Chapter 12

hostility

the tendency to feel angry, annoyed, resentful, and contemptuous

Type B behavior pattern

A pattern of behavior characterized by noncompetitive, relaxed, easygoing, and accommodating behavior.

fight-or-flight response

A rapidly occurring chain of internal physical reactions that prepare people to either fight or take flight from an immediate threat.

job crafting

A term used to describe actions employees take to proactively change either the demands of the job or their personal resources.

optimistic explanatory style

Accounting for negative events or situations with external, unstable, and specific explanations.

pessimistic explanatory style

Accounting for negative events or situations with internal, stable, and global explanations.

confrontive coping

Addressing a problem head on.

Psychoneuroimmunology

An interdisciplinary field that studies the interconnections among psychological processes, nervous and endocrine system functions, and the immune system.

burnout

An unhealthy condition caused by chronic, prolonged work stress that is characterized by exhaustion, cynicism, and a sense of failure or inadequacy.

immune system

Body system that produces specialized white blood cells that protect the body from viruses, bacteria, and tumor cells.

Problem-focused coping

Coping efforts primarily aimed at directly changing or managing a threatening or harmful stressor.

emotion-focused coping

Coping efforts primarily aimed at relieving or regulating the emotional impact of a stressful situation.

cognitive appraisal model

Developed by Richard Lazarus, a model of stress that emphasizes the role of an individual's evaluation (appraisal) of events and situations and of the resources that he or she has available to deal with the event or situation.

Tangible support

Direct assistance, such as providing transportation, lending money, or helping with meals, child care, or household tasks

Planful problem solving

Efforts to rationally analyze the situation, identify potential solutions, and then implement them.

individualistic cultures

Emphasis on personal autonomy and personal responsibility in dealing with problems.

Traumatic events

Events or situations that are negative, severe, and far beyond our normal expectations for everyday life or life events.

stressors

Events or situations that are perceived as harmful, threatening, or challenging.

daily hassles

Everyday minor events that annoy and upset people.

Emotional support

Expressions of concern, empathy, and positive regard.

general adaptation syndrome

Hans Selye's term for the three-stage progression of physical changes that occur when an organism is exposed to intense and prolonged stress. The three stages are alarm, resistance, and exhaustion.

informational support

Helpful suggestions, advice, or possible resources.

corticosteroids

Hormones released by the adrenal cortex that play a key role in the body's response to long-term stressors.

catecholamines

Hormones secreted by the adrenal medulla that cause rapid physiological arousal, including adrenaline and noradrenaline.

Exhaustion stage of GAS

If the stress-producing event persists, the symptoms of the alarm stage reappear, only now irreversibly. The body's energy reserves become depleted and adaptation begins to break down, leading to exhaustion, physical disorders, and, potentially, death.

marginalization

Lacking cultural and psychological contact with both their traditional cultural group and the culture of their new society.

collectivistic cultures

More oriented toward their social group, family, or community and toward seeking help with their problems.

Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS)

Popular scale designed to measure stress; consists of 43 potentially stressful events, each of which has a numerical value in terms of life change units quantifying how much readjustment is associated with the event.

denial

Refusal to acknowledge that the problem even exists.

Telomeres

Repeated, duplicate DNA sequences that are found at the very tips of chromosomes and that protect the chromosomes' genetic data during cell division.

Positive religious coping

Seeking comfort or reassurance in prayer or from a religious community, or believing that your personal experience is spiritually meaningful.

overload

When the demands of the job exceed the worker's ability to meet them.

distancing

When you acknowledge the stressor but attempt to minimize or eliminate its emotional impact.

escape-avoidance

When you shift your attention away from the stressor and toward other activities.

Type A behavior pattern

A behavioral and emotional style characterized by a sense of time urgency, hostility, and competitiveness.

posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

A disorder that involves intrusive thoughts of the traumatic event, emotional numbness, and symptoms of anxiety, such as nervousness, sleep disturbances, and irritability.

socioeconomic status (SES)

A measure of overall status in society.

stress

A negative emotional state occurring in response to events that are perceived as taxing or exceeding a person's resources or ability to cope.

resistance stage of GAS

As the body tries to adapt to the continuing stressful situation, physiological arousal lessens but remains above normal. Resistance to new stressors is impaired.

negative religious coping

Becoming angry, question their religious beliefs, or believe that they are being punished, tend to experience increased levels of distress, poorer health, and decreased well-being.

stress contagion effect

Becoming upset about negative life events that happen to other people whom they care about.

Coping

Behavioral and cognitive responses used to deal with stressors; involves our efforts to change circumstances, or our interpretation of circumstances, to make them more favorable and less threatening.

alarm stage of GAS

Catecholamines are released by the adrenal medulla. Intense arousal occurs, and the body mobilizes internal physical resources to meet the demands of the stress-producing event.

cynicism

Demonstrating negative or overly detached attitudes toward the job or work environment.

lymphocytes

Specialized white blood cells that are responsible for immune defenses.

microaggressions

Subtle instances of racism.

community

Supportive co-workers, a sense of teamwork, and a positive work environment can all buffer workplace stress and prevent burnout.

resilience

The ability to cope with stress and adversity, to adapt to negative or unforeseen circumstances, and to rebound after negative experiences.

biopsychosocial model

The belief that physical health and illness are determined by the complex interaction of biological, psychological, and social factors.

health psychology

The branch of psychology that studies how biological, behavioral, and social factors influence health, illness, medical treatment, and health-related behaviors.

lack of control

The more control you have over your work and work environment, the less stressful it is.

glucocorticoids

The most important corticosteroids, including cortisol.

social support

The resources provided by other people in times of need.

Acculturative stress

The stress that results from the pressure of adapting to a new culture.

cumulative adversity

The total amount of negative events experienced over a lifetime.

positive reappraisal

Try not only to minimize the negative emotional aspects of the situation but also to create positive meaning by focusing on personal growth.

Seeking social support

Turning to friends, relatives, or other people for emotional, tangible, or informational support.