Psychology 105 (Midterm #2)

Stress

The tension, discomfort, or physical symptoms that arise when a stressor strains our ability to cope.

Stressor

A stimulus in our environment that provokes stress.

Traumatic Event

An extreme stressor that causes long-term psychological or health consequences.

Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS)

A tool that measures the number of major life events in the past year to assess stress.

Hassles Scale

A scale that measures the frequency and severity of daily stressors, better predicting physical health than the SRRS.

General Adaptive Syndrome

Hans Selye's model explaining the body's physiological response to stress, consisting of three phases: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion.

Coping

Strategies used to manage stress, which can be problem-focused or emotion-focused.

Primary Appraisal

The initial evaluation of whether an event is a threat.

Secondary Appraisal

The assessment of available resources to cope with a stressor.

Psychoneuroimmunology

The study of the relationship between the immune system and the nervous system.

Coping Strategies

Methods to handle stress, which can include social support, proactive coping, and emotional control.

Altruism

Type of helping behavior where individuals help others for unselfish reasons.

Aggression

Any behavior intended to cause physical or psychological pain.

Conformity

The tendency for people to alter their behavior due to group pressure.

Obedience

Adherence to instructions from authority figures.

Self-Perception Theory

The theory that our actions give us clues to our attitudes.

Cognitive Dissonance

Mental discomfort experienced when a person holds contradictory beliefs or values or when their behavior conflicts with their beliefs.

Implicit Egotism

The tendency to gravitate toward people or things that resemble oneself.

Personality Traits

Relatively enduring patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that make individuals different.

Big Five Model of Personality

Model suggesting that personality is made up of five traits: neuroticism, extraversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness.

Trait Theory

The study of how different traits influence an individual’s behavior and attitudes.

Social Learning Theory

The theory that suggests that personality is influenced by both the environment and behavior, incorporating observational learning.

Defense Mechanisms

Psychological strategies used to cope with reality and maintain self-image, such as repression and denial.

Fundamental Attribution Error

The tendency to overestimate the influence of internal factors and underestimate the impact of external factors in others' behaviors.

Stereotypes

Positive or negative beliefs about individuals based on their membership in a group.

Prejudice

An unfavorable attitude toward members of a certain group.

Discrimination

The act of treating members of one group differently from another.

Placebo Effect

The phenomenon in which a patient’s symptoms improve after receiving a treatment that is inert.