Psych Chapter 11 Summary

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Stress and Stressors

11.1 Distinguish between distress and eustress

Stress is the physical, emotional, and behavioral responses that occur when events are identified as threatening or challenging.

Stress that has a negative impact is called "distress".

Eustress is the optimal amount of stress that people need to function well.

11.2 Identify 3 types of external events that can cause stress

Catastrophes like natural disasters

Major Life Changescreate stress by requiring adjustments. Major life changes have an impact on chronic health problems and the risk of accidents.

Hassles are the daily frustrations and irritations that have an impact on day to day health.

11.3 Identify psychological factors in stress

Four sources of stress are pressure, uncontrollability, frustration, and conflict

Frustration can be internal or external, may result in persistence, aggression, displace aggression, or withdrawal.

Psychological Factors: Stress & Health

11.4 Describe the stages of the general adaptation syndrome

The autonomic nervous system consists of the sympathetic system, which responds to stressful events, and the parasympathetic system, which restores the body to normal functioning after the stress has ceased.

The general adaptation syndrome is the body's reaction to stress and includes three stages of reaction: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion.

11.5 Explain how the immune system is impacted by stress

Stress causes the immune system to react as though illness or invading organism has been detected, increasing the functioning of the immune system.

As the stress continues or increases the immune system can fail.

11.6 Describe the branch of psychology called Health Psychology

Focuses on the impact of physical and social activities as well as psychological traits on health and rates of illness.

Clinical health psychology is a subfield in which knowledge is gained by researchers to promote health and wellness.

11.7 Summarize Lazarus's cognitive appraisal approach to stress

States that how people think about a stressor determines, at least in part, how stressful that stressor will become.

The 1st step in the appraising stressor is called primary appraisal in which the person determines whether an event is threatening, challenging, or of no consequence. Threatening events are more stressful than those seen as challenging.

The 2nd step is secondary appraisal, in which the person assesses the resources available to deal with the stressor.

11.8 Explain how personality types and attitudes can influence people's reactions to stress.

Type A personalities are ambitious, time-conscious, hostile, and angry workaholics who are at increased risk of coronary heart disease, primarily due to their anger and hostility.

Type B personalities are relaxed and easygoing and have 1/3 the risk of coronary heart disease as Type A personalities if male and 1/4 if female and working outside the home.

Type C personalities are pleasant but repressed, internalizing their negative emotions.

Hardy people are hard workers who lack the anger and hostility of the Type A personality, instead of seeming to thrive on stress.

Optimists look for positive outcomes and experience far less stress than pessimists who take a more negative view.

11.9 Identify social and cultural factors that influence stress reactions

Several social factors can be a source of stress or increase the effects of stress: poverty, stress on the job or in the workplace and entering a majority culture that's different from one's culture of origin.

Burnout is a condition that occurs when job stress is so great that the person develops negative thoughts, emotions, and behavior as well as extreme dissatisfaction with the job and a desire to quit.

The four methods of acculturation are integration, assimilation, separation, and marginalization.

Social-support systems are important in helping people cope with stress.

Coping with Stress

11.10 Distinguish between problem-focused and emotion-coping strategies to stress

Problem-focused coping is used when a problem can be eliminated or changed so that it is no longer stressful or so that the impact of the stressor is reduced.

Emotion-focused coping is often used with problem-focused coping and involves changing one's emotional reactions to a stressor

Meditation can produce a state of relaxation and reduce physical reasons common to stressful situations

Concentrative meditation focus inward on some repeated stimulus, such as one's breathing

11.11 Explain how a social support system influences a person's ability to cope with stress.

A social support system is the network of friends, family members, neighbors, coworkers, and others who can offer help to a person in need. Having a social-support system has been shown to reduce stress, help prevent illness, and aid in coping with stressors more effectively.

11.12 Describe cultural differences when coping with stress

Different cultures perceive stressors differently, and coping strategies will vary from culture to culture.

11.13 Explain how religious beliefs can affect the ability to cope with stressful events.

People with religious beliefs also have been found to cope better with stressful events

Applying Psych to Everyday Life: Coping with Stress Through Mindfulness Meditation

11.14 Define mindfulness meditation and describe its use in coping with the effects of stress

Mindfulness meditation can help reduce the effects of stress and lead to improved psychological and physical health.

The practice of mindfulness meditation includes maintaining an erect posture in a quiet space and focusing one's breathing and the immediate moment-by-moment experience.