psyhology chapter 10: stress, health, and coping

stress

The general term that describes the psychological and physical response to a stimulus that alters the body’s equilibrium.

stressor

A stimulus that throws the body’s equilibrium out of balance.

stress response

The bodily response to a stressor that occurs to help a person cope with the stressor; also called the fight-or-flight response.

acute stressor

A stressor that has a short-term duration.

chronic stressor

A stressor that has a long-term duration.

general adaptation syndrome

The overall stress response that has three phases: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion.

alarm phase

The first phase of the GAS, in which a stressor is perceived and the fight-or-flight response is activated.

glucocorticoids

A group of hormones that are released when the stress response is triggered.

cortisol

the most important glucocorticoid, both increases the production of energy from glucose and has an anti-inflammatory effect that helps restore the body’s equilibrium after physical injury.

Cortisol also affects neurotransmitter functioning, and thus it can affect cognition and emotion, which may account for the common experience of increased alertness and the ability to put emotions aside when confronted by an acute and severe stressor

resistance phase

The second phase of the GAS, in which the body mobilizes its resources to adapt to the continued presence of the stressor; also called the adaptation phase.

exhaustion phase

The final stage of the GAS, in which the continued stress response itself becomes damaging to the body.

allostatic load

The cumulative wear and tear on the body necessary to maintain homeostasis in the face of stressors.

cognitive appraisal

A two-stage process that leads psychological and social (and sometimes physical) stimuli to function as stressors:


1. You assess a stimulus for the likelihood of harm; this stage is called the *primary appraisal*.
2. Then you determine the resources you have to deal with the stimulus; this stage is called the *secondary appraisal*.

coping

thoughts and actions that address a stressor, counteract its effects, or maintain well-being.

internal conflict

The emotional predicament that people experience when making difficult choices.

approach-approach conflict

The internal conflict that occurs when competing alternatives are equally positive.

avoidance-avoidance conflict

The internal conflict that occurs when competing alternatives are equally unpleasant. 

approach-avoidance conflict

The internal conflict that occurs when a course of action has both positive and negative aspects.

B cells

A type of white blood cell that matures in the bone marrow.

T cells

A type of white blood cell that matures in the thymus.

natural killer (NK) cell

A type of T cell that detects and destroys damaged or altered cells, such as precancerous cells.

atherosclerosis

A medical condition characterized by the buildup of plaque on the inside walls of the arteries.

hostility

The personality trait associated with heart disease and characterized by mistrust, an expectation of harm and provocation by others, and a cynical attitude.

hypnogogic sleep

The initial stage of sleep, which lasts about 5 minutes and can include the sensation of gentle falling or floating or a sudden jerking of the body; also referred to as Stage 1 sleep.

REM sleep

Stage of sleep characterized by rapid eye movements, marked brain activity, and vivid dreaming.

REM rebound

the higher percentage of REM sleep that occurs following a night lacking the normal amount of REM.

activation-synthesis hypothesis

The theory that dreams arise from random bursts of nerve cell activity that may affect brain cells involved in hearing and seeing; the brain attempts to make sense of this hodgepodge of stimuli, resulting in the experience of dreams.

manifest content

The obvious, memorable content of a dream. 

latent content

The symbolic content and meaning of a dream.

circadian rhythms

The body’s daily fluctuations in response to the cycle of dark and light. (circadian means about a day)

suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)

A small part of the hypothalamus just above the optic chiasm that registers changes in light, leading to production of hormones that regulate various bodily functions.

sleep apnea

A disorder characterized by a temporary cessation of breathing during sleep, usually preceded by a period of difficult breathing accompanied by loud snoring.

coping strategy

A specific approach or technique that is employed to handle stress.

problem-focused coping

Coping focused on changing the environment itself or the way the person interacts with the environment.

emotion-focused coping

Coping focused on changing the person’s emotional response to the stressor.

social support

The help and support gained through interacting with others.

perceived social support

The subjective sense that support is available should it be needed.

enacted social support

The specific supportive behaviors provided by others.

thought suppression

The coping strategy that involves intentionally trying not to think about something emotionally arousing or distressing.

aggression

Behavior that is intended to harm another living being who does not wish to be harmed.

hostile attribution bias

The tendency to misread the intentions of others as negative.

substance use disorder

Drug or alcohol use  characterized by out-of-control urges to use the substance, despite the distress or impaired functioning the use would cause.

tolerance

The condition of requiring more of a substance to achieve the same effect, because the usual amount provides a diminished response.

withdrawal symptoms

The onset of uncomfortable or life-threatening effects when the use of a substance is stopped.

disinhibition

The inhibition of inhibitory neurons, which makes other neurons (the ones that are usually inhibited) more likely to fire and which usually occurs as a result of depressant use.

alcohol myopia

the disproportionate influence of immediate experience on behavior and emotion due to the effects of alcohol use.

blackouts

A period of time for which an alcoholic has no memory of events that transpired while he or she was intoxicated.

stimulants

A class of substances that excite the central nervous system, leading to increases in behavioral activity and heightened arousal.

crack

Cocaine in crystalline form, usually smoked in a pipe (freebasing) or rolled into a cigarette.

amphetamines

A class of synthetic stimulants.

narcotic analgesics

A class of strongly addictive drugs, such as heroin, that relieve pain and dull the senses.

opiod

A narcotic, such as morphine, derived from the opium poppy; also referred to as opiates.

hallucinogens

A substance that induces hallucinations.

flashbacks

A hallucination that occurs without drug use, often long after the user has taken a drug.

nocebo effect

A variation of the placebo effect in which a negative expectation produces a negative outcome.