unit 5: mental & physical health

health psychology

examines how biological, social, & psychological factors influence health + illness

psychoneuroimmunology (PNI)

1. a field in psychology that studies the interactions of psych, neurology (NS), endocrinology (emotional state), and immunology (immune system)

2. studies how the body (immune system) affects the mind (NS) & how the mind (NS) affects the body (immune system)

stress

1. process by which we perceive & respond to certain events that we appraise as challenging or threatening.

2. response our bodies and minds have to the demands placed upon them and the interpretations we assign to those demands.

3. results from interactions btwn an individual & their environment

approach and avoidance motives

1. psychological conflict that arises when a goal is perceived as both desirable & undesirable.

   • approach indicates a propensity to move toward (or maintain contact with) a desired stimulus.

   • avoidance indicates a propensity to move away from (or maintain distance from) an undesired stimulus.

kurt lewin

classified conflicts based on whether they posed desirable or undesirable consequences (motivational conflict theory; approach-approach, avoidance-avoidance, & approach-avoidance)

hans selye

1. pioneering Hungarian-Canadian endocrinologist known for his research on the effects of stress on the human body.

   • described three predictable stages the body uses to respond to stressors, called general adaptation syndrome (GAS)

2. often referred to as the "father" of stress research.

general adaptation syndrome (GAS)

1. describes the process your body goes through when you are exposed to any kind of stress, positive or negative.

   • can lead to physical and mental health problems if not stress that triggered GAS hasn’t been resolved

2. three stages: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion

   • alarm: adaptation had not yet been acquired

   • resistance: adaptation to the offending stimulus was maximal

   • exhaustion: all resistance was lost

tend-and-befriend response

1. when faced with a perceived threat, humans will tend to their young (tending) and rely on others for connection and support (befriending).

2. coined in 2000 by Shelley Taylor, a psychology professor at the University of California.

coronary heart disease

condition characterized by the narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries due to plaque buildup, leading to reduced blood flow to the heart muscle.

type A (personality)

1. characterized as being very competitive, goal-driven, and impatient.

2. most likely to exhibit high levels of anger, hostility, and cynicism.

type B (personality)

1. relaxed attitude that helps them deal with stress and social situations.

   • patient, relaxed, and balanced

2. often creative, tolerant, & more social

catharsis

1. the act of purging strong or repressed emotions , sometimes called "venting", can alleviate psychological suffering

2. undertaken with the intention of preventing undesirable behaviors by releasing negative emotions such as anger, unacknowledged trauma, or fear.

coping

strategies and techniques that individuals use to manage and adapt to stressors or challenging situations they encounter in their lives

• involves the efforts made to reduce, tolerate, or eliminate stress.

problem-focused coping

stress-management strategy in which a person directly confronts a stressor in an attempt to decrease or eliminate it.

• generating possible solutions to a problem, confronting others who are responsible for or otherwise associated with the stressor, and other forms of instrumental action.

emotion-focused coping

technique in which an individual addresses the negative emotional reactions that are associated with a particular problem (handling feelings instead actual problem)

• techniques include disclosure, distraction, suppression, and cognitive awareness.

• functions to regulate (tolerate, reduce, or eliminate) the physiological, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral reactions that accompany the experience of stressful encounters.

personal control

belief that individuals have the ability to influence and shape their own experiences and outcomes.

• involves a sense of agency and autonomy in decision-making and actions.

learned helplessness

psychological condition where an individual feels powerless to change their situation due to repeated failures or negative outcomes in the past.

external locus of control

perception that chance or outside forces beyond your personal control determine your fate (failing test is attributed to bad teacher, luck or fate)

internal locus of control

the belief that an individual has a significant degree of control over the events in their life, meaning they attribute outcomes primarily to their own actions and abilities (failing test is attributed to not studying enough).

self-control

the ability to control impulses and delay short-term gratification for greater long-term rewards.

martin seligman

1. father of positive psychology

2. known for his research on “learned helplessness” (dog & shocked cage).

positive psychology

the scientific study of human flourishing, focusing on positive emotions, strengths, and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive, rather than solely studying mental disorders and negative aspects of human behavior; it essentially examines what makes life worth living and the factors that contribute to well-being and happiness.

subjective well-being

self-perceived happiness or satisfaction with life. used along w/ measures of objective well-being (for example, physical and economic indicators) to evaluate people's quality of life.

feel good, do-good phenomenon

tendency of people to be helpful when they are in a good mood.

adaptation-level phenomenon

1. the tendency people have to quickly adapt to a new situation, until that situation becomes the norm

2. once the new situation is normal, another new experience is needed -- it constantly raises the level for what is new or exciting as each new thing becomes the norm.

   • a worker may initially experience happiness upon receiving a pay raise, for example. over time, however, the worker is likely to return to a baseline happiness level as he or she adapts to the higher salary.

relative deprivation

the feeling of being worse off compared to others in a similar social group, even if one's objective situation is not objectively deprived (arising from the perception that others possess more desirable resources like wealth, status, or opportunities, leading to feelings of discontent and frustration)

broaden-build theory

concept that experiencing positive emotions expands an individual's cognitive and behavioral options, allowing them to explore new ideas and build personal resources like social connections, skills, and resilience, ultimately leading to increased well-being. (so being negative → narrow opportunities)

character strengths & virtues

a set of positive psychological traits, considered to be morally valuable and desirable across cultures, that contribute to a person's well-being and positive functioning

• wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, etc.

resilience

the ability of an individual to successfully adapt and "bounce back" from challenging or traumatic life experiences, maintaining psychological well-being even in the face of adversity, essentially demonstrating mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility to adjust to difficult situations.

aerobic exercise

physical activity that is sustained and moderate in intensity, utilizing large muscle groups and relying primarily on oxygen to provide energy for the body, often including activities like walking, jogging, or cycling, which improves cardiovascular health and endurance.

mindfulness meditation

type of meditation practice that focuses on actively paying attention to the present moment without judgment, by observing one's thoughts, feelings, and sensations as they arise, essentially cultivating a state of non-judgmental awareness of the current experience

gratitude

1. a positive emotional state characterized by a feeling of thankfulness and appreciation for something good that has happened.

2. essentially, it’s the act of acknowledging & being thankful for the positive aspects in one’s life

psychological disorder

a condition characterized by significant disturbances in a person's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, which deviate from cultural norms and cause distress or impairment in daily life.

medical model

the perspective that psychological disorders are essentially like physical diseases, meaning they have identifiable biological causes, can be diagnosed based on symptoms, and can be treated through medical interventions, similar to how physical illnesses are treated; essentially viewing mental health issues as a result of underlying physical conditions in the brain.

• the idea that mental health problems are caused by biological factors and can be treated with biological interventions

diathesis-stress model

a psychological theory that suggests a mental disorder develops when a person with a pre-existing vulnerability ("diathesis") experiences significant stress from life events

• meaning both genetic predisposition and environmental stressors contribute to the development of a disorder; essentially, a person's inherent vulnerability only becomes problematic when combined with significant stress

• suggests that the development of psychological disorders is influenced by both a genetic predisposition (diathesis) and environmental stressors. It proposes that individuals with a genetic vulnerability are more likely to develop a disorder when exposed to stressful life events.

epigenetics

the study of how environmental factors can influence gene expression without changing the underlying DNA sequence

DSM-5-TR

1. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision

2. comprehensive manual used by mental health professionals to diagnose and classify mental disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association

anxiety disorders

a mental health condition characterized by excessive and persistent fear, worry, or nervousness that significantly disrupts daily life, going beyond normal stress or unease, and often involving reactions to specific situations or stimuli with intense dread and anxiety

• features include heightened emotional states of worry or fear that are disproportionate to the situation and can manifest in various forms like panic attacks, social anxiety, or specific phobias.

social anxiety disorder

1. a mental health condition characterized by a persistent and intense fear of social or performance situations where one might be scrutinized by others, leading to significant distress and avoidance behaviors in such situations.

2. essentially, a marked anxiety about being judged negatively in social settings.

generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)

a mental health condition characterized by excessive, persistent, and often irrational worry about everyday life situations, which significantly interferes with daily functioning; symptoms can include restlessness, difficulty concentrating, muscle tension, and trouble sleeping.