Psychology Ch. 15

Psychologist Richard Lazarus used a Shakespeare quote to explain his view. What was it?

(Essay) "For there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so."

In our daily lives we have to evaluate situations. They fall into four broad categories. Name and explain each.

(Essay) 1. Approach-Approach conflict is when the individual must choose between two attractive alternatives. 2. Avoidance-Avoidance conflict occurs when an individual confronts two unattractive alternatives. 3. Approach-Avoidance conflict is when an individual who wants to do something but has doubts/fears at the same time. 4. Double Approach-Avoidance conflict is in which an individual must choose between two or more alternatives each of which alternative has attractive and unattractive aspects.

There are different methods that we can use to control stress. Name and explain three.

(Essay) 1. Behavioral Control- if one finds a certain person annoying, avoid being around that individual. 2. Cognitive Control - if you cannot control being around that individual, you can change your way of thinking about it. 3. Emotional Control- avoiding stress by refusing to dwell on the incident. It is probably the most difficult method.

Hardiness refers to three combined personality traits. Name and explain each.

(Essay) 1. Control- involves feelings that we have the ability to affect the situation. 2. Commitment- refers to establishing and pursuing our goals. 3. Challenge- means that we actively confront and solve problems instead of feeling threatened and powerless because of them.

Social groups seem to offer at least four kinds of support. Name and explain each.

(Essay) 1. Emotional support involves concerned listening and bolsters the stressed person's self-confidence. 2. Appraisal support is interactive. The listener feeds back information and probing questions to as an aid in sorting out, understanding the sources of stress. 3. Informational support is when the stressed person responds to what he or she has learned and is dealing with the stressor. 4. Instrumental support represents active, positive support in the form of direct help.

Environmental conditions may cause stress on the job. List four examples.

(Essay) 1. Noise 2. Temperature 3. Odors 4. Airflow

Studies show that people with strong spiritual beliefs often have less stress than others. Give three reasons why.

(Essay) 1. Releasing responsibility for uncontrollable events in life to a higher power 2. recognizing that there is more to life than just the here and now relieves stress is some people. 3. Another way in which spiritual beliefs reduce stress is by decreasing negative behavior.

There are many definitions of stress, even researchers in the field use the term in several ways. List three.

(Essay) 1. To some psychologists it is an event or situation that produces tension and worry. 2. Others describe it as a physiological or psychological response. 3. Still others argue it is a person's perception of the event.

There are many short-term behavioral changes that result from stress. Give an example of a positive and a negative response.

(Essay) A person may develop nervous habits; pacing, gulping meals, feeling tired for no reason. Some reactions are positive. During a natural disaster, some people will risk their lives to save or help others.

Hans Selye identified three stages in the body's stress reaction. Name and explain each.

(Essay) Alarm-the body reacts to a stressor by mobilizing its fight or flight defenses. Resistance- the person often finds the means to cope with the stressor and ward off, superficially at least, adverse reactions. Blood pressure remains high and the body continues to secrete stress fighting hormones. Exhaustion- If exposure to stress continues, the individual reaches the stage of exhaustion. The adrenal and other glands have been taxed to their limits and become unable to secrete hormones.

Give an example of a physical coping strategy. Give an example of a social strategy.

(Essay) An example of a physical coping strategy is when you listen to relaxing music after a hectic afternoon. An example of a social strategy is when you talk to a counselor for professional help.

Which is the most common conflict?

(Essay) Double Approach-Avoidance conflict

Which would you rather be? Give three reasons why. (And yes you have to pick one.)

(Essay) I would rather be Type B because they have happy personalities and they are more relaxed people. They are open to people and seem to know how to work with situations that happen in their life

Explain Progressive relaxation.

(Essay) Is a way of reducing stress which involves lying down comfortably and tension and relaxing each major muscle group.

Explain mental strategies.

(Essay) It entails using our intellectual capabilities to handle stressful situations.

Explain active coping strategies.

(Essay) It involves changing our environment or modifying a situation to remove stressors or reduce the level.

Developing skills in working with others is one of the best ways to manage stress. Give three examples.

(Essay) It provides an increase in self-confidence and self-esteem, reduces our exposure to prolonged loneliness or interpersonal conflict and results in the development of social support systems that can aid us during stressful times.

How does laughing affect stress?

(Essay) It releases the tension of pent up feelings and can help keep a proper perspective of the situation.

What are the positives and negative of a Type A personality?

(Essay) Positive-getting things done more likely to succeed in competitive endeavors and they do not mind challenges or taking risks in order to achieve what they want. Negatives- are very likely to have coronary artery disease, often followed by heart attacks in their thirties and forties.

The level of stress one feels depends on how you appraise the situation. The two basic types of appraisal are?

(Essay) Primary and Secondary

Regardless of the stressor, the body reacts with immediate arousal. Give two examples.

(Essay) The adrenal glands are stimulated to produce - hormones that increase the amount of blood sugar for extra energy and - adrenaline, a hormone which causes rapid heartbeat and breathing enables the body to use energy more quickly

Common to most of the life changing events is?

(Essay) The separation of an individual from familiar friends, relations or colleagues.

What is meant by the term spacing events?

(Essay) When avoiding a situation is not practical, controlling its timing may be helpful.

What are the positives and negatives of a Type B personality?

(Essay)Positives- happy personalities who show a general harmony with people, events and life circumstances. They are relaxed, less stressed, are flexible and open minded and can see the silver lining in stressful situations. Negatives- tend to have a temperament characterized by an easy-going demeanor; less time-bound and competitive.

Intellectualization

In which a person watches and analyzes a situation from an emotionally detached standpoint

Hans Selye

a Canadian endocrinologist who conducted important scientific work on the hypothetical non-specific response of an organism to stressors.

Biofeedback

a technique for bringing specific body processes; such as blood pressure and muscle tension, under a person's conscious control

Problem Solving

a type of mental strategy to resolve the stress

Pessimest

always sees the dark side

Approach-Avoidance Conflict

an individual who wants to do something but has fears or doubts or is repulsed by it at the same time

Delusions

beliefs that conflict with reality, in an effort to retain some form of coping skills

Rumination

constant dwelling on negative thoughts; these people tend to have higher than normal incidence of depression and anxiety disorders

Burnout

continued frustration leads to this; people feel burned out when they feel they are incapable of doing their job well

Holistic

fully integrated

Denial

in which a person decides the event is really not a stressor

Control

involves feelings that we have the ability to affect the outcome of the situation

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

is a condition in which a person who has experienced a traumatic event feels severe and long lasting aftereffects

Stress

is the anxious or threatening feeling resulting from our appraisal of the situation and our reaction to the demands placed upon us

Progressive Relaxation

lying down comfortably and tension and relaxing each major muscle group

Challenge

means that we actively confront and solve the problems instead of feeling threatened and powerless because of them

Meditation

mental relaxation exercises in which a person conjures images and then lets them go; it is a relaxation technique that has been shown to counteract both physical and psychological responses to stress

Distress

negative stress; stems from acute anxiety or pressure and can take a harsh toll on the mind and/or body.

Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict

occurs when an individual confronts two unattractive alternatives

Secondary Appraisal

occurs when one evaluates the different options for coping. they are slower and more deliberate

Cognitive Appraisal

our interpretation of an event, helps determine its stress impact

Type A

personality that is commonly seen in individuals who are aggressive, hard-driving "workaholics".

Type B

personality that tends to have a temperament characterized by an easy-going demeanor; less time-bound and competitive.

Eustress

positive stress; results from strivings and challenges that are the spice of life

Richard Lazarus

psychologist who believed that how a person registers and evaluates an event is what makes the difference

Commitment

refers to establishing and pursuing our goals

Psychosomatic

refers to real physical symptoms that arise from or are influenced by the mind and emotions rather than a specific organic cause in the body (such as an injury or infection)

Hardiness

refers to the combined personality traits of control, commitment and challenge that help us reduce the stress that we feel

Primary Appraisal

refers to the immediate evaluation of a situation

Hassles

relatively minor, day-to-day stressors

Endorphins

rigorous exercise increases production of these neurotransmitters which bring a sense of power and strength

Cortisol

significant increases in blood pressure and stress hormones

Uplifts

small, positive events that can protect against stress

Approach-Approach Conflict

the individual must choose between two attractive alternatives

Double Approach-Avoidance Conflict

the most common conflict situation in which an individual must choose between two or more alternatives each of which has attractive and unattractive aspects

Anxiety

the most common response to a sudden and powerful stressor, which is a feeling of imminent but unclear threat

Stress Reaction

to discuss the body's observable response to a stressor

Stressor

to refer to the stress producing event or situation

Optimist

typically puts the best face on any set of events; are much more likely to live longer

Conflict Situation

when a person must choose between two or more options that tend to result from opposing motives and they fall in four broad categories