the causes and origins of specific diseases

genomics

the study of the structure, function, and mapping of the genetic material of organisms

health

the state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being

health literacy

the capacity to obtain and understand health information and services, and to use them to make appropriate decisions about one’s health

health psychology

the application of psychological principles and research to the enhancement of health and the prevention and treatment of illness

hippocampus

a structure in the brain’s limbic system, linked to spatial orientation, learning, and memory

humoral theory

a concept of health proposed by Hippocrates that considered wellness a state of equilibrium among four basic bodily fluids, called humors

hypothalamus

lying just below the thalamus, the region of the brain that influences hunger, thirst, body temperature, and sexual behavior; helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland

immigrant paradox

the finding that, although low socioeconomic status usually predicts poor health, this is not true for some ethnic groups

incidence

the number of new cases of a disease or condition that occur in a specific population within a defined time interval

informed consent

patients’ knowledge regarding the particular procedures and physical sensations that accompany a medical treatment

integumentary system

skin, hair, nails, and sweat glands

limbic system

a network of neurons surrounding the central core of the brain; associated with emotions such as fear and aggression; includes the hypothalamus, amygdala, and hippocampus

longitudinal study

a study in which a single group of people is observed over a long span of time

lymphocytes

antigen-fighting white blood cells produced in the bone marrow

massification

the transformation of a product or service that once was available to only the wealth such that it becomes accessible to everyone

medulla

the brainstem region that controls heartbeat and breathing

microbiome

the bacteria and other microorganisms of a particular habitat

microbiota-gut-brain axis (MGBA)

a bidirectional communication system that links the central nervous system with the enteric nervous system

morbidity

the number of cases of a specific illness, injury, or disability in a given group of people at a given time

motor cortex

lying at the rear of the frontal lobes, the region of the cerebral cortex that controls voluntary movements

neurotransmitters

chemical messengers released by a neuron at synapses that communicate across the synaptic gap and alter the electrical state of a receiving neuron

pituitary gland

controlled by the hypothalamus, this gland releases a variety of hormones that act on other glands throughout the body

pons

the brainstem region that helps regulate sleep, swallowing, and many other bodily functions

positive health

the scientific study of behaviors and traits that are associated with longer life, reduced morbidity, lower health care expenditure, and greater recuperative power

prevalence

the total number of diagnosed cases of a disease or condition that exist at a given time

prospective study

a forward-looking longitudinal study that begins with a healthy group of subjects and follows the development of a particular disease in that sample

psychosomatic medicine

a branch of psychiatry that developed in the 1900’s and focused on the diagnosis and treatment of diseases believed to be caused by emotional conflicts

quasi-experiment

a study comparting two groups that differ naturally on a specific variable of interest

reticular formation

a network of neurons running through the brainstem involved with sleep, alertness, and arousal

thalamus

the brain’s sensory switchboard

vector

an agent that carries and transmits an infectious pathogen into another living organism

veins

blood vessels that carry blood back to the heart from the capillaries