Stress Basics
What is eustress?
This type of stress motivates us to do things in our best interest and is associated with optimal health and performance.
What is the sympathetic nervous system?
This system triggers arousal in response to stressors through adrenaline release.
What is health psychology?
This field studies the connections between psychological factors and physical health outcomes.
What is problem-focused coping?
This coping style involves managing or altering the problem causing stress.
What are hassles?
These are minor daily irritations and annoyances that contribute to stress.
What is stress
This term refers to the process of perceiving and responding to events appraised as overwhelming or threatening to one’s well-being.
What is cortisol?
Elevated levels of this stress hormone can weaken the immune system over time.
What are psychophysiological disorders?
Chronic stress can lead to physical conditions like hypertension and these disorders linked to emotional factors.
What is learned helplessness?
This theory, proposed by Seligman, describes an acquired belief of powerlessness in the face of uncontrollable situations.
What are chronic stressors?
Long-term stressors, such as unemployment, fall under this category.
What are primary and secondary appraisals?
These are the two types of cognitive appraisals that determine our response to stress.
What is the fight-or-flight response?
This term describes the body’s immediate physiological response to a perceived threat, preparing one to fight or flee.
What is PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)?
This disorder, often caused by traumatic stressors, includes symptoms like intrusive memories and jumpiness.
What is social support?
This form of support, involving advice and emotional comfort, boosts immunity and reduces blood pressure.
What is the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS)?
This tool, developed by Holmes and Rahe, measures stress based on life events requiring personal readjustment.
What is the transactional model of stress?
The model suggesting stress results from a mismatch between demand and coping resources.
What is the HPA axis?
Name the physiological mechanism that involves the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands.
What is job strain?
High job demands combined with low control can lead to this work-related stress condition.
What is flow?
This term refers to a state of effortless concentration and immersion in an activity.
What is trauma?
Stress caused by events like natural disasters or physical assaults can lead to this condition.
What is the General Adaptation Syndrome?
Hans Selye developed this three-stage model describing the body’s nonspecific response to stress.
What are telomeres?
Prolonged stress can shorten these DNA segments, accelerating aging.
What is Type A personality?
This personality type is characterized by competitiveness, impatience, and hostility, increasing heart disease risk.
What is positive psychology?
This psychological approach focuses on understanding qualities that lead to greater life fulfillment.
What is job strain?
A work situation combining excessive demands with little control is referred to as this.