SEC-356 Stress Management Exam Preparation

Vocabulary flashcards covering core definitions, concepts, models, and strategies from the SEC-356 Stress Management lecture notes.

Stress (Steadman's Medical Dictionary Definition)

The reaction of the body to forces that are harmful, infectious, or abnormal states that disturb its normal physiological equilibrium, or the resisting force set up in a body as a result of an externally applied force.

Eustress

Positive, beneficial, and growth-oriented stress that motivates, energizes, and improves performance and confidence.

Distress

Negative, harmful stress that reduces performance and mood, hinders functioning, and causes depression, anxiety, or physical ailments.

Stressor

Any internal or external event, stimulus, condition, or thought that causes a physical or emotional stress response.

Physical Stressors

Environmental or bodily conditions that cause strain, such as extreme temperature, light, noise, and physically demanding tasks.

Daily Hassles

Everyday irritations that serve as psychological stressors, such as traffic jams, lost keys, and financial difficulties.

J-R-R-C-O

A memory trick representing the five sources of work stress: Job itself, Role in the organization, Relationships, Career development, and Organizational structure and climate.

Blue-Collar Stressors

Work stress agents tied to task requirements and physical demands, including unpleasant conditions, the need to work fast, heavy physical effort, and excessive or inconvenient hours.

Home-Work Interface

Stress that overspills between work demands and family or social demands, also influenced by life cycles and life events.

Fight-or-Flight Response

A biological response to perceived threats that releases adrenaline and cortisol, the chronic activation of which causes harm to the body and mind.

Biphasic Effect (Stress and Memory)

The principle that moderate stress can improve memory consolidation during learning, but excessive or chronic stress impairs memory retrieval later.

Adaptive Behaviour

Healthy, constructive, and solution-focused responses that help an individual adjust, solve root problems, and build resilience.

Maladaptive Behaviour

Unhelpful, avoidant, or dysfunctional responses (e.g., substance abuse, procrastination) that offer temporary relief but fail to resolve root problems and harm long-term well-being.

Emotional Regulation

The ability to manage one's emotions effectively.

Positive Self-Talk

The practice of replacing negative thoughts with empathetic, positive comments.

Assertiveness

Expressing thoughts, feelings, and needs clearly and respectfully, without being aggressive or passive.

Mindful Communication

Pausing and taking a breath before speaking or listening to foster clarity and compassion.

S-L-R-C Framework

A four-step method for communicating under pressure: Speak carefully, Listen attentively, Respond accurately, and Check in with yourself.

Emotional Intelligence (EI / EQ)

The ability to perceive, use, understand, manage, and handle emotions, recognising emotions in oneself and others.

Self-Regulation

An Emotional Intelligence skill involving staying calm under pressure and avoiding destructive confrontations.

Social Awareness

An Emotional Intelligence skill, also called empathy, which involves appreciating and understanding others' perspectives, feelings, and needs.

Time Management

The conscious process of organizing and planning time to increase effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity by completing tasks, meeting goals, and reducing stress.

Time Blocking

A time management strategy that allocates specific blocks of time to dedicated tasks.