AP Psych Unit 8 Terms

Stress

The process of perceiving and responding to events or situations that are appraised as challenging or threatening, causing a physiological and psychological reaction within an individual

Stressors

Any event, situation, or stimulus that places demands on a person and has the potential to cause stress

Stress response

The physiological and psychological reactions an individual experiences when faced with a perceived threat or challenging situation

Psychological stressors

• Pressure

• Frustration

• Conflicts

• ACEs

Environmental stressors

• Catastrophes

• Life changes

• Hassles/uplifts

• ACEs

Approach-approach conflict

2 desirable options

Avoidance-avoidance conflict

2 undesirable options

Approach-avoidance conflict

1 option with positive and negative aspects

Multiple approach-avoidance conflict

2 options with positive and negative aspects

Phase 1: Alarm reaction

When we encounter the stressor

Phase 2: Resistance

The body actively tries to fight off the stressor

Phase 3: Exhaustion

The body has depleted its resources and can no longer fight the stressor

Coping

The conscious thoughts and behaviors an individual uses to manage stressful situations, aiming to reduce the negative impact of stressors on their well-being

Problem-focused coping

A strategy for managing stress by directly addressing the underlying cause of the problem

Emotion-focused coping

A strategy for managing stress by focusing on and regulating one's emotions that come from the stressor

Subjective well-being

An individual's overall assessment of their happiness, life satisfaction, and emotional state

Objective well-being

The measurable and external aspects of a person's overall health and life satisfaction, independent of emotions and feelings

Emotion

A response of the whole organism involving physiological arousal, expressive behaviors, and conscious experience

Arousal

A physiological and psychological state of being alert and active in response to stimuli

Fight-or-flight response

The body's response to perceived threat or danger, involving physiological changes such as increased heart rate and adrenaline

James-Lange Theory of Emotion

Theorizes that physical changes occur before we experience an emotion → emotions are a result of arousal

Cannon-Bard Theory of Emotion

Theorizes that physical reactions and emotions occur simultaneously, not one after the other

Schachter-Singer (2 factor) Cognitive Arousal Theory

Theorizes that both physical changes and cognitive appraisal are necessary to experience an emotion fully

Lazarus’ Cognitive Theory of Emotion

Theorizes that our thoughts and understanding of a situation occur before our emotions about it

Zajonc and Ledoux Theory

Some of our emotions can be felt before we consciously process them → these reactions stem from a means of survival against threats

Paul Ekman Theory

Certain emotional expressions are universal across different cultures

Facial feedback effect

Smiling or frowning incites physical reactions within our body that influence what emotions we are experiencing

Behavior feedback effect

How we behave can directly influence what we think and how we feel, and the way we behave is greatly influenced by what we are taught in our culture

Display rules

Social norms that govern how people express their emotions

Hunger

A psychological state characterized by a desire to eat

Ghrelin

A hormone primarily produced in the stomach that signals hunger to the brain, often called the "hunger hormone"

Orexin

A neuropeptide located in the lateral hypothalamus that promotes food intake by delaying the onset of satiety

Leptin

A hormone produced by fat cells that is released into the bloodstream to interact with receptors in the hypothalamus, signaling that the body is full

PYY

A gut hormone that is released in response to eating, reducing appetite and food intake

Glucose

A type of sugar that circulates in the bloodstream and serves as the primary source of energy for the body's tissues → low levels of glucose can trigger feelings of hunger

Basal metobolic rate

The body’s resting rate of energy output

Set-point theory

Suggests our body has a pre-determined weight range to which it naturally tries to return to

Homeostasis

The process by which organisms maintain a relatively stable internal environment despite changes in external conditions

Metabolism

All chemical reactions involved in maintaining the living state of cells and organisms → the body's method of converting food into energy needed for bodily functions

Motivation

The psychological process that initiates, guides, and sustains behavior

Instinct theory of motivation

Human behavior is primarily driven by innate, biologically programmed instincts that are present from birth

• People are motivated to act based on these ingrained patterns to ensure survival, without requiring prior learning or experience

Incentive theory of motivation

People are primarily motivated by external rewards and punishments

• People are more likely to engage in behaviors that lead to positive outcomes (like a bonus) and avoid actions that could result in negative consequences (like reprimands)

Drive-reduction theory of motivation

People are motivated to behave in ways that reduce internal physiological imbalances or "drives" that arise from biological needs

• People aim to maintain a state of homeostasis by satisfying these needs through actions that alleviate the discomfort caused by the drive

• This theory can also include psychological needs → achievement, affiliation, and power

Arousal theory of motivation

People are driven to engage in activities that maintain an optimal level of physiological arousal

• People seek out situations that keep them alert and engaged, but not overly stimulated

• Yerkes-Dodson Law: Performance is best when arousal is at a moderate level, with performance declining when arousal is too low or too high

Hierarchy of needs theory

Outlines human needs in a pyramid structure, with the most basic physiological needs at the bottom and more complex needs like self-actualization at the top

• Individuals must fulfill lower-level needs before progressing to higher ones