05 Emotions, Stress, and Health

Emotion

a response of the whole organism, involving (1) physiological arousal, (2) expressive behaviors, and (3) conscious experience

Two-factor theory

the Schachter-Singer theory that to experience emotion one must (1) be physically aroused and (2) cognitively label the arousal

Facial feedback effect

the tendency of facial muscle states to trigger corresponding feelings such as fear, anger, or happiness.

Stress

the process by which we perceive and respond to certain events, called stressors, that we appraise as threatening or challenging

General adaptation syndrome

concept of the body’s adaptive response to stress in three phases (alarm, resistance, exhaustion)

Coping

alleviating stress using emotional, cognitive, or behavioral methods

Problem-focused coping

attempting to alleviate stress directly – by changing the stressor or the way we interact with that stressor

Emotion-focused coping

attempting to alleviate stress by avoiding or ignoring a stressor and attending to emotional needs related to our stress reaction.

Personal control

our sense of controlling our environment rather than feeling helpless.

Learned helplessness

the hopelessness and passive resignation an animal or person learns when unable to avoid repeated aversive events

Mood

A prolonged, less intense affective state that is not directly tied to a specific triggering event or stimulus. Moods are background states that color our experience over time (e.g., feeling generally irritable for an entire day without a clear cause).

Physiological arousal

Bodily changes such as an elevated heart rate, sweating, or dilated pupils. The autonomic nervous system orchestrates these responses

Expressive behavior

Outward, observable actions or reactions such as running away, embracing someone, or crying.

Conscious experience

The subjective, cognitive dimension - the thoughts and interpretations that accompany the arousal (e.g., recognizing that one is afraid and thinking about what might happen next

Catastrophes

Unpredictable, large-scale events that affect many people simultaneously

Examples: Floods, wildfires, pandemics, earthquakes, terrorist attacks

Significant Life Changes

Major personal transitions, positive or negative, that require adjustment

Examples: Leaving home, bereavement, job loss, divorce, marriage, having a child

Daily Hassles and Social Stress

Minor, recurring frustrations and irritants; often cumulative in effect

Examples: Difficult roommates, traffic, financial worries, interpersonal conflicts, a dead phone battery