Psych Ch14

as a task becomes more complex, the optimal level of arousal

(for peak performance) tends to decrease

catastrophic thinking

- Albert Ellis - giving up on yourself

general adaptation syndrome

- Selye - a model of the body's stress response, consisting of 3 stages: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion

optimism

- a general tendency to expect good outcomes

common emotional responses to stress include

- annoyance, anger, and rage - apprehension, anxiety, and fear - dejection, sadness, grief

3 types of conflict

- approach-approach conflict - avoidance-avoidance conflict - approach-avoidance conflict

reactions to stress in 3 levels

- emotional responses - physiological responses - behavioural responses

conscientiousness

- one of the big 5 traits - correlated with better health because usually have better health benefits

nonadherence

- patients failing a treatment regimen - stopping regimen early - reduce/increase levels of treatment prescribed - inconsistency

approach-avoidance conflict

a choice must be made about whether to pursue a single goal that has both attractive and unattractive aspects - i.e. big promotion but you have to move to a crappy city - very common and quite stressful - anytime you have to take a risk to pursue a desirable outcome, this is approach-avoidance - produces vacillation

avoidance-avoidance conflict

a choice must be made between 2 unattractive goals - i.e. go on welfare or underpaying poverty job

approach-approach conflict

a choice must be made by 2 attractive goals - least stressful - usually a happy ending either way (even though there is a loss) - more stressful when choosing between 2 uni majors or 2 boyfriends, big life decisions

hardiness

a constellation of attitudes, beliefs, and behavioural tendencies that consist of commitment, control, and challenge - hardy ppl can withstand the demands of stress better than others

acquired immune deficiency syndrome

a disorder in which the immune system is gradually weakened and eventually disabled by HIV

fight-or-flight response

a physiological reaction to threat in which the autonomic nervous mobilizes the organism for attacking (fight) or fleeing (flight) an enemy - mediated by the sympathetic division of the ANS

secondary appraisal

an evaluation of your coping resources and options for dealing with stress

primary appraisal

an initial evaluation of whether an event is - relevant but not threatening - irrelevant to you - stressful

aggression

any behaviour that is intended to hurt someone, either physically or verbally --> related to frustration

stress

any circumstances that threaten or are perceived to threaten one's well being and that thereby tax one's coping abilities

life changes

any noticeable alterations in one's living circumstances that require readjustment

health psychology

concerned with how psychosocial factors relate to the promotion and maintenance of health and with the causation, prevention, and treatment of illness

internet addiction

consists of spending an inordinate amount of time on the internet and inability to control online use - depressed and empty when not online

vacillation

debating back and forth

biopsychosocial mpdel

holds that physical illness is caused by a complex interaction of biological, psychological and sociocultural factors

type A personality

includes 3 elements: - strong competitive orientation - impatience and time urgency - anger and hostility also: - ambitious perfectionists - workaholics

PTSD

involves enduring psychological disturbance attributed to the experience of a major traumatic event - i.e. war and soldiers, also police, firefighters, transit workers, rape victims

pressure

involves expectations or demands that one behave a certain way - pressure to perform and conform

burnout

involves physical and emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and lowered sense of self-efficacy that can be brought on gradually by chronic work-related stress - exhaustion, chronic fatigue, weakness, low energy

defense mechanisms

largely unconscious reactions that protect a person from unpleasant emotions like anxiety and guilt - purpose is to ward off unwanted emotions - work by bending reality in self-serving ways - usually unconscious - avoidance strategy therefore no solution to problems therefore unhealthy

type B personality

marked by relatively relaxed, patient, easygoing, amicable behaviour --> less competitive and angry

frusturation

occurs in any situation in which the pursuit of some goal is thwarted - when you want something you can't have

conflict

occurs when 2+ incompatible motivations/behavioural impulses compete for expression

explicit social support

overt emotional solace and instrumental aid from others - Americans prefer this one

learned helplessness

passive behaviour produced by exposure to unavoidable aversive events - thinking events are beyond your control

self-indulgence

reduced impulse control, excessive consumption of food, shopping, drugs, etc - when life sucks, ppl compensate by pursuing substitute forms of satisfaction - explains binge eating, gambling, etc

coping

refers to active efforts to master, reduce, or tolerate the demands created by stress - adaptive - coping tactics are the key determinant of whether stress leads to distressed

constructive coping

refers to the relatively healthy efforts that people make to deal with stressful events - no coping strategy can guarantee a successful outcome - confronting problems directly --> action-oriented, rationally evaluating options to solve problems - based on realistic appraisals of stress - learning to recognize disruptive emotional reactions to stress

social support

refers to various types of aid and emotional sustenance provided by members of one's social networks - positive correlation with greater immune functioning

immune response

the body's defense reaction to invasion by bacteria, viral agents, or other foreign substances

implicit social support

the comfort that comes from knowing that one has access to close others who will be supportive - Asians benefit

optimal level of arousal

the level of arousal at which performance peaks, depends on complexity of task

catharsis

the release of emotional tension

chronic stressors

threatening events that have a relatively long duration and no readily apparent time limit - persistent financial strains, ongoing pressures

acute stressors

threatening events that have a relatively short duration and a clear endpoint - ex: flooding house, exams