Psychology Chapter on Stress and Appraisal

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Questions and Answers

What does primary appraisal involve?

Coping with a stressor

Assessing the effectiveness of social support

Determining the significance of a situation (correct)

Evaluating coping resources

What is the impact of secondary appraisal on stress experience?

It evaluates the individual's ability to cope (correct)

It is the same as primary appraisal

It causes immediate exhaustion

It reduces the stress response entirely

Which stage is characterized by an initial response to a stressor?

Exhaustion Stage

Alarm Reaction (correct)

Recovery Stage

Resistance Stage

How does cortisol impact the body in the short term?

It enhances immune system effectiveness Signup and view all the answers

Which locus of control is associated with better stress management?

Internal Locus of Control Signup and view all the answers

What is eustress?

Positive stress that motivates and energizes Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes the resistance stage of stress?

Adaptation and high alertness Signup and view all the answers

Which life focuses on experiencing pleasure and positive emotions?

The Pleasant Life Signup and view all the answers

What does the matching hypothesis in social psychology suggest?

People are more likely to form relationships with those similar in attractiveness. Signup and view all the answers

Which type of love is characterized by intimacy and commitment but lacks passion?

Companionate love Signup and view all the answers

What defines a stereotype?

A generalized belief about a group of people. Signup and view all the answers

Which culture is less likely to commit the fundamental attribution error?

Collectivist cultures Signup and view all the answers

What waist-to-hip ratio do men find most attractive in women?

0.7 Signup and view all the answers

During which phase of the menstrual cycle do professional dancers earn the most according to the study?

Estrus phase Signup and view all the answers

How does self-disclosure generally impact dating?

It fosters deeper connections and increases liking. Signup and view all the answers

What is the mere exposure effect?

An increased like for things due to familiarity. Signup and view all the answers

What is compassionate love characterized by?

Intimacy and commitment without passion. Signup and view all the answers

What preference is observed among women regarding the scent of men and MHC genes?

Preference for dissimilar genes to enhance immune strength. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary method used to measure happiness in the World Happiness Report?

The Gallup World Poll Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following countries ranks highest in happiness according to the 2024 World Happiness Report?

Finland Signup and view all the answers

What does the Hedonic Treadmill theory suggest about happiness levels?

Individuals return to a baseline happiness level after significant events. Signup and view all the answers

Which factor can explain about 50% of the variability in a person's happiness?

Behaviors and mindset Signup and view all the answers

What does cognitive dissonance refer to?

The discomfort of holding contradictory beliefs Signup and view all the answers

How is the fundamental attribution error defined?

Overemphasizing personal traits in explaining others' behaviors Signup and view all the answers

What does the just world hypothesis assert?

Good people always prosper while bad people suffer. Signup and view all the answers

What was a key finding from the Stanford Prison Experiment?

Situational factors can significantly influence behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of happiness variability is attributed to external circumstances?

10% Signup and view all the answers

Which strategy is recommended by Shawn Achor to enhance baseline happiness?

Practicing gratitude Signup and view all the answers

What defines central route processing in the Elaboration Likelihood Model?

In-depth consideration of message content Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following behaviors reflects situationism?

Acknowledging environmental impact on behavior Signup and view all the answers

When individuals undergo a severe initiation process, what trend did Aronson and Mills (1959) observe?

They justified the effort more positively. Signup and view all the answers

What is hedonic adaptation?

The tendency to maintain a stable level of happiness Signup and view all the answers

What describes the foot-in-the-door effect?

It increases compliance with a large request after agreeing to a similar small request. Signup and view all the answers

Which type of influence was prominent in the Asch conformity studies?

Normative social influence Signup and view all the answers

In the Milgram study, what percentage of participants administered the maximum shock?

65% Signup and view all the answers

What is group polarization?

A process that leads to extreme decision-making within groups. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main concept behind social facilitation?

The presence of others diminishes performance on complex tasks. Signup and view all the answers

What does social loafing refer to?

The reduction in individual effort when working in a group. Signup and view all the answers

How does the self-fulfilling prophecy relate to stereotypes?

It leads individuals to act in ways that confirm their beliefs about groups. Signup and view all the answers

What is the bystander effect?

Reduced likelihood of helping due to the presence of others. Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of the homophobia study regarding male sexual arousal?

Homophobic men exhibited arousal during male/male interactions. Signup and view all the answers

What is in-group bias?

Giving preferential treatment to one's own group members. Signup and view all the answers

What strategies can help minimize the bystander effect?

Build awareness, assign personal responsibilities, and enhance competence. Signup and view all the answers

How does similarity affect interpersonal attraction?

Individuals are more drawn to others who share commonalities. Signup and view all the answers

How can one combat groupthink?

Encourage open dialogue and appoint a devil's advocate. Signup and view all the answers

What defines hostile aggression?

Aggression motivated by feelings of anger aimed to cause harm. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Primary and Secondary Appraisal

Primary appraisal is the initial evaluation of a situation to determine its significance.
Secondary appraisal follows primary appraisal and evaluates one's ability to cope with the situation by assessing available resources and coping mechanisms.

Eustress

Eustress is a type of positive stress that motivates and energizes individuals.

Stress Response Stages

Alarm reaction: The initial response to a stressor, activating the "fight or flight" response.
Resistance stage: The body adapts to the stressor, remaining on high alert but coping.
Exhaustion stage: Prolonged stress depletes body resources, leading to feelings of fatigue, overwhelm, and inability to cope.

Cortisol

Cortisol is a stress hormone that increases energy, reduces pain, and enhances immune function for short periods.
Long-term high cortisol levels impair immune function and are linked to physical and mental health problems.

Locus of Control and Stress

Internal locus of control: Individuals believe they control their outcomes and proactively manage stress.
External locus of control: Individuals believe external factors determine outcomes, leading to feelings of less control in stressful situations.
Internal locus of control is generally better for handling stress.

Types of Lives

Pleasant life: Focuses on maximizing pleasure and positive emotions.
Good life: Involves using strengths and talents in engaging activities.
Meaningful life: Involves contributing to something larger than oneself, exceeding personal fulfillment.

World Happiness Report (2024)

Top three happiest countries: Finland, Denmark, and Iceland.
US average happiness score: Note provided (decline in adolescents and young adults).
US rank in the report: 23rd.
Measurement method: Gallup World Poll with a life satisfaction rating scale (Cantril ladder).

Happiness and Parenthood

Initial impact of having children: Transient decrease in well-being.
Long-term impact of having children: Increased happiness and satisfaction over time.

Happiness and Money

Money's role in happiness: Money contributes to security and opportunities but isn't the sole factor. Relationships, health, and personal fulfillment also play important roles.

Hedonic Treadmill

Long-term happiness: People return to a baseline level of happiness after experiencing highs and lows.
Great events: Potential increase in happiness, but return to baseline.
Terrible events: Potential decrease in happiness, but return to baseline.
Hedonic adaptation: The process of returning to a stable happiness level after significant events.

Shawn Achor's Perspective on Happiness

Long-term happiness: Significantly influenced by mindset and habits; cultivate positive habits and optimism for improved well-being and performance. Happiness is a precursor to success, not a result.
External factors explanatory power in happiness: Only about 10% of happiness variability is due to external factors.
Genetic/biological component of happiness: About 40% of happiness variability is due to genetics/biology.
Behavioral/mindset component of happiness: About 50% of happiness variability is due to behaviors and mindset.
Positive brain function: Enhanced creativity and problem-solving

Attribution

Attribution: The process of explaining the causes of behavior or events.

Dispositionism and Situationism

Dispositionism: Attributing behaviors to internal characteristics (personality, traits).
Situationism: Attributing behaviors to external factors (environment, circumstances).

Fundamental Attribution Error

Fundamental attribution error: Overemphasizing personal characteristics and underestimating situational factors when explaining others' behavior.
Not necessarily a mistake; interpretation bias.

Videotaped Interrogation Studies

Bias in viewer perceptions of guilt based on camera perspective.

Just-World Hypothesis

Belief that people get what they deserve and deserve what they get.

Stanford Prison Experiment

Highlighted situational influence on behavior.
Criticized for ethical and methodological issues.

Cognitive Dissonance

Cognitive dissonance: Mental discomfort from contradictory beliefs, values, or attitudes.
Triggers: Conflicting beliefs, new information, behavior versus beliefs.
Reduction: Changing beliefs, changing behavior, rationalization.

Justification of Effort

Aronson and Mills (1959) study on severe initiation leading to higher perceived value of the group.

Elaboration Likelihood Model

Central route processing: Careful consideration of message content; detailed evidence evaluation.
Peripheral route processing: Superficial consideration of message content; influence by irrelevant cues.

Foot-in-the-door Effect

Small request leads to increased likelihood of agreeing to a larger request later.

Asch Conformity Studies

Demonstrated the influence of social pressure on conformity; willingness to ignore reality and conform to group.

Normative social influence: Conform to be liked and accepted.
Informational social influence: Conform due to perceived information.
Asch conformity studies: Predominantly normative social influence

Milgram Study

Investigated obedience to authority.
65% of participants administered highest shock level.
Psychologists predicted far lower obedience.

Groupthink

Groupthink: Desire for harmony leading to poor/irrational decisions.
Mitigation: Open dialogue, devil's advocate, smaller group discussions.

Group Polarization

Group polarization: Intensified attitudes or decisions within a group.

Social facilitation: Enhanced performance on simple/learned tasks in presence of others, impaired performance with complex/new tasks.

Social loafing: Reduced effort when working in a group compared to alone.

Homophobia Study (Adams, Wright, and Lohr 1996)

Investigated homophobia and arousal in heterosexual men.
IV: Type of sexual interaction (heterosexual, male/male, female/female).
DV: Penile circumference (sexual arousal).
Result: Homophobic men showed arousal to male/male videos, while both groups reacted to heterosexual and female/female videos.

Self-fulfilling Prophecy and Confirmation Bias

Self-fulfilling prophecy: Stereotypes influencing behavior, leading to outcomes that confirm original stereotypes.
Confirmation bias: Favoring information confirming stereotypes, ignoring contradictory information.

In-group Bias

In-group bias: Favoring in-group members over out-group members.

Aggression

Hostile aggression: Aggression driven by anger for causing harm.
Instrumental aggression: Aggression used to achieve a goal.

Bystander Effect and Diffusion of Responsibility

Bystander effect: Reduced likelihood of helping in presence of others.
Diffusion of responsibility: Individuals feel less personal responsibility.
Minimizing the bystander effect: Increase awareness, assign responsibility, foster empathy & altruism.

Attraction

Proximity: Leads to attraction due to increased exposure.
Similarity: Leads to attraction due to shared interests/values.
Opposites: Less of a factor than similarity for long-term success.
Matching hypothesis: Tendency to form relationships with similar attractiveness.

Sternberg's Triangular Theory of Love

Companionate love: Deep intimacy and commitment without passion.
Romantic love: Intimacy and passion, but not always commitment.

Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination

Stereotype: Generalized belief about a group.
Prejudice: Preconceived opinion about a person or group.
Discrimination: Unfair treatment of individuals based on their group.

Stereotypes vs. Personal Beliefs

Stereotypes are more automatic; cognitive shortcuts for group categorization.

Fundamental Attribution Error Across Cultures

Collectivist cultures are less prone to the fundamental attribution error.

Confederate

Confederate: Individual part of the experiment, pretending to be a participant.

Waist-to-Hip Ratio and Attraction

Men: Prefer waist-to-hip ratio of 0.7 in women.
Women: Prefer waist-to-hip and waist-to-chest ratio in men.

T-shirt Attraction Study

Men wore T-shirts; women rated scent.
Attraction to dissimilar MHC genes (immune system).
Oral contraceptives have reversed preference.

Professional Dancers Earnings

Miller (2007): Dancers earned more money during the estrus phase compared to other phases.

Self-Disclosure and Interpersonal Attraction

Self-disclosure: Sharing personal information increases liking.

Positive Attitude and Attraction

Positivity enhances attractiveness by creating welcoming and enjoyable environments, fostering connections, and building trust.

Mere Exposure Effect

Mere exposure effect: Increased liking for things due to familiarity.

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Description

Explore the concepts of primary and secondary appraisal in stress assessment. Learn about eustress, the stages of stress response, and the role of cortisol in the body's reaction to stress. This quiz covers essential psychological principles related to stress management and coping mechanisms.