AP Psych Stress

Stress

The process of perceiving and responding to events that are viewed as threatening or challenging.

Stressors

Events or conditions that cause stress.

Appraisal

The cognitive evaluation of an event to determine whether it is a threat or a challenge.

Acute Stress

Short-term stress occurring in response to an immediate threat.

Chronic Stress

Long-term, continuous stress that harms health and mood.

Eustress

Positive, motivating stress that improves performance.

Distress

Negative, harmful stress that hinders performance or well-being.

Fight-or-Flight Response

The sympathetic nervous system’s automatic reaction to perceived danger.

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

Selye’s three-stage stress response: alarm, resistance, exhaustion.

Cortisol

The main stress hormone released during prolonged stress.

Sympathetic Nervous System

System that activates arousal during stress.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

System that calms the body after stress.

Tend-and-Befriend Response

Stress response involving seeking social support and nurturing others.

Perceived Control

Belief in how much control one has over a situation.

Learned Helplessness

Passive resignation after repeated uncontrollable events.

Coping

Efforts to manage or reduce stress.

Problem-Focused Coping

Coping strategy that directly tackles the stressor.

Emotion-Focused Coping

Coping strategy that manages emotional reactions to stress.

Resilience

The ability to adapt to stress and recover from adversity.

Type A Personality

Competitive, impatient, and aggressive personality pattern.

Type B Personality

Relaxed, easygoing personality pattern.

Psychophysiological Illness

Physical illnesses linked to stress, such as hypertension.

Coronary Heart Disease

Clogging of heart vessels, worsened by chronic stress.

Immune Suppression

Weakening of the immune system due to stress.

Health Psychology

Field studying how thoughts and behaviors influence health.

Behavioral Medicine

Field combining medical and psychological approaches to health.

Psychoneuroimmunology

Study of how psychological, neural, and endocrine processes affect immunity.

Catastrophes

Large-scale, unpredictable events causing major stress.

Significant Life Changes

Major life transitions that can produce stress.

Daily Hassles

Everyday irritations that accumulate to create stress.

Acculturative Stress

Stress from adapting to a new culture.

Approach and Avoidance Motives

Drives pushing toward desired goals or away from feared ones.

Approach–Avoidance Conflict

Being drawn to and repelled by the same goal.

Alarm Reaction

The initial sympathetic response to a stressor.

Resistance (GAS)

The stage where the body remains alert and attempts to cope.

Exhaustion (GAS)

The stage where resources are depleted and vulnerability increases.

Glucocorticoids

Stress hormones like cortisol involved in long-term stress response.

Immune System

The body’s defense system against pathogens.

Psychological States as Physiological Events

The idea that mental states influence bodily functioning.

Burnout

Emotional exhaustion and reduced effectiveness from prolonged stress.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Traumatic early experiences that shape later stress responses.

Walter Cannon

Identified the fight-or-flight response and the role of adrenaline.

Hans Selye

Developed the General Adaptation Syndrome model of stress.

Richard Lazarus

Proposed that stress depends on cognitive appraisal.

Robert Sapolsky

Researched chronic stress and its health effects.

Shelley Taylor

Proposed the tend-and-befriend model of stress response.

Meyer Friedman & Ray Rosenman

Identified Type A and Type B personality patterns.

Lymphocytes

White blood cells that fight infection and decrease under stress.

Coping Strategies

Methods of managing stress, including problem- and emotion-focused coping.

Optimism vs. Pessimism

General expectations of positive or negative outcomes.

Biofeedback

Using monitoring devices to gain control over physiological processes.

Mindfulness / Meditation

Present-focused awareness that reduces stress and improves well-being.

Internal Locus of Control

Belief that outcomes depend on one’s own actions.

External Locus of Control

Belief that outcomes depend on external forces or fate.

Self-Control

Ability to regulate impulses and delay gratification.

Ego Depletion

Temporary reduction in self-control after exerting it.

Social Support

Feeling connected and cared for by others, which reduces stress.

Confiding / Talking About Stress

Expressing emotions to relieve stress.

Learned Optimism

Training oneself to adopt more positive thinking patterns.

Positive Psychology

The scientific study of human strengths and well-being.

Subjective Well-Being

Self-perceived happiness or life satisfaction.

Feel-Good, Do-Good Phenomenon

People are more helpful when in a good mood.

Adaptation-Level Phenomenon

Tendency to judge experiences relative to previous expectations.

Relative Deprivation

Feeling worse off when comparing oneself to others.

Broaden-and-Build Theory

Positive emotions expand thinking and build lasting resources.

Values in Action (VIA) Classification

System identifying universal character strengths.

Character Strengths and Virtues

Positive traits that promote well-being.

Positive Well-Being

Satisfaction with past, present happiness, and future optimism.

Positive Traits

Qualities that improve engagement and fulfillment.

Positive Groups, Communities, and Cultures

Environments that promote cooperation and healthy relationships.

Happiness Predictors

Factors linked to greater happiness such as optimism, relationships, and meaningful work.

Income and Happiness

Money increases happiness up to a point, then levels off.

Aerobic Exercise

Sustained exercise that improves mood and reduces anxiety.

Mood Boost (from Exercise)

Psychological and biological improvements following physical activity.

Relaxation Techniques

Methods that reduce physiological arousal, such as deep breathing.

Gratitude

Awareness and appreciation of positive aspects of life.

Faith Factor

The finding that religious engagement predicts longer, healthier life.

Healthy Behaviors (Faith Factor)

Religious involvement often promotes healthier lifestyle choices.

Social Support (Faith Factor)

Religious communities provide supportive networks.

Positive Emotions (Faith Factor)

Religion can promote hope and meaning, supporting health.

Flow

A state of deep engagement and focus in challenging activities.

Evidence-Based Strategies to Improve Well-Being

Research-supported habits that increase happiness.

Mindful Living

Paying deliberate, nonjudgmental attention to daily experiences.

Experiences vs. Possessions

Experiences produce more happiness than material goods.

Sleep

Rest that supports mood, cognition, and overall well-being.