Health and Positive Psychology Overview

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Questions and Answers

What is the sequence of events in the activation of the adrenal-cortical system?

Adrenal cortex releases cortisol -> hypothalamus secretes CRH -> pituitary gland secretes ACTH

Pituitary gland secretes ACTH -> adrenal cortex releases cortisol -> hypothalamus secretes CRH

Hypothalamus secretes CRH -> pituitary gland secretes ACTH -> adrenal cortex releases cortisol (correct)

Adrenal cortex releases cortisol -> pituitary gland secretes ACTH -> hypothalamus secretes CRH

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the alarm phase of the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)?

Release of stress hormones by the endocrine system

Mobilization of the body's resources to confront a threat

Activation of the sympathetic nervous system

Attempting to cope with the threat by fleeing or fighting (correct)

What is the primary function of cortisol in the body?

Regulation of blood glucose levels (correct)

Regulation of body temperature

Regulation of heart rate

Regulation of blood pressure

Which division of the autonomic nervous system is primarily responsible for the fight-or-flight response?

Sympathetic nervous system Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of ACTH in the stress response?

ACTH stimulates the release of cortisol from the adrenal cortex. Signup and view all the answers

What is a key difference between the fight-or-flight response and the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)?

The fight-or-flight response is short-term, while GAS is a more prolonged response to stress. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a potential consequence of prolonged exposure to stress?

Improved immune function Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the hypothalamus in the stress response?

The hypothalamus releases CRH, which triggers the release of ACTH from the pituitary gland. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of Health Psychology?

Factors influencing well-being and illness Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a focus of Positive Psychology?

Studying psychological resilience and flourishing Signup and view all the answers

What key factor does stress represent according to the content?

A pattern of cognitive appraisals and physiological responses Signup and view all the answers

How do positive emotions relate to health and longevity?

They are linked to psychological growth and healthier longevity. Signup and view all the answers

What is resilience as defined in the content?

Successfully adapting to challenging life experiences Signup and view all the answers

What does the term ‘health intervention’ refer to?

An act aimed at assessing and improving health Signup and view all the answers

Which statement aligns with the principles of Positive Psychology?

Human flourishing is a key aspect of personal development. Signup and view all the answers

What does Seligman suggest is often overlooked in psychological studies?

Positive traits that contribute to a worthwhile life Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT considered a characteristic of stressful events?

Frequency Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between Primary Appraisal and Secondary Appraisal?

Primary Appraisal focuses on the event itself; Secondary Appraisal is a personal evaluation of the stressor's potential impact. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a microstressor?

A traffic jam Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect of a stressful event is most strongly linked to the event's perceived stressfulness?

Duration Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements correctly describes the relationship between stress and controllability?

The less controllable an event, the more likely it is to be perceived as stressful. Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between a major negative event and a catastrophic event?

Major negative events impact individuals; catastrophic events impact large groups of people. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a cognitive component of the stress response?

Appraisal of the situation Signup and view all the answers

What is the main implication of the 'person-situation interaction' concept in the stress reaction process?

People's reactions to stressors are unique and influenced by their personal characteristics and the situation. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Health Psychology

Health Psychology examines factors influencing well-being and illness, and methods to promote health and prevent illness.
Health interventions are actions taken for or on behalf of individuals or populations to assess, improve, maintain, promote, or modify health, functioning, or health conditions.

Positive Psychology

Positive Psychology is a field focused on positive subjective experience, individual traits, and institutions.
Its aim is to improve quality of life and prevent negative outcomes.
The traditional focus on pathologies neglects positive attributes like hope, wisdom, creativity, and perseverance.
Positive Psychology shifts from a disease model to understanding human flourishing.
It emphasizes resilience to adversity, positive emotions, positive personality traits, and positive institutions.
Positive Psychology employs empirical methods.
Positive emotions can lead to psychological growth and wellbeing.
Research shows a link between positive emotions and healthy longevity.
Positive emotions can be a cause and result of success in life.

Stress

Stress is a pattern of cognitive appraisals, physiological responses, and behaviors in reaction to a perceived imbalance between situational demands and available resources.
Stress occurs when experiencing events endangering physical or psychological well-being.
The Stress Reaction Process includes stressors (demanding or threatening events), stress responses (people's reactions), and the interaction between the person and the situation.
Stressors are stimuli that place demands on us, requiring adaptation.
Types of stressors include Microstressors (daily hassles), Major Negative Events (personal, negative experiences), and Catastrophic Events (unexpected events affecting many people).

Characteristics of Stressful Events

Intensity: refers to the severity of the challenge; major life changes, negative events, and internal conflicts are frequently perceived as highly intense.
Controllability: the degree to which an event can be influenced or controlled; less controllability increases perceived stress.
Predictability: the degree to which the occurrence and timing of an event are known; reduced predictability often increases stress.
Duration and Chronicity: the duration of a negative event correlates with its perceived stressfulness; chronic stressors are often more stressful than short-term events.

The Stress Response

Stress responses have cognitive, physiological, and behavioral components.
Cognitive Appraisal:
- Primary Appraisal: evaluating the nature and demand of a situation (benign, neutral, or threatening).
- Secondary Appraisal: assessing available resources and coping ability.
Physiological Response (Fight-or-Flight): Body prepares for immediate action against a perceived threat. Key responses include increased metabolism, hormone release, increased heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing.
Physiological Reaction to Stress: The General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS): a response pattern to strong and prolonged stressors comprising three phases: Alarm Phase, Resistance Phase, and Exhaustion Phase. During the Alarm Phase, the body mobilizes resources to combat a threat, during the Resistance Phase the organism attempts to cope and during Exhaustion Phase depleted resources result in vulnerability to illness.

Psychological Reactions to Stress

Anxiety, common response that can develop to PTSD
Anger & Aggression: often response to frustration.
Apathy & Depression: withdrawal due to learned helplessness.
Cognitive Impairment: during high arousal or distracting thoughts.

Physiological Reactions to Stress

How Stress Affects Health: Chronic stress may impair the immune system, increase the risk of physical disorders (e.g., ulcers, high blood pressure, heart disease), and potentially contribute to psychophysiological disorders.
Psychoneuroimmunology: Studies the immune system's response to stress and psychological factors, including the impact of perceived control over stress.
Health-Related Behaviors: Lifestyle factors (smoking, alcohol abuse, overeating) are heavily influenced by stress and health behaviors can be impacted negatively by stress.

Psychological Factors & Stress Responses

Optimism helps people respond better to stress.
Hardiness: a personality trait that includes commitment, control, and challenge. People with hardiness are less vulnerable to stress.
Type A pattern: behavior pattern of competitiveness, hostility, and impatience associated with a higher risk of coronary heart disease.

Behavioural Responses: Coping Skills

Coping: the process of managing stressful situations.
Problem-focused Coping: addressing the source of the stressor.
Emotion-focused Coping: managing the emotional response to the stressor. This can include techniques like physical exercise, venting anger, or seeking emotional support.
Seeking social support: Can enhance coping and reduce stress.
Maladaptive coping includes avoidance, and rumination which can lead to longer-term problems.

Coping with Stress

Problem-focused coping and seeking social support is good for managing controllable situations.
Emotion-focused coping can be helpful in uncontrollable situations strategies may involve managing associated feelings.
Disclosing trauma can enhance immune function and lower stress. Quality of disclosures is more important than quantity.

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Description

Explore the concepts of Health Psychology and Positive Psychology in this quiz. Understand how these fields focus on well-being, resilience, and the promotion of positive traits for improved quality of life. Test your knowledge on health interventions and the importance of positive emotions in psychological growth.