Psychology Chapter 7

psychologists who study how people's thoughts and behavior affect their health

the response to events that disturb, or threaten to disturb, your physical or psychological balance

internal or external events that challenge or threaten you

feelings that occur whenever you are hindered or prevented from reaching goals you seek

a feeling of being pulled between two opposing desires or goals

win-win, very low stress

lose-lose, moderate stress

• most stressful, desirable and indesirable consequences form a goal
• resolve by analyze
• pros/cons, accept reality of risk

a rapid physiological reaction by the sympathetic nervous system that prepares you either to fight or take flight from an immediate threat

Hans Selye's model of stress in which an event that threatens an organism's well-being (a stressor) leads to a three-stage bodily response: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion

• fight or flight response
• an initial shock hits your body
• hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine are released

• most body functions return to normal levels 
• stress hormones continue to circulate
• look fine, but your are not

• you become more vulnerable to disease
• premature againg due to wear and tear on the system

stress related physical illnesses

• the body's primary defense against disease
• 50-70% of all physical illnesses are related to stress
• the longer stress lasts in your life the more likely you are to become ill

cognitive appraisal

• is the situation a threat?
• how big a threat is it?
• what resources do you have for dealing with the threat?

• quick evaluation of situation
• assess what is happening, is it threatening?
• if you decide to take action you move to secondary appraisal

• you decide if you have ability to cope with the stressor
• the more confidence you have in dealing with the stressor the less stress you experience

• a strategy aimed at reducing stress by overcoming the source of the problem
• use this when you think you can overcome the problem

• consists of efforts to manage your emotions' reactions to stressors
• con't handle the problem you use this coping method

ex. superstitious rituals=percieved control

a defeated and helpless state of mind produced by repeatedly being exposed to uncontrollable life events

delaying the start and completion of planned problem solving

• a pattern of behaviors and emotions characterized by cometitiveness, inpatience, ambition, hosttility, and a hard-driving approach to life
• most likely to have health problems, heart disease especially

a pattern of behaviors and emotions characterized by a patient, relazed, easygoing approach to life, with little hurry or hostility

• explains negative events in life as being caused by internal factors that are stable and global
• susceptible to depression and illness

explains negative events as due to external factors that are unstable or changeable and isolated

• the stress resulting from the pressure of adapting to a new culture
• best to integrate new culture with your original culture

helpful coping resources that friends and other people probide when you are in a stressful situation

• sustained exercise that increases heart and lung fitness
• 12-20 minutes
• heightens supply of modd enhancing neurotransmitters

a relazation technique that involved progressively relazing muscle groups in your body, usually starting at the head and slowly moving down to the legs and feet