AP Psychology Unit 5: Mental and Physical Health

Health psychology

A branch of psychology that studies how biological, social, and psychological factors influence health and illness.

Stress

The body's response to perceived threats or challenges.

Eustress

Positive stress that motivates and enhances performance.

Distress

Negative stress that causes anxiety or harm.

Stressors

Events or conditions that trigger a stress response.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)

Traumatic events in childhood linked to long-term health and psychological effects.

Flight-flight-freeze response

An automatic physiological reaction to a perceived threat involving fight, flight, or freeze responses.

General adaptation syndrome (GAS)

A three-stage model of the body's response to stress: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion.

Alarm reaction phase

The first stage of the general adaptation syndrome, where the body detects stress and activates the sympathetic nervous system.

Resistance phase

The second stage of the general adaptation syndrome, where the body attempts to cope with stress.

Exhaustion phase

The final stage of the general adaptation syndrome, where prolonged stress leads to depleted resources and potential health problems.

Tend-and-befriend theory

A theory suggesting that individuals, particularly women, respond to stress by seeking social support and nurturing others.

Hypertension

Chronic high blood pressure, often linked to stress.

Immune suppression

A weakened immune response due to prolonged stress.

Problem-focused coping

A coping strategy that directly addresses the source of stress to resolve it.

Emotion-focused coping

A coping strategy that focuses on managing emotional responses rather than directly addressing the stressor.

External locus of control

The belief that external forces control one's fate.

Internal locus of control

The belief that one has control over their own life outcomes.

Positive psychology

A field of psychology that studies human strengths, happiness, and well-being.

Subjective well-being

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

Resilience

The ability to adapt and recover from adversity.

Positive emotions

Feelings that contribute to well-being and psychological flourishing.

Gratitude

A feeling of appreciation for positive aspects of life.

Positive subjective experiences

Pleasurable experiences that contribute to well-being.

Signature strengths

Personal attributes that contribute to a person's well-being and success.

Positive objective experiences

Objectively measurable positive life events and achievements.

Categories of virtues (wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, transcendence)

Core moral traits that contribute to character and well-being, including wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence.

Posttraumatic growth

Psychological growth and positive changes following trauma or adversity.

Dysfunction (4 Ds)

Impairment in daily functioning due to psychological symptoms.

Distress (4 Ds)

Emotional suffering associated with psychological disorders.

Deviation from the social norm (4 Ds)

Behavior that significantly differs from cultural or social expectations.

Cultural/societal norms

Shared expectations and rules that influence behavior within a society.

Stigma

Negative societal attitudes and beliefs about mental illness or other conditions.

Racism

Prejudice or discrimination based on race.

Sexism

Prejudice or discrimination based on gender.

Ageism

Prejudice or discrimination based on age.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)

A standardized manual used by psychologists to classify and diagnose mental disorders.

International Classification of Mental Disorders (ICD)

A global classification system for mental disorders used by health professionals.

Eclectic approach

A therapeutic approach that integrates multiple psychological perspectives.

Behavioral perspective

A perspective that emphasizes learned behaviors and the effects of environment on actions.

Maladaptive learned associations

Harmful behavioral associations acquired through conditioning.

Psychodynamic perspective

A perspective that emphasizes unconscious motives, childhood experiences, and inner conflicts.

Humanistic perspective

A perspective that focuses on personal growth, self-actualization, and free will.

Cognitive perspective

A perspective that examines thought processes, memory, and problem-solving.

Evolutionary perspective

A perspective that explores psychological traits as adaptations for survival.

Sociocultural perspective

A perspective that emphasizes the impact of cultural and social contexts on behavior.

Biological perspective

A perspective that examines biological influences on behavior and mental processes.

Biopsychosocial model

An approach that integrates biological, psychological, and social factors in understanding health and illness.

Diathesis-stress model

A model that explains psychological disorders as the result of genetic predisposition combined with environmental stressors.

Neurodevelopmental disorders

A category of disorders that affect brain development and cognitive functioning.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

A disorder characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

A developmental disorder involving challenges with social interaction, communication, and repetitive behaviors.

Schizophrenia

A severe mental disorder involving distortions in thinking, perception, and emotions.

Hallucinations

False sensory experiences, such as hearing voices or seeing things that are not present.

Disorganized thinking

Disorganized, irrational patterns of thought.

Disorganized speech

Speech that is illogical, jumbled, or difficult to understand.

Disorganized motor behavior

Unusual or erratic physical movements or behaviors.

Negative symptoms

Symptoms that involve the absence of normal behaviors, such as reduced speech or lack of motivation.

Positive symptoms

Symptoms that involve excess or distorted functions, such as hallucinations and delusions.

Delusions

Strongly held but false beliefs.

Delusions of persecution

A delusion where a person believes they are being persecuted or harmed by others.

Delusions of grandeur

A delusion where a person believes they have exceptional abilities or importance.

Hallucinations (false perceptions)

Perceptions of stimuli that do not exist, such as hearing or seeing things that are not real.

Word salad

Speech that is incoherent, illogical, or nonsensical.

Catatonia

A state of unresponsiveness to external stimuli, often associated with schizophrenia.

Flat affect

A lack of emotional expression or response.

Catatonic stupor

A severe lack of movement or responsiveness to the environment.

Dopamine hypothesis

A theory suggesting that an overactivity of dopamine contributes to schizophrenia.

Depressive disorders

A category of disorders characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and low energy.

Major Depressive Disorder

A disorder involving persistent and severe depressive episodes.

Persistent Depressive Disorder

A long-term form of depression with milder but chronic symptoms.

Cycling

The shifting between depressive and manic states.

Mania

A period of elevated mood, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.

Depression

A prolonged state of sadness and loss of interest in activities.

Bipolar I Disorder

A disorder characterized by extreme mood swings, including manic episodes.

Bipolar II Disorder

A disorder involving depressive episodes with hypomanic episodes rather than full mania.

Anxiety disorders

A category of disorders involving excessive fear, anxiety, or panic.

Specific phobia

An intense, irrational fear of a specific object or situation.

Acrophobia

An extreme fear of heights.

Arachnophobia

An extreme fear of spiders.

Agoraphobia

A fear of situations where escape may be difficult, leading to avoidance of public places.

Panic disorder

A disorder characterized by sudden and intense panic attacks.

Panic attack

A sudden, overwhelming episode of intense fear and physical symptoms.

Ataque de nervios

A culturally specific anxiety disorder characterized by episodes of uncontrollable crying, screaming, or aggression.

Social anxiety disorder

A disorder marked by intense fear of social situations and potential embarrassment.

Taijin kyofusho

A cultural syndrome involving extreme fear of offending others or causing discomfort.

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)

A disorder involving excessive, uncontrollable worry about various aspects of life.

Obsessions

Persistent, intrusive thoughts that cause distress.

Compulsions

Repetitive behaviors performed to reduce anxiety or prevent a feared event.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

A disorder characterized by intrusive obsessions and compulsive behaviors.

Hoarding disorder

A disorder involving persistent difficulty discarding possessions, leading to clutter.

Dissociative disorders

A category of disorders involving disruptions in memory, identity, or perception.

Dissociation

A psychological detachment from reality, often as a coping mechanism.

Dissociative amnesia

A disorder involving memory loss unrelated to brain injury or illness.

Dissociative identity disorder

A disorder where an individual exhibits multiple distinct personalities.

Trauma and stressor-related disorders

A category of disorders involving exposure to traumatic events and stress-related symptoms.

Hypervigilance

A heightened state of alertness to potential threats.

Flashbacks

Recurring, vivid recollections of a traumatic event.

Insomnia

Difficulty falling or staying asleep.

Emotional detachment

An inability to connect emotionally with others.