Chapter_14_-_Stress_Lifestyle_and_Health

Stress

Stress

A process whereby an individual perceives and responds to events that they appraise as overwhelming or threatening to their well-being.

Stressors

Environmental events that may be judged as threatening or demanding; stimuli that initiate the stress process.

Eustress

Good stress that is low to moderate in intensity, associated with positive feelings, optimal health, and performance.

Distress

Bad stress that is usually high in intensity, often leads to exhaustion and fatigue, and is associated with negative health outcomes.

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

Hans Selye's model of the body's physiological response to stress: includes three stages—alarm reaction, resistance, and exhaustion.

Primary Appraisal

Judgment about the degree of potential harm or threat to well-being that a stressor might entail.

Secondary Appraisal

Judgment of the options available to cope with a stressor and their potential effectiveness.

Coping

Mental or behavioral efforts used to manage problems relating to stress, including its cause and the emotions it produces.

Problem-Focused Coping

Coping strategies aimed at managing or altering the problem that is causing stress.

Emotion-Focused Coping

Coping strategies aimed at reducing or managing the emotions associated with stress.

Psychophysiological Disorders

Physical disorders or diseases whose symptoms are brought about or worsened by stress and emotional factors.

Fight-or-Flight Response

A physiological reaction that occurs in response to a perceived threat, preparing the body to either fight or flee.

Cortisol

A stress hormone released by the adrenal glands that helps to provide a boost of energy in response to a stressor.

Social Support

The soothing impact of friends, family, and acquaintances, which can take forms such as advice, guidance, and emotional comfort.

Type A Behavior Pattern

A psychological and behavior pattern in individuals characterized by competitiveness, impatience, and hostility.

Flow

A state involving complete engagement in an activity, where one loses track of time and is fully immersed in the task.

Health Psychology

The subfield of psychology devoted to studying psychological influences on health and illness.

Learned Helplessness

A condition in which individuals perceive themselves as powerless to control their environment or outcomes, leading to passivity.

Negative Affectivity

A tendency to experience negative emotions such as anger, contempt, disgust, guilt, fear, and nervousness.

Chronic Stressors

Stressful events that persist over an extended period, such as long-term unemployment or caring for a sick family member.

Acute Stressors

Brief focal events that can be experienced as overwhelming for some time after the event has ended.