Psychology Chapter 5: Understanding Stress

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Questions and Answers

What are the three ways psychologists have viewed stress?

As a stimulus, an emotion, and a coping mechanism.

As a stimulus, a response, and as cognition.

As a stimulus, a response, and an organism-environment interaction. (correct)

As a reaction, an emotion, and a behavioral process.

Which of the following best describes 'microstressors'?

Daily hassles that can accumulate and contribute to stress. (correct)

Internal emotional responses to environmental stimuli.

Large scale disasters affecting communities.

Significant life events that occur infrequently.

Which characteristic of stressors tends to increase stress responses?

Duration and social support.

Predictability and familiarity.

Significance and suddenness. (correct)

Control and lack of urgency.

What does primary appraisal assess in the stress response?

The demands of the situation and what needs to be done. Signup and view all the answers

What are the three phases of the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)?

Alarm, resistance, exhaustion. Signup and view all the answers

Which type of events do catastrophic stressors typically represent?

Unexpected occurrences that impact large groups. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of life event scales in stress research?

To quantify stress over a specific time period. Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect does secondary appraisal focus on in the stress response process?

The resources available to cope with stress. Signup and view all the answers

What is a major characteristic of Type A personality?

Experience a constant sense of time urgency Signup and view all the answers

Which coping strategy is generally considered more effective when one has little control over the situation?

Emotion-focused strategies Signup and view all the answers

How do males generally differ from females in their approach to coping?

Males favor problem-focused coping Signup and view all the answers

What is the best description of health-compromising behaviors?

Practices that contribute to the development of illness Signup and view all the answers

What is a noted effect of bottling up feelings?

Higher likelihood of cancer Signup and view all the answers

Which group is most likely to employ emotion-focused coping?

Asians Signup and view all the answers

Which strategy is NOT associated with positive outcomes in emotion-focused coping?

Denial Signup and view all the answers

What is emphasized by health psychology?

The role of behavior in health maintenance Signup and view all the answers

What can be a negative consequence of certain spiritual beliefs when coping with stress?

Encouraging a burden of guilt Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes the Transtheoretical Model of Change?

The change process is not necessarily smooth Signup and view all the answers

What stage involves recognizing a problem and contemplating change?

Contemplation Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a basic feature of prevention programs for AIDS?

Financial incentives Signup and view all the answers

Which approach combines various techniques, including biological measures and stress management?

Multimodal treatment Signup and view all the answers

What is the percentage effectiveness of alcohol abuse treatment up to one year later?

65% Signup and view all the answers

What term describes the return to undesirable behavior after a period of abstinence?

Relapse Signup and view all the answers

What lifestyle factor is linked to increased health issues such as heart disease and obesity?

Sedentary lifestyle Signup and view all the answers

What behavior change stage is focused on implementing change strategies?

Action Signup and view all the answers

Which exercise mode is characterized by sustained activity that elevates heart rate?

Aerobic exercise Signup and view all the answers

Which behavioral intervention technique involves monitoring one's own actions related to health?

Self-regulation Signup and view all the answers

What challenge do prevention programs often face among adolescents and young adults?

Irrational sense of invulnerability Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary hormone released during the alarm phase of stress?

Cortisol Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the exhaustion phase in stress response?

Continued recruitment of resources Signup and view all the answers

What impact does neuroticism have on stress?

It increases the likelihood of experiencing negative emotions. Signup and view all the answers

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is characterized by which of the following symptoms?

Intense survivor guilt Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a vulnerability factor that can increase susceptibility to stress?

Pessimism Signup and view all the answers

What effect does social support have on stress?

Blunts the impact of stress. Signup and view all the answers

Which component represents the strongest factor in mitigating stress effects?

Control over the situation Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of stress on chronic conditions?

Stress increases the risk of developing chronic conditions. Signup and view all the answers

Which phenomenon describes the impact of negative life events on psychological distress?

Correlational relationship Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the consequences of chronic stress on the immune system?

Decreases immune function Signup and view all the answers

What psychological impact can arise from traumatic experiences?

Long-lasting psychological distress Signup and view all the answers

Which factor is likely to enhance one’s coping self-efficacy?

Observing others succeed Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about optimism is accurate?

It can contribute positively to coping with stress. Signup and view all the answers

Which is a symptom of the Residential School Syndrome?

Recurrent intrusive memories Signup and view all the answers

What is the main goal of harm reduction strategies?

To reduce the harmful effects of behaviors Signup and view all the answers

Which factor is NOT mentioned as a psychological approach to coping with stress?

Aggression management Signup and view all the answers

Who initially coined the term 'positive psychology'?

Abraham Maslow Signup and view all the answers

Which is NOT a suggestion from psychological research to enhance personal happiness?

Focus solely on professional success Signup and view all the answers

What role do vulnerability and protective factors play in stress management?

They influence overall psychological well-being Signup and view all the answers

The abstinence violation effect involves which of the following feelings?

Self-blame and guilt Signup and view all the answers

Which strategy is effective in reducing binge drinking according to brief interventions?

Utilizing harm reduction tactics Signup and view all the answers

What does positive psychology emphasize when studying human behavior?

Positive experiences and well-being Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a component of the Transtheoretical Model?

Attribution theory Signup and view all the answers

What has been a primary focus of psychology since the 1950s?

Pathology and treating illness Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Stress, Health, and Coping

Stress is viewed in three ways: as a stimulus, a response, and an interaction between the organism and its environment.
Stressors are eliciting stimuli, or events, that demand much from us (internal and external).
Stressors can be categorized as catastrophic events, major negative events, and microstressors, including daily hassles.
Microstressors are everyday demands like traffic, work, or school.
Life event scales quantify the stress over a period of time and indicate whether an event occurred, its appraisal, level of control, and predictability.
The appraisal process involves primary appraisal (demands of the situation), secondary appraisal (available resources), judgments of consequences, and personal meaning.

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

The GAS is a physiological reaction to prolonged stress with three phases: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion.
The alarm phase is like "fight or flight," activating the sympathetic nervous system and releasing stress hormones (like cortisol), increasing blood sugar and suppressing the immune system.
The resistance phase involves continued resource recruitment, but they're being depleted.
The exhaustion phase involves dangerous resource depletion, making one vulnerable to diseases and problems like cardiovascular issues and immune system difficulties.

Stress and Health

Stress can lead to chronic conditions like arthritis or bronchitis, worsening pre-existing conditions.
Stress hormones can contribute to blocked arteries and memory impairment via hippocampal deterioration.
Research demonstrates that stress resulting from conflict can decrease immune function within 24 hours.
Some stressors (like trauma) have long-lasting psychological impacts, such as PTSD and the Residential School Syndrome. Examples of symptoms include recurrent intrusive memories, nightmares, flashbacks, and emotional detachment.

Vulnerability and Protective Factors

Vulnerability factors increase susceptibility to stress, while protective factors such as social support, coping skills, and optimism reduce it.
Social support is crucial, enhancing the immune system and preventing maladaptive coping mechanisms. Hardiness is another protective factor involving commitment to goals, perceived control, and challenging situations not as threats.
Coping self-efficacy (belief in one's coping ability) and optimism also enhance one's resilience to stress.

Coping With Stress

Effective coping strategies are problem-focused and seeking social support, vs. maladaptive approaches like avoidance, denial, and wishful thinking.
Emotion-focused coping can be beneficial with identifying and changing irrational thoughts. Techniques like relaxation or meditation can be helpful too (though not always).
No single best strategy exists, as coping effectiveness depends on the situation. Adaptive expression of emotions is associated with positive health outcomes, compared to bottling up feelings.

Health Promotion and Illness Prevention

Health psychology studies the role of behaviours in health maintenance and illness prevention/treatment.
Health-enhancing behaviours improve or maintain health (like exercise, healthy diets, etc.), whereas health-compromising behaviours risk illness (such as smoking, poor diet, etc.).
The Transtheoretical Model helps delineate the steps of behavioural change (precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance, and termination).
Exercises (aerobic and otherwise) have shown benefits to physical and mental health, and longevity (memory and cognitive competence). Positive health behaviors are associated with longevity.

Combatting Substance Abuse

Substance abuse has significant societal costs (financial and other).
Psychological treatments (like motivational interviewing and multimodal approaches) are employed in treatment, alongside relapse prevention strategies.
Harm reduction approaches focus on reducing harm rather than eliminating the behaviour itself (e.g., methadone, needle exchange programs, etc.
Factors like insufficient coping skills, and low self-efficacy are linked to relapse.

Positive Psychology

Positive psychology focuses on positive experiences and well-being, and is not just about ignoring negative experiences.
It uses scientific methodologies to study factors that positively impact mental/emotional well-being, including developing close relationships, nurturing physical well-being etc. and focusing on personal goals.

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Description

Explore the foundations of stress psychology in this quiz, covering key concepts like microstressors, General Adaptation Syndrome, and coping strategies. Test your knowledge on the various views of stress and how different personality types respond to stressors.