Psychology & Health - Chapter 10

Flashcards covering key concepts from the Psychology & Health lecture notes.

What is Health Psychology?

The subfield of psychology that focuses on the relationships between behavioral, cognitive, psychophysiological, social, and environmental factors and the establishment, maintenance, and detriment of health.

What is Stress?

The physiological or psychological response to internal or external stressors, involving changes affecting nearly every system of the body.

What is a Stressor?

Any event, force, or condition that results in physical or emotional stress.

What is a Stress Reaction?

The combination of physiological and psychological responses we have to a stressor.

Which age group reported the highest rate of mental illnesses in 2023, according to the APA?

Adults ages 18 to 34 reported the highest rate of mental illnesses at 50% in 2023, according to the APA Stress in America 2023 report.

According to the APA Stress in America 2023 report, what were the top three day-to-day stress categories reported by adults?

Health-related stressors, money, and the economy.

What were the top significant sources of stress reported among the 18 to 34 age cohort in 2023, according to the APA Stress in America 2023 report?

Health-related and money.

According to Suzanne Segerstrom (2007), how can short-term stress positively impact the immune system?

It can help allocate the energy needed to aid the body in fighting infections by enhancing low-energy-consuming immune components and suppressing high-energy-consuming ones.

What is Resilience?

The process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences.

What are some physiological impacts of prolonged stress?

Infectious disease related deaths increase; Cardiovascular disease increases; Healing from injuries & surgeries is slowed, and risk of post-operative infections is often elevated.

What are some psychological impacts of chronic stress?

People who experience chronic stress are more prone to developing a pessimistic outlook on life and situations, and are more vulnerable to developing issues with depression, anxiety, irritability, and burnout related problems.

What are Catastrophes as a type of stressor?

Large-scale disasters (e.g., floods, earthquakes, wars, terrorist attacks, pandemics).

What are Significant Life Changes as a type of stressor?

Life transitions (e.g., moving away from home, taking on significant debt, getting married or divorced, having children, graduating, starting/losing a job).

What are Daily Hassles as a type of stressor?

Things and events that we come across and experience throughout our day-to-day lives (e.g., going to class and studying, managing social relationships, juggling financial needs, dealing with health-related matters, work related tasks).

What are Frustrations as a type of stressor?

Negative emotional states that occur when our efforts to pursue our goals are blocked or thwarted.

What are some factors that can impact stress levels?

Prejudice and discrimination; issues with resource availability; ability or lack of ability to make changes or adjustments; whether or not people have control or influence in situations.

What are Approach & Avoidance conflicts (aka motives)?

Our drive to move toward or away from a stimulus or stressor.

What is an Approach-approach conflict?

Occurs when there are two attractive but incompatible goals (e.g., choosing where to eat between multiple restaurants you like).

What is an Avoidance-avoidance conflict?

Occurs when there is conflict between two undesirable alternatives (e.g., having to choose between doing your homework or getting a zero on an assignment).

What is an Approach-avoidance conflict?

Occurs when we feel simultaneously attracted and repelled (e.g., enjoying being an adult, but disliking having to do adulting related tasks every day/week).

When exposed to stressors, what adrenal stress hormones are released?

Epinephrine (aka adrenaline) and norepinephrine (aka noradrenaline).

The Fight-or-Flight Response occurs when which system arouses us and triggers a response to a stressor?

The Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS).

What are the three phases of the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)?

Alarm reaction, resistance, and exhaustion.

What happens during Phase 1 (the alarm reaction) of GAS?

The sympathetic nervous system is activated.

What happens during Phase 2 (resistance) of GAS?

Epinephrine & norepinephrine circulate with the bloodstream and keep bodily responses elevated.

What happens during Phase 3 (exhaustion) of GAS?

People become increasingly vulnerable to disease and biological breakdown.

What is the Freeze response?

Occurs when a person feels paralyzed or unable to respond quickly to a stressor.

What is the Fawn response?

Occurs when a person in response to a fear trigger reacts in ways to please or appease.

What is the Tend-and-befriend response?

Occurs when people under stress provides support to others and attempt to bond with others to provide and seek support.