AP psychology Half of Unit 5

Health Psychology

A branch of psychology that studies how biological, psychological, and social factors influence health, illness, and how people respond to medical issues.

Psychoneuroimmunology

The study of how psychological factors (like stress), the nervous system, and the immune system interact and influence one another.

Stress

The process by which we perceive and respond to events (stressors) that we appraise as threatening or challenging.

Hypertension

Chronically high blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Immune Suppression

A reduced effectiveness of the immune system, often caused by prolonged stress, making a person more vulnerable to illness.

Eustress

Positive, motivating stress that helps improve performance (for example, feeling excited before a big game).

Distress

Negative stress that causes anxiety or discomfort and can harm health over time.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Traumatic events during childhood (such as abuse, neglect, or household dysfunction) that increase the risk of health and psychological problems later in life.

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

Hans Selye's three-stage model describing the body's physiological response to long-term stress: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion.

Alarm

The first stage of GAS; the body activates the fight-or-flight response when a stressor is perceived.

Resistance

The second stage of GAS; the body attempts to cope with the stressor while remaining physiologically alert.

Fight-Flight-Freeze Response

The body's automatic physiological reaction to a perceived threat, preparing a person to fight, run away, or freeze.

Exhaustion

The third stage of GAS; prolonged stress depletes the body's resources, increasing the risk of illness.

Coronary Heart Disease

A disease caused by the buildup of plaque in the coronary arteries, reducing blood flow to the heart.

Tend-and-Befriend Theory

The theory (proposed by Shelley Taylor) that under stress, people—especially females—are more likely to seek social support (befriend) and nurture others (tend).

Catharsis

The release of emotional tension. (Research shows venting anger often increases aggression rather than reducing it.)

Coping

Strategies used to manage stress and reduce its negative effects.

Problem-Focused Coping

Attempting to reduce stress by changing or eliminating the stressor (for example, making a study schedule).

Emotion-Focused Coping

Attempting to reduce stress by managing emotional responses (for example, seeking support or practicing relaxation).

Meditation

A practice of focused attention and awareness used to reduce stress and promote relaxation.

Personal Control

The belief that you have control over your life circumstances; associated with better health outcomes.

Learned Helplessness

A condition (identified by Martin Seligman) in which a person learns to feel powerless and stops trying to change a negative situation after repeated failures.

External Locus of Control

The belief that outcomes are determined by external forces such as luck, fate, or powerful others.

Internal Locus of Control

The belief that outcomes are largely determined by one's own actions and efforts.

Self-Control

The ability to regulate impulses, delay gratification, and manage behavior to achieve long-term goals.

Positive Psychology

The scientific study of human flourishing, focusing on strengths, virtues, and factors that help individuals and communities thrive (founded by Martin Seligman).

Well-Being

A general state of happiness, health, and life satisfaction.

Resilience

The ability to adapt, recover, and grow stronger after experiencing adversity or stress.

Subjective Well-Being

Self-perceived happiness or life satisfaction; includes emotional reactions and cognitive judgments about one's life.

Feel-Good, Do-Good Phenomenon

The tendency for people to be more helpful and kind when they are in a positive mood.

Adaptation-Level Phenomenon

The tendency to quickly adapt to a new situation, returning to a relatively stable level of happiness despite major positive or negative events.

Relative Deprivation

The perception that one is worse off compared to others, which can lead to dissatisfaction or resentment.

Gratitude

A feeling of appreciation for what one has; linked to greater happiness and stronger relationships.

Signature Strengths

Personal strengths (such as kindness or leadership) that are most central to a person's identity and contribute to well-being when used regularly.

Virtues

Broad categories of moral excellence valued across cultures (such as courage or justice).

Character Strengths

Positive personality traits (like honesty, perseverance, or kindness) that reflect underlying virtues.

Wisdom

The virtue involving knowledge, creativity, curiosity, and good judgment.

Courage

The virtue that involves bravery, persistence, integrity, and vitality when facing challenges.

Humanity

The virtue focused on caring, love, and social intelligence in relationships.

Justice

The virtue that promotes fairness, leadership, and teamwork within communities.

Temperance

The virtue involving self-control, humility, forgiveness, and moderation.

Transcendence

The virtue that connects individuals to meaning beyond themselves, including appreciation of beauty, gratitude, hope, humor, and spirituality.

Broaden-and-Build Theory

A theory proposed by Barbara Fredrickson stating that positive emotions broaden thinking and build personal resources over time.

Aerobic Exercise

Sustained physical activity (like running or swimming) that increases heart rate and improves cardiovascular health; linked to reduced stress and improved mood.

Mindfulness Meditation

A form of meditation that focuses attention on the present moment without judgment, helping reduce stress and improve emotional regulation.

Psychological Disorder

A pattern of thoughts, feelings, or behaviors that is deviant, distressful, and dysfunctional.

Dysfunction

Impaired or harmful functioning that interferes with daily life (school, work, relationships).

Stigma

Negative attitudes, beliefs, and discrimination directed toward people with psychological disorders.

American Psychiatric Association (APA)

The professional organization of psychiatrists in the U.S. that publishes the DSM.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)

The official handbook used in the U.S. for diagnosing psychological disorders (published by the APA).

World Health Organization (WHO)

An international organization that monitors global health and publishes the ICD.

International Classification of Diseases (ICD)

A global diagnostic system published by the WHO that includes both medical and psychological disorders.

Eclectic Approach

Using a combination of different psychological perspectives to understand and treat disorders.

Behavioral Perspective

Explains disorders as learned maladaptive behaviors through conditioning.

Maladaptive Behaviors

Actions that interfere with everyday functioning or well-being.

Psychodynamic Perspective

Views disorders as stemming from unresolved unconscious conflicts (based on ideas of Sigmund Freud).

Humanistic Perspective

Emphasizes personal growth and the importance of self-concept; disorders arise when there is a gap between the real self and ideal self (associated with Carl Rogers).

Cognitive Perspective

Suggests disorders are caused by maladaptive or irrational thought patterns.

Maladaptive Thoughts

Harmful, negative, or distorted ways of thinking that contribute to psychological distress.

Evolutionary Perspective

Suggests some disorders may be linked to inherited traits that were once adaptive for survival.

Sociocultural Perspective

Examines how cultural, social, and environmental factors contribute to psychological disorders.

Maladaptive Relationships

Unhealthy relationship patterns that contribute to psychological problems.

Biological Perspective

Attributes disorders to genetic factors, brain structure, neurotransmitters, or physiological processes.

Medical Model

The view that psychological disorders are illnesses that can be diagnosed and treated similarly to physical diseases.

Biopsychosocial Model

An integrated approach explaining disorders as the result of biological, psychological, and social factors interacting.

Diathesis-Stress Model

A model suggesting that a psychological disorder develops when a person with a biological vulnerability experiences significant stress.

Diathesis

A genetic or biological predisposition toward developing a disorder.

Epigenetics

The study of how environmental factors influence gene expression without changing the DNA sequence.