Unit 5 Stress and Psychological Disorders

Health psychology

The study of how psychological, biological, and social factors affect health, illness, and healthcare.

Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI)

The study of how psychological processes (stress), the nervous system, and the immune system interact.

Stress

The process by which we perceive and respond to environmental demands (stressors) that challenge or threaten well-being.

Approach and avoidance motives

Motives that direct behavior toward desired outcomes (approach) or away from undesirable outcomes (avoidance).

Kurt Lewin

Psychologist who emphasized how behavior is influenced by the interaction between individuals and their environment.

Hans Selye

Researcher who identified stress responses and proposed the General Adaptation Syndrome.

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

A three-stage physiological response to stress: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion.

Tend-and-befriend response

A stress response (more common in females) involving nurturing others and seeking social support.

Coronary heart disease

The clogging of arteries that supply the heart muscle; often linked to stress, lifestyle, and personality factors.

Type A personality

Competitive, impatient, hostile, and time-urgent behavior pattern linked to increased heart disease risk.

Type B personality

Relaxed, easygoing, and less competitive behavior pattern.

Catharsis

The idea that expressing aggressive feelings reduces aggression (largely unsupported by research).

Coping

Managing stressful situations by reducing stress or tolerating it.

Problem-focused coping

Coping by addressing the cause of stress directly.

Emotion-focused coping

Coping by managing emotional reactions to stress rather than the stressor itself.

Personal control

The belief that one can influence events and outcomes in their life.

Learned helplessness

A condition in which people give up trying after repeatedly experiencing uncontrollable stress.

External locus of control

The belief that outcomes are controlled by chance or external forces.

Internal locus of control

The belief that outcomes are influenced by one’s own actions.

Self-control

The ability to regulate impulses, delay gratification, and manage behavior.

Martin Seligman

Founder of positive psychology; studied learned helplessness and well-being.

Positive psychology

The scientific study of strengths, virtues, and factors that enable individuals and communities to thrive.

Subjective well-being

Self-perceived happiness and life satisfaction.

Feel-good, do-good phenomenon

People are more likely to help others when they are in a good mood.

Adaptation-level phenomenon

Our tendency to judge experiences relative to past experiences.

Relative deprivation

The perception that one is worse off compared to others, leading to dissatisfaction.

Broaden-and-build theory

Positive emotions broaden thinking and build long-term personal resources.

Character strengths and virtues

Positive traits such as courage, wisdom, and kindness that contribute to well-being.

Resilience

The ability to adapt and recover from stress or adversity.

Aerobic exercise

Sustained physical activity that increases heart and lung function (e.g., running, swimming).

Mindfulness meditation

A practice of focusing attention on the present moment in a nonjudgmental way.

Gratitude

The practice of recognizing and appreciating positive aspects of life.

Psychological disorder

A pattern of thoughts, feelings, or behaviors that causes distress, dysfunction, or danger.

Medical model

The view that psychological disorders are illnesses with biological causes and treatments.

Diathesis-stress model

The idea that disorders develop from a combination of genetic vulnerability and environmental stress.

Epigenetics

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

DSM-5-TR

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, used to diagnose psychological disorders.

Anxiety disorders

Disorders characterized by excessive fear, anxiety, and related behaviors.

Social anxiety disorder

Intense fear of social situations involving possible scrutiny or judgment.

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)

Persistent and excessive worry about various aspects of life.

Panic disorder

Recurrent, unexpected panic attacks and fear of future attacks.

Agoraphobia

Fear of situations where escape might be difficult or help unavailable.

Specific phobia

An intense, irrational fear of a specific object or situation.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

Unwanted repetitive thoughts (obsessions) and behaviors (compulsions).

Hoarding disorder

Persistent difficulty discarding possessions regardless of value.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

A disorder following trauma involving intrusive memories, avoidance, and hyperarousal.

Trauma- and stressor-related disorders

Disorders caused by exposure to traumatic or stressful events.

Depressive disorders

Disorders characterized by persistent sadness and loss of interest.

Bipolar disorders

Disorders involving mood swings between depression and mania or hypomania.

Major depressive disorder

Severe, persistent depression lasting at least two weeks.

Persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia)

Chronic, less severe depression lasting two years or more.

Bipolar I disorder

Disorder involving full manic episodes, often with depression.

Mania

A state of elevated mood, energy, and risky behavior.

Bipolar II disorder

Disorder involving hypomanic episodes and major depression.

Rumination

Repeatedly focusing on negative thoughts or feelings.

Schizophrenia spectrum disorders

Disorders involving disorganized thinking, delusions, and hallucinations.

Psychotic disorders

Disorders characterized by a loss of contact with reality.

Delusion

A false belief held despite evidence to the contrary.

Chronic schizophrenia

Gradual onset with long-lasting symptoms.

Acute schizophrenia

Sudden onset with a better prognosis.

Dissociative disorders

Disorders involving disruptions in memory, identity, or consciousness.

Dissociative identity disorder (DID)

Presence of two or more distinct personality states.

Dissociative amnesia

Inability to recall important personal information due to trauma.

Personality disorders

Inflexible and enduring behavior patterns that impair functioning.

Antisocial personality disorder

A pattern of disregard for others’ rights, lack of empathy, and deceitfulness.

Feeding and eating disorders

Disorders involving unhealthy eating behaviors and body image issues.

Anorexia nervosa

An eating disorder marked by self-starvation and intense fear of weight gain.

Bulimia nervosa

An eating disorder involving binge eating followed by purging behaviors.

Neurodevelopmental disorders

Disorders that begin in childhood and involve developmental deficits affecting personal, social, academic, or occupational functioning.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

A neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties in social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviors or interests.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

A disorder marked by persistent patterns of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interfere with functioning.

Dorothea Dix

Mental health reformer who advocated for humane treatment of people with mental illness.

Deinstitutionalization

The movement to release patients from mental hospitals into community-based care.

Psychotherapy

Treatment involving psychological techniques and interactions between therapist and client.

Biomedical therapy

Treatment using biological interventions such as medications or brain stimulation.

Eclectic approach

An approach that uses techniques from multiple therapeutic orientations.

Sigmund Freud

Founder of psychoanalysis; emphasized unconscious conflicts and childhood experiences.

Psychoanalysis

Freud’s theory and therapy aimed at uncovering unconscious conflicts.

Resistance

Unconscious blocking of anxiety-provoking material during therapy.

Interpretation

Therapist’s explanation of unconscious meanings behind thoughts or behaviors.

Transference

Redirecting feelings for significant others onto the therapist.

Psychodynamic therapy

Modern therapy focusing on unconscious processes and past experiences.

Insight therapies

Therapies that aim to increase understanding of underlying psychological issues.

Person-centered therapy

A therapy emphasizing self-growth through a supportive, nonjudgmental environment.

Carl Rogers

Humanistic psychologist who developed person-centered therapy.

Active listening

Empathic listening that reflects and clarifies the client’s statements.

Unconditional positive regard

Accepting and valuing a client without judgment.

Behavior therapy

Therapy that applies learning principles to change behavior.

Counterconditioning

Replacing an unwanted response with a new, more adaptive response.

Mary Cover Jones

Pioneer of behavior therapy; demonstrated counterconditioning.

Joseph Wolpe

Developed systematic desensitization.

Exposure therapies

Treatments that reduce fear by exposing clients to feared stimuli.

Systematic desensitization

Gradual exposure to feared stimuli while practicing relaxation.

Virtual reality exposure therapy

Use of simulated environments to safely expose clients to fears.

Aversive conditioning

Pairing unwanted behavior with unpleasant stimuli.

B. F. Skinne

Behaviorist who studied operant conditioning.

Token economy

A system using tokens as rewards for desired behaviors.

Cognitive therapy

Therapy focused on changing maladaptive thought patterns.

Albert Ellis

Founder of Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy.

Rational-emotive behavior therapy (REBT)

A therapy that challenges irrational beliefs.