Chapter 11: Health & Well-Being

Health

The absence of disease

Well-being

a positive state that includes striving for optimal health and satisfaction in life

Health psychology

integrating research on health and psychology; applying psychological principles in promoting health and well-being

Biopsychosocial model

model of health integrating the effects of biological, behavioral, and social factors on health and illness

Health disparity possible causes:

lack of access to healthcare, genetics, susceptibility to diseases, diets, exercise

Body Mass Index (BMI)

ratio of body weight to height (used to measure obesity)

Sexual Transmitted Infections (STIs)

Infections that can be but are not always transmitted to others through sexual contact

Safer sex

Sexual behaviors that decrease the likelihood of contracting an STI

Smoking can cause health problems like:

heart disease, respriatory alinments, and cancers

Vaping

e-cigs not containing tobacco or cancer causing chemicals (mainly used by people trying to quit smoking)

Stress

groups of behavioral, mental, and physical processes occuring when events match or exceed the organism’s ability to respond in a healthy way

Stressor

an envirionmental event or stimulus threatening the organism

stress responses

physical, behavioral, and psychological responses

eustress

stress from positive events

distress

stress from negative events

major life stressors

Large disruptions, unpredictable/uncontrollable catastrophic events affecting people’s central area of life

daily hassles

Everyday small irritations caused from smaller disruptions which can lead to a larger health impact

general adaptation syndrome (GAS)

consistent pattern of physical responses (Three Stages)

1. Alarm

2. Resistance

   1. Exhaustion

fight-or-flight response

psychological preparedness of animals to deal with danger

tend-and-befriend response

females’ tendency to respond to stressors by protecting and caring for their offspring and forming social bonds

negative stress responses

Eating junk food, smoking, drugs, drinking

type A behavior pattern

Personality traits characterized by competitiveness, achievement orientation, aggressiveness, hostility, restlessness, impatience with others, and inability to relax (common in men)

type B behavior pattern

Personality traits characterized by by being noncompetitive, relaxed, easygoing, and accommodating

Hostile personalities and Depression

hot tempered people who tend to be angry (more likely to die from a heart disease young)

primary appraisals

part of coping that involves making decisions about whether a stimulus is stressful or not

secondary appraisals

part of coping that involves deciding how to manage and respond to stressful stimulus

emotional-focused coping

coping in which people try to prevent an emotional response to a stressor

problem-focused coping

coping where people take direct steps to confront or minimize stressors

downward comparisons

focusing on the good things

hardness

stress resistance due to adaptation

3 components of hardness

1. commitment

2. challenge

   1. control

broaden-and-build theory

positive emotions prompt people to consider novel solutions to their problems

How to reduce exam anxiety?

1. Change how you think about the exam

2. Get plenty of sleep the night before

3. Arrive at the exam room several minutes early

   1. Use good test-taking skills throughout the exam

positive psychology

study of strengths and virtues that allow people and communities to thrive

3 components of happiness

1. positive emotion and pleasure

2. engagement in life

3. a meaningful life

mindfulness

state of mind in which you are sensitive to the present moment

Positive and negative emotions were studied in relation to three types of diseases:

1. hypertension

2. diabetes

   1. respiratory tract infection

gratitude

redirects your mind to positive thoughts, increases our well-being and enhances relationships with others