1. Chapter 13 ~ Stress, Coping & Health

2. Biopsychosocial model = physical illness caused by complex interaction of biological, psychological, & sociocultural factors.

3. The Nature of Stress
stress = any circumstances that threaten or are perceived to threaten one’s well-being & tax one’s coping abilities

4. Appraisal: Stress Lies in the Eye of the Beholder
Primary appraisals of events determine what they find stressful
Secondary appraisals influence degree of stress experienced.

5. Primary & Secondary Appraisal of Stress
Primary appraisal is an initial evaluation of whether an event is (1) irrelevant to you, (2) relevant, but not threatening, or (3) stressful. When you view an event as stressful, you are likely to make a secondary appraisal, which is an evaluation of your coping resources and options for dealing with the stress. (Based on Lazarus & Folkman, 1994)

6. 4 Major Types of Stress
frustration = experienced whenever pursuit of some goal is thwarted
Life changes are any noticeable alterations in one’s living circumstances that require readjustment.

7. 4 Major Types of Stress
Pressure involves expectations or demands that one behave in a certain way
Conflict occurs when two or more incompatible motivations or behavioral impulses compete for expression

8. Responding to Stress

9. Overview of the Stress Process
A potentially stressful event, such as a major exam, elicits a subjective appraisal of how threatening the event is. If the event is viewed with alarm, the stress may trigger emotional, physiological, and behavioral reactions, as people’s response to stress is multidimensional.

10. Emotional Responses to Stress
Common Emotions Elicited
(a)annoyance, anger, and rage,
(b)apprehension, anxiety, and fear, and
(c)dejection, sadness, and grief
Positive emotions are common as well

11. Fredrickson’s broaden-and-build theory = positive emotions broaden thinking & build coping resources.
people who experience high levels of positive emotions live longer than others.

12. Effects of Emotional Arousal
Emotional arousal may interfere with coping.
inverted-U hypothesis, task performance improves w/ increased arousal up to point then declines.
optimal level of arousal on task depends on complexity of task.

13. Arousal and Performance
Graphs of the relationship between emotional arousal and task performance tend to resemble an inverted U, as increased arousal is associated with improved performance up to a point, after which higher arousal leads to poorer performance. The optimal level of arousal for a task depends on the complexity of the task. On complex tasks, a relatively low level of arousal tends to be optimal. On simple tasks, however, performance may peak at a much higher level of arousal.

14. Physiological Responses
Selye’s general adaptation syndrome = body’s stress response, consisting of three stages: alarm, resistance, & exhaustion
Diseases of adaptation may appear during exhaustion stage

15. Brain-Body Pathways
2 major pathways along which brain sends signals to endocrine system in response to stress, leading to release of catecholamines & corticosteroids.
Stress may suppress neurogenesis in the brain.

16. Behavioral Responses
Coping refers to efforts to master, reduce, or tolerate the demands created by stress

17. Giving Up &Blaming Oneself
Learned helplessness is passive behavior produced by exposure to unavoidable aversive events
People who are able to disengage from unattainable goals exhibit better health.

18. Striking Out at Others
Aggression is any behavior that is intended to hurt someone, either physically or verbally
tends to fuel more anger & increase rather than decrease stress

19. Defensive Coping
Defense mechanisms = unconscious reactions that protect person from unpleasant emotions like anxiety & shame, through self-deception

20. Defensive Coping
small positive illusions about one’s life may be healthful, but serious distortions are maladaptive.

21. Behavioral Responses
Relatively healthful coping tactics are termed constructive coping.
Constructive coping is action-oriented & based on realistic appraisals of stress.

22. Stress & Physical Health

23. Impact of Stress Murgia (TED Talk)
Stress can be handy for burst of extra energy & focus,
But when it’s continuous, it can affect brain size, its structure, & how it functions, right down to the level of your genes

24. Factors Moderating the Impact of Stress
Social support = various types of aid & emotional sustenance provided by members of one’s social networks
Optimism is as a general tendency to expect good outcomes