Unit 5 Mental and Physical Health

What is stress?

The body’s response to any demand or challenge.

What is a stressor?

The event or situation that triggers the stress response.

What is distress?

Negative, unpleasant stress that feels punishing.

What are characteristics of distress?

Feels like punishment, leads to avoidance–avoidance conflict, learned helplessness, and is linked to an external locus of control.

What is eustress?

Positive, motivating stress that leads to growth and achievement.

What are characteristics of eustress?

Challenging but not unpleasant, tied to approach–avoidance conflict, optimum arousal, and an internal locus of control.

Give an example of distress.

A teacher who yells, gives pop quizzes, and grades unfairly.

Give an example of eustress.

A job interview that is stressful but chosen and potentially rewarding.

Distress often leads to which type of conflict?

Avoidance–avoidance conflict (choosing between two unpleasant options).

Eustress often ties to which type of conflict?

Approach–avoidance conflict (one goal has both positive and negative aspects).

Distress is associated with which locus of control?

External locus of control (believing outcomes are due to external forces).

Eustress is associated with which locus of control?

Internal locus of control (believing you have control over outcomes).

What are daily hassles?

Minor, everyday stressors (e.g., noise, discomfort, financial uncertainty) that build up over time.

What is the impact of daily hassles?

Their combined effect is multiplicative, often leading to chronic stress if unmanaged.

What are traumatic events?

Intense stressors (e.g., accidents, disasters, violence) that may overwhelm coping abilities.

What factors determine whether an event is traumatic?

Cognitive appraisal, personality traits, coping mechanisms, and available support resources.

What are Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)?

Negative experiences in childhood (e.g., neglect, abuse, household dysfunction) affecting long-term development.

What is the impact of ACEs?

They can impair mental, emotional, and physical development into adulthood.

How does the biological perspective define stress?

Activation of the sympathetic nervous system.

How does the psychodynamic perspective define stress?

Turmoil in the unconscious that may manifest in other behaviors or symptoms.

How does the evolutionary perspective define stress?

A response evolved for ancestral environments, sometimes mismatched to modern contexts.

How does the sociocultural perspective define stress?

Stress arises when societal roles or expectations are not met.

How does the humanistic perspective define stress?

Stress occurs when obstacles block personal growth and self-actualization.

How does the cognitive perspective define stress?

A reaction stemming from disruptive or unpleasant thoughts.

How does the behavioral perspective define stress?

Inability to obtain positive or negative reinforcement.

What is the fight-or-flight response?

The body's rapid, automatic reaction to perceived threat via the sympathetic nervous system.

Which hormones are key in the fight-or-flight response?

Adrenaline (epinephrine) and noradrenaline (norepinephrine).

What are the effects of fight-or-flight?

Increased heart rate, breathing, blood sugar, and energy mobilization.

What is the slow stress response?

The body's slower hormonal reaction to ongoing stress.

Which hormone is central to the slow stress response?

Cortisol.

What triggers the slow stress response?

Activation of the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis.

What is General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)?

Hans Selye’s three-stage model of the body’s response to prolonged stress.

What occurs during the alarm stage of GAS?

Fight-or-flight response: release of adrenaline and cortisol to mobilize resources.

What occurs during the resistance stage of GAS?

The body adapts to the ongoing stressor, maintaining function at a high cost.

What occurs during the exhaustion stage of GAS?

Resources are depleted, leading to vulnerability, illness, and burnout.

How does chronic stress affect the immune system?

Weakens immunity, increasing susceptibility to illness.

What is the tend-and-befriend theory?

A stress response involving caring for self/others and seeking social connections, often seen in women.

Which gender most commonly shows the tend-and-befriend response?

Women.

What characterizes a Type A personality?

Competitive, driven, impatient, prone to anger and high stress.

What characterizes a Type B personality?

Easygoing, relaxed, and less prone to stress.

What is problem-focused coping?

Directly addressing the stressor to reduce its impact (e.g., studying more for a test).

What is an example of problem-focused coping?

Organizing a study schedule to prepare for an upcoming exam.

What is emotion-focused coping?

Managing the emotional distress caused by the stressor (e.g., relaxation, seeking support).

What is an example of emotion-focused coping?

Talking to a friend or practicing deep breathing to alleviate anxiety.

What is hedonic adaptation?

Becoming accustomed to a certain level of happiness and no longer noticing it.

What is ruminating?

Repetitive negative thinking about past events or why something bad happened.

What is catastrophizing?

Anticipating the worst possible outcome despite little evidence.

What is positive psychology?

A branch of psychology studying human strengths, virtues, and factors that enable flourishing and optimal functioning.

What does positive psychology focus on?

Identifying factors that contribute to well-being, resilience, positive emotions, and psychological health.

What are the main areas studied in positive psychology?

Positive emotions, character strengths, and resilience & well-being.

What are positive emotions?

Feelings like joy, love, and gratitude that broaden thinking and foster growth.

What are character strengths?

Positive personality traits that contribute to a meaningful and fulfilling life.

What is resilience?

The process of adapting well in the face of adversity, stress, or trauma.

What is an operational definition?

Converting an abstract concept into measurable terms, such as rating happiness on a 1–10 scale.

What is an example of operationalizing happiness?

Using a self-report scale like the Authentic Happiness Inventory to assign a numerical score.

What is a self-report scale?

A questionnaire where individuals rate their own experiences, emotions, and life satisfaction.

What is the Authentic Happiness Inventory?

A self-report measure by Seligman that assesses overall happiness, positive emotions, engagement, and meaning.

What is the PERMA Profiler?

A self-report scale measuring well-being based on Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment.

What does PERMA stand for?

Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment.

What is subjective measurement?

Assessments based on personal feelings or opinions that can vary between individuals.

What is objective measurement?

Assessments based on impartial facts or observable data consistent across observers.

What is altruism?

Unselfish regard for the welfare of others, often motivating helping behaviors.

What is awe?

A feeling of wonder when encountering something vast or challenging to one’s understanding.

What is bridging differences?

Embracing and valuing diversity of backgrounds and perspectives.

What is compassion?

Sense of concern for another’s suffering with a motivation to help relieve it.

What is diversity?

Inclusion of individuals from various social, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds.

What is empathy?

The ability to understand and share another person’s feelings.

What is forgiveness?

A conscious decision to release resentment or vengeance toward someone who has wronged you.

What is gratitude?

Appreciation for what one has, both tangible and intangible.

What is social connection?

A sense of belonging and closeness with others in a group or community.

What is intellectual humility?

Recognizing that one’s beliefs and opinions may be wrong and being open to new information.

What is mindfulness?

Moment-to-moment awareness of one’s thoughts, feelings, and environment without judgment.

What is purpose?

A sense of intention or direction toward meaningful personal goals.

How does expressing gratitude affect well-being?

Boosts life satisfaction, positivity, and overall happiness.

What are signature strengths?

The character strengths most central to an individual’s identity and well-being.

How many character strengths are in the VIA framework?

Twenty-four strengths organized under six virtues.

What are the six virtue categories?

Wisdom, Courage, Humanity, Justice, Temperance, and Transcendence.

What is posttraumatic growth?

Positive psychological change experienced as a result of struggling with highly challenging life events.

Name two outcomes of posttraumatic growth.

Increased personal strength and greater appreciation for life.

What is well-being?

A state of happiness, contentment, and good physical and mental health with low distress.

What are key components of well-being?

Emotional balance, positive life satisfaction, and overall health.

What are key traits of resilience?

Emotional strength, adaptability, and the ability to recover from difficulties.

What are the two forms of gratitude?

Gratitude as an action and gratitude as a state of being.

What is gratitude as an action?

Actively appreciating specific gifts, opportunities, or acts of kindness.

What is gratitude as a state of being?

A general attitude of thankfulness toward life and circumstances.

What is abnormal behavior?

Behavior that is deviant, distressful, dysfunctional, dangerous, and unjustifiable.

What does deviant behavior mean?

Behavior that violates social norms or expectations (e.g., cleaning your room several times a day).

What does distressful behavior mean?

Behavior causing significant personal distress or discomfort (e.g., anxiety when unable to clean).

What does dysfunctional behavior mean?

Behavior that interferes with daily life and functioning (e.g., cleaning interferes with work).

What does dangerous behavior mean?

Behavior that poses a risk of harm to oneself or others.

What does unjustifiable behavior mean?

Behavior with no rational basis or reason.

Name an early historical treatment for psychological disorders.

Trephination, exorcism, or confinement.

What is the medical model of mental illness?

The view that psychological disorders are diseases that can be diagnosed and treated medically.

What is the biopsychosocial approach?

A model recognizing biological, psychological, and social contributions to mental illness.

What does the psychoanalytic perspective attribute disorders to?

Unresolved childhood conflicts and unconscious desires (id–ego–superego conflicts).

What does the behavioral perspective attribute disorders to?

Maladaptive learned behaviors acquired through conditioning and reinforcement.

What does the cognitive perspective attribute disorders to?

Faulty thinking patterns and maladaptive beliefs.

What does the humanistic perspective attribute disorders to?

Lack of self-worth and unmet conditions of worth.

What does the evolutionary perspective attribute disorders to?

Behaviors and processes that were once adaptive but now reduce survival or reproduction.

What does the sociocultural perspective attribute disorders to?

Social and cultural influences, including family dynamics and societal pressures.