Stress and Health (Psych 001) - Andrew Ward

Stress

the process by which we perceive and respond to certain events, called stressors, that we appraise as threatening or challenging

Stressor

an event or situation that causes stress

stress reaction

the physical response to stress, consisting mainly of bodily changes related to autonomic nervous system arousal

approach and avoidance motives

the drive to move toward (approach) or away from (avoid) a stimulus

approach-approach conflicts: least stressful, two desirable outcomes

avoidance-avoidance conflicts: most stressful, two undesirable options

approach-avoidance conflicts: simultaneous attraction and repulsion

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

Selye's concept of the body's adaptive response to stress in three phases—alarm, resistance, exhaustion.

Phase 1: alarm reaction - heart rate rises, blood diverted to skeletal muscles, ready to fight back

Phase 2: resistance - temp, bp, respiration stay high, adrenal glands pump epi and norepinephrine into bloodstream, fully engaged n summoning resources, fade w time if no relief from stress

Phase 3: exhaustion - more vulnerable to illness or even collapse and death

tend-and-befriend response

under stress, people (especially women) often provide support to others (tend) and bond with and seek support from others (befriend)

health psychology

a subfield of psychology that provides psychology's contribution to behavioural medicine

Psychoneuroimmunology

the study of how psychological, neural, and endocrine processes together affect the immune system and resulting health

coronary heart disease

the clogging of the vessels that nourish the heart muscle; the leading cause of death in many developed countries

Type A

Friedman and Rosenman's term for competitive, hard-driving, impatient, verbally aggressive, and anger-prone people

Type B

Friedman and Rosenman's term for easygoing, relaxed people

Main types of stressors

catastrophes, significant life changes, daily hassles

coping

alleviating stress using emotional, cognitive, or behavioral methods

problem-focused coping

Attempting to alleviate stress directly by changing the stressor or the way we interact with that stressor.

emotion-focused coping

attempting to alleviate stress by avoiding or ignoring a stressor and attending to emotional needs related to one's stress reaction

personal control

our sense of controlling our environment rather than feeling helpless

learned helplessness

the hopelessness and passive resignation an animal or human learns when unable to avoid repeated aversive events

external locus of control

the perception that outside forces beyond your personal control determine your fate.

more depressed

internal locus of control

The perception that you control your own fate

self-control

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

optimism

A general tendency to expect good outcomes.

live longer

social support

- calms us, improves our sleep, reduces blood pressure\

- fosters stronger immune functioning

- give opportunity to confide painful feelings

aerobic exercise

sustained exercise that increases heart and lung fitness; may also alleviate depression and anxiety

~7hrs more life w each exercise hour

mindfulness meditation

a reflective practice in which people attend to current experiences in a nonjudgmental and accepting manner

Mindfulness benefits

- strengthens connections among brain regions

- activates brain regions associated with more reflective awareness

- calms brain activation in emotional situations

religiosity-longevity correlation explanations

healthy behaviors, social support, positive emotions

Hans Selye

sees enlarged adrenals, shrunken lymph nodes, bleeding ulcers when rats exposed to stress

Holmes and Rahe

saw higher likelihood of illness for ppl w more stressors in a year

autonomic nervous system

controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs

sympathetic division

- arouses

- heart slows

- digestion

- bladder contracts

- erection

parasympathetic division

- calms

- heart speeds

- no digestion

- bladder relaxes

- ejaculation

Effects of prolonged sympathetic arousal

Negative!

- high blood pressure

- heart disease

- diabetes

- ulcers

- slow growth

HPA (hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal) axis AKA disease system

cortisol release - suppression of immune system

Gross and Levenson studies

manipulate emotion in the moment; ppl who had to suppress emotion felt more

UCLA HIV studies

men suppressing gay identity showed signs of AIDS faster

attributional style

The way a person typically explains the things that happen in his or her life

- internal vs external

- stable vs unstable

- global vs specific

can predict life stuff eg cold, accident

Langer and Rodin (1976)

Perceived control, ppl feel better

buffering hypothesis

the idea that other people can provide direct emotional support in helping individuals cope with stressful events