Unit 5: Mental and Physical Health Vocabulary

These flashcards encompass key vocabulary terms and their definitions related to mental and physical health, as outlined in the lecture notes.

Health Psychology

The study of psychological and behavioral processes in health, illness, and healthcare.

Psychoneuroimmunology

The study of the interaction between psychological processes, the nervous system, and the immune system.

Stress

A state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances.

Hypertension

A medical condition in which blood pressure remains abnormally high.

Immune Suppression

A decrease in the effectiveness of the immune system.

Eustress

A positive form of stress that can motivate and enhance performance.

Distress

A negative form of stress that can lead to anxiety or health issues.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Traumatic events occurring during childhood which can have lasting effects on health.

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

A three-phase response to stress that includes alarm, resistance, and exhaustion.

Alarm

The initial reaction to stress, activating the fight-or-flight response.

Resistance

The body's attempt to adapt to the stressor and maintain homeostasis.

Fight-Flight-Freeze Response

The body's automatic reaction to perceived threats.

Exhaustion

The final stage in the stress response where resources are depleted.

Coronary Heart Disease

A condition characterized by the narrowing of the coronary arteries.

Tend-and-Befriend Theory

A behavioral response to stress characterized by seeking social support.

Catharsis

The process of releasing and thereby providing relief from strong or repressed emotions.

Coping

The methods a person uses to deal with stressful situations.

Problem-Focused Coping

Coping strategies that aim to remove or reduce the stressor.

Emotion-Focused Coping

Coping strategies that aim to manage emotional responses to a stressor.

Meditation

A practice that involves focusing the mind to achieve a state of calm and clarity.

Personal Control

The degree to which an individual feels able to influence events.

Learned Helplessness

A condition in which a person feels unable to control events due to repeated failures.

External Locus of Control

The belief that outcomes are influenced by external forces or luck.

Internal Locus of Control

The belief that outcomes are largely controlled by one's own actions.

Self-Control

The ability to regulate one's emotions, thoughts, and behaviors.

Positive Psychology

The study of what makes life most worth living and focuses on human strengths.

Well-Being

A positive state that includes the presence of positive emotions and life satisfaction.

Resilience

The ability to recover quickly from difficulties and adapt to challenging situations.

Subjective Well-Being

An individual's self-evaluated happiness and life satisfaction.

Feel-Good, Do Good-Phenomenon

The tendency for people to be helpful when they feel good.

Adaptation-Level Phenomenon

The tendency to form judgments relative to a neutral level defined by our prior experience.

Relative Deprivation

The perception that one is worse off relative to those with whom one compares oneself.

Gratitude

A thankful appreciation for what an individual receives, whether tangible or intangible.

Signature Strengths

Unique traits and characteristics that an individual possesses.

Virtues

Moral qualities considered to be good and desirable in a person.

Character Strengths

Personal qualities that contribute to achieving one's potential.

Wisdom

The ability to make sound judgments based on knowledge and experience.

Courage

The mental or moral strength to persevere and withstand danger or difficulty.

Humanity

The quality of being humane, compassionate, and understanding.

Justice

The concept of fairness and moral rightness.

Temperance

Moderation or self-restraint in action or thought.

Transcendence

The state of going beyond ordinary limits; surpassing.

Broaden-and-Build Theory

A theory suggesting that positive emotions expand cognition and behavioral tendencies.

Aerobic Exercise

Physical exercise of relatively low intensity that depends primarily on the aerobic energy-generating process.

Mindfulness Meditation

A practice that involves remaining present and fully engaging with the moment.

Psychological Disorder

A condition characterized by abnormal thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Dysfunction

Impairment in the ability to perform normal physical or mental functions.

Distress

Emotional suffering or pain.

Stigma

A mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person.

American Psychiatric Association

A professional organization of psychiatrists in the United States.

Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)

A standardized classification of mental disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association.

World Health Organization

A specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health.

International Classification of Mental Disorders (ICD)

A global standard for diagnosing and classifying mental disorders.

Eclectic Approach

A technique that incorporates multiple theoretical perspectives.

Behavioral Perspective

Focuses on observable behaviors and the methods of learning.

Maladaptive Behaviors

Behaviors that inhibit an individual's ability to adjust healthily to particular situations.

Psychodynamic Perspective

A psychological perspective that emphasizes unconscious processes.

Humanistic Perspective

An approach that emphasizes human potential and stresses the importance of growth and self-actualization.

Cognitive Perspective

Focuses on mental processes such as perception, memory, and reasoning.

Maladaptive Thoughts

Cognitive distortions that contribute to psychological distress.

Evolutionary Perspectives

Explains psychological traits as adaptions through natural selection.

Sociocultural Perspective

Focuses on how culture and society influence behavior.

Maladaptive Relationships

Relationship patterns that negatively impact a person's mental health.

Biological Perspective

Focuses on the physiological and genetic factors influencing behavior.

Medical Model

The view that psychological disorders can be treated medically.

Biopsychosocial Model

A holistic approach that incorporates biological, psychological, and social factors.

Diathesis-Stress Model

A model suggesting that psychological disorders develop due to stress on a biological predisposition.

Diathesis

A predisposition or vulnerability to developing a disorder.

Epigenetics

The study of changes in organisms caused by modification of gene expression.

Neurodevelopmental Disorders

A group of disorders that affect the development of the nervous system.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

A neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by challenges with social interaction and communication.

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

A chronic condition characterized by attention difficulties, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness.

Schizophrenic Spectrum Disorders

A range of disorders characterized by difficulties with perception, thought processes, and emotional regulation.

Psychotic Disorders

Mental disorders characterized by abnormal thought processes and perceptions.

Delusions

Fixed false beliefs that are resistant to reason or confrontation with actual fact.

Delusions of Persecution

Beliefs that others are out to harm the individual.

Delusions of Grandeur

Beliefs that one has exceptional abilities or power.

Hallucinations

Sensory experiences without external stimulation.

Disorganized Thinking or Speech

A tendency to speak in ways that are difficult to follow.

Word Salad

Incoherent mixture of words and phrases that has no logical connection or meaning.

Disorganized Motor Behavior

Unpredictable or inappropriate behavior in daily activities.

Catatonia

A state of unresponsiveness and motor malfunction.

Stupor

A state of near-unconsciousness.

Catatonic Stupor

A severe form of catatonia where the individual becomes immobile.

Negative Symptoms

Symptoms that reflect a decrease in normal functions.

Flat Affect

A lack of emotional expression.

Positive Symptoms

Symptoms that reflect an excess or distortion of normal functions.

Schizophrenia

A severe mental disorder characterized by delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized thinking.

Acute Schizophrenia

A type of schizophrenia that appears suddenly and may respond well to treatment.

Chronic Schizophrenia

A long-term form of schizophrenia characterized by ongoing dysfunction.

Dopamine Hypothesis

The theory that an imbalance in dopamine levels contributes to schizophrenia.

Depressive Disorders

A category of mood disorders characterized by persistent feelings of sadness.

Major Depressive Disorder

A mood disorder marked by persistent feelings of sadness and loss of interest.

Persistent Depressive Disorder

A chronic form of depression lasting for at least two years.

Bipolar Disorders

Mood disorders characterized by shifts in mood from depressive lows to manic highs.

Mania

An excessively high state of arousal and energy.

Depression

A mood disorder characterized by prolonged feelings of sadness.

Bipolar I Disorder

A severe form of bipolar disorder characterized by manic episodes.

Bipolar II Disorder

A milder form of bipolar disorder characterized by depressive episodes.

Anxiety Disorders

Mental health disorders characterized by excessive fear or anxiety.