SPA 2

Longest

Resilience

the ability to adapt well and recover after adversity, trauma, or significant stress.

General Adaptation Syndrome- Hans Selye

3 stages:

1. Alarm

2. Resistance

3. Exhaustion 

Alarm

initial reaction to stress

Resistance 

body adapts, stress continues. 

Exhaustion

resources depleted, risk of illness

Daily hassles

focus on small, everyday irritations that accumulate and affect health. Contributes more to illness than do major life events.

Mircrostressors

Place a constant strain on us.

Social Readjustment Rating scale (Holmes and Rahe)

Rating scale examining the number of life changes and their severity. High scores = higher risk for stress-related illness.

Cognitive Appraisal Approach (Lazarus)

Stress depends on perception of threat and ability to cope. Subjective interpretation.

Stress and Bad Health

immune functioning

unhealthy behaviors

Protective factors

commitment

challenge

control

Perceived control

belief that we can influence our environment to experience positive or negative outcomes.

Primary appraisal 

is this event harmful or threatening

secondary appraisal

can I handle it

Problems with stress inventories

often ignore subjective perception of stress

may overlook context

self report biases: may underreport or exaggerate stress

Stress

physiological response to threatening events. How the body adapts.

Relationship between stress and health 

chronic stress is linked to: heart disease, high blood pressure, weakened immune function, and mental health issues. 

Behavioral pathways

stress leads to unhealthy behaviors

physiological pathways

prolonged cortisol and sympathetic activation damages body systems.

Internal lous of control

belief that you control your life outcomes

External locus of control

belief that fate, luck, or others control your life

Perceived control and health

higher perceived control leads to lower stress, better immune function, lower risk of illness.

Feeling helpless increases stress and physiological wear and tear.

Nursing Homes- Langer and Rodin

Two groups: one got to take care of house plant and choose movie night; other did not. Those who got to have control had a lower mortality rate (15% vs 30%)

Nursing Home- Schulz and Hanusa

Visits from college students. Control vs no control: when visits occurred and how long. Temporary control had a higher morality rate compared to the comparison (20% vs 0%).

Fight or Flight (men)

confront stress directly or escape; often physiological response (sympathetic activation)

Tend and befriend (women)

nurturing and seeking social alliances; often linked to oxytocin and social bonding.

social support

the perception or reality that one is cared for, has assistance available, and is part of a supportive social network.

Social support in interdependent / collectivistic cultures

People may avoid asking for help to maintain harmony or avoid burdening others. Indirect support (emotional or instrumental) may be preferred over explicit requests.

Problem-focused coping

addressing the source of stress directly

Emotion-focused coping

managing emotional reactions to stress rather than the stressor itself.

Proactive coping

anticipating potential stressors and taking steps to prevent or minimize them.