unit 6: health psychology

self

organizes thoughts, feelings, actions and is the center of personality

• possible selves inspire goals

self-esteem

feelings of low/high self-worth

• defensive/secure

self-efficacy

sense of competence

self-serving bias

perceiving ourselves favorably

Dunning-Kruger effect

when dumb people think they’re smart

narcissism

excessive self-love

individualism

cultural pattern emphasizing individual’s own goals and unique identity

• importance of individuals

collectivism

cultural pattern emphasizing the goals of society

• importance of groups

emotion

response resulting from a combo of…

• physiological arousal

• expressive behaviors

• conscious experience/feelings

common sense (emotion theory)

stimulus —> conscious experience —> feeling —> bodily arousal —> expressive behavior

• ex: see bear —> i’m scared —> scared —> heart races —> run away

James-Lange theory (emotion theory)

stimulus —> bodily arousal —> expressive behavior —> conscious experience —> feeling

• ex: see bear —> heart races —> run —> feel fear

Cannon-Bard theory (emotion theory)

stimulus —> bodily arousal + conscious experience/feeling —> expressive behavior

• see bear —> heart races and feel fear (at the same time) —> run

Schachter-Singer (two factor emotion theory)

stimulus —> bodily arousal —> cognitive label —> conscious experience/feeling —> expressive behavior

• see bear —> heart races —> think this is dangerous —> feel fear —> run

spillover effect

when excitement/emotion from one situation affects how you feel in a different situation

Zajonc-LeDoux (emotion theory)

• high road: stimulus —> thalamus —> cortex (analyzed + labeled) —> amygdala (sends response command) —> bodily arousal —> feeling —> expressive behavior

  • sees bear —> that’s a bear it might be dangerous —> i should probably run —> heart races —> fear —> run

• low road: stimulus —> thalamus —> amygdala —> bodily arousal —> expressive behavior [—> conscious experience —> feeling]

  • ex: see bear —> i should probably run —> heart races —> run

Lazarus

stimulus —> thalamus —> cognitive appraisal (dangerous or not?) —> amygdala —> bodily arousal —> expressive behavior [—> conscious experience —> feeling]

• ex: see bear —> it’s dangerous —> i should probably run —> hear races —> run

polygraph

lie detectors that measure emotional changes in physiology

facial feedback effect

tendency for facial muscle positions to trigger corresponding feelings

• holding a pencil between your teeth makes you slightly happier

behavior feedback effect

tendency for certain behaviors to trigger corresponding feelings

• walking with your head down makes you slightly more sad

health psych

impact of psychological/behavioral/cultural influences on health +wellness

psychoneuroimmunology

how mind-body interactions affect the immune system

stress

process of responding to + perceiving stressors (appraised as either threatening or challenging)

• stressor —> primary appraisal —> secondary appraisal —> stress reaction

• threat: rollercoaster —> threat ✅ —> I can’t respond to this —> faint

• challenge: rollercoaster —> threat ❌ —> I can respond to this because I’ve done it before —> scream/laugh

primary appraisal

determines if the stressor is a threat

secondary appraisal

determines whether you can respond to the stressor

types of stressors (3)

• catastrophes

• significant life changes

• daily hassles + social stress

approach and avoidance motives

drive to moves towards/away from a stimulus

• approach-approach

• avoidance-avoidance

• approach-avoidance

approach-approach

2 attractive options

• high paying job

• dream job

avoidance-avoidance

2 undesirable options

• low paying job (only job option)

• become homeless

approach-avoidance

simultaneously attracted/repelled

• high paying job

• super long commute

general adaptation syndrome (GAS)

concept of body’s response to stress (Hans Selye)

• phase 1: alarm reaction (realized there’s a test tomorrow —> heart races —> study all night)

• phase 2: resistance (during the test you are focused)

• phase 3: exhaustion (after the test you fall asleep)

tend-and-befriend response

under stress people may help themselves/others and seek support from others

coronary heart disease

when vessels that nourish the heart clog and reduce blood flow to it

type A

competitive, impatient, aggressive, anger-prone person

• linked with coronary heart disease

• Friedman Roseman

type B

easygoing, relaxed person

• Friedman Roseman

catharsis

the idea of releasing aggression thru an action (scream into pillow)

• usually fosters more anger instead of eliminate it

cope

eliminating stress using emotional, cognitive, or behavioral methods

problem focused coping

alleviate stress directly by changing the stressor or interaction with it

emotion focused coping

alleviate stress by ignoring/avoiding stressors and prioritizing emotional needs

types of coping (2)

• problem focused coping

• emotion focused coping

personal control

sense of having control instead of being helpless

learned helplessness

passive resignation when unable to avoid unfortunate events or when personal control is lost

external locus of control

outside forces that we cannot control determine fate

internal locus of control

we determine our own fate (belief in free will)

self control

ability to delay short term gratification for greater long term rewards

positive psych

study of human flourishing and finding ways to help humans thrive

subjective well-being

your perceived happiness with life (good/bad quality of life)

feel-good do-good phenomenon

tendency to be helpful when in a good mood

adaptation-level phenomenon

neutral levels are adjusted based on recent experiences

• when we have something that is better than before, it become our new baseline

relative deprivation

the way we compare ourselves to others can make us feel better/worse

character strengths and virtues (6)

classification system to identify positive traits

• wisdom

• courage

• humanity

• justice

• temperance

• transcendence

broaden-and-build theory

positive emotions increase awareness helping to build skills/resilience that improve well-being

resilience

personal strength that helps people cope with stress and recover from adversity

aerobic exercise

sustained exercise that strengthens the heart + lungs

• can also alleviate depression/anxiety

mindfulness meditation

reflective practice where people examine themselves without judgment

gratitude

appreciative emotion experienced by people who benefit from others’ actions/acknowledge their good fortune

psych disorder

disturbance in thoughts, emotions, behaviors that causes suffering or impairment to daily life

medical model

psych disorders have physical causes that can be diagnosed, treated, cured

• diagnosed based on symptoms

diathesis-stress model

genetic predispositions (diathesis) + environmental stressors (stress) = influence on psych disorder

• supported by epigenetics

epigenetics

study of how environmental factors can change genes without DNA change

DSM-5-TR

used to classify psych disorders

• describes, predicts, suggests treatments, prompts research

anxiety disorders

marked by distressing + persistent anxiety or dysfunctional anxiety reducing behaviors

social anxiety disorder

intense fear/avoidance of social situations

generalized anxiety disorder

when person is constantly tense

• worry for 6+ months

• autonomic nervous system arousal

• symptoms: shaking, dizziness, trouble focusing

panic disorder

unpredictable episodes of intense dread

• symptoms: chest pain, trembling, dizziness

• (can be different depending on the culture)

agoraphobia

fear/avoidance of public situations where escape is difficult

specific phobias

fear/avoidance of a specific object/activity/situation

OCD

obsessive compulsive disorder

• obsessions: unwanted, persistent thoughts

• compulsions: responses to the thoughts

hoarding disorder

difficulty parting with possessions —> cluttered space

body dysmorphic disorder

preoccupation with physical appearance

trichotillomania

hair pulling disorder

trauma + stressor related disorders

category of disorders where exposure to traumatic/stressful situation causes psychology distress

• PTSD

• survivor resiliency + post traumatic growth

PTSD

post traumatic stress disorder

• characterized by haunting memories, hyper vigilance, social withdrawal, jumpy anxiety, etc.

glucose

form of sugar that circulates in blood

• major source of energy

• low glucose = more hunger

• controlled by insulin hormone which is secreted by pancreas

neural areas controlling hunger

• hippocampus: memory of eating

• hypothalamus —> arcuate nucleus: 2 neural networks

  • lateral hypothalamus: releases appetite stimulating hormones

    • LH —> L —> lunch

  • ventromedial hypothalamus: releases appetite suppressing hormones

    • VMH —> VM —> very much full

set point

a stable weight that the body thrives to maintain

• weight thermostat

basal metabolic rate

body’s resting rate of energy output

settling point

set point can change based on habits

obesity

BMI (body mass index) of 30+

• calculated from weight-height ratio

depressive disorders

group of disorders characterized by enduring feelings of sadness and physical + cognitive changes that impair functioning

• major depressive disorder

• persistent depressive disorder

major depressive disorder

experiencing 5+ symptoms within 2 weeks

• minimally depressed mood + lost interest

persistent depressive disorder

experiencing depressed mood on most days within 2 years

• must show at least 2 symptoms

bipolar disorders

a group of disorders characterized by alternation between mania and depression

• bipolar I disorder

• bipolar II disorder

bipolar I disorder

experience rapid cycling between high energy state (mania) and depression

mania

hyperactive, optimistic state w/poor judgement

• can last for 1+ week

bipolar II disorder

experience rapid cycling between hypomania (more mild than mania) and depression

rumination

overthinking problems

explanatory style

• optimistic/pessimistic

  • stable —> how permanent

  • global —> how widespread the effect

  • internal —> what is the source

psychotic disorders

category of disorders characterized by irrational ideas, distorted perceptions, & loss of contact w/reality

schizophrenia spectrum disorder

group of disorders characterized by

• hallucinations

• delusion

• disorganized thinking/speech

• diminished or inappropriate emotions

  • flat effect

  • impaired theory of mind

• catatonia: inappropriate motor behavior

  • catatonic stupor (negative symptoms)

  • catatonic excitement (positive symptoms)

chronic schizophrenia

develops slowly

• unlikely recovery

acute schizophrenia

can develop at any age

• recovery is more likely