1. © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Perception Interventions Chapter 7

2. Chapter Overview Selective awareness Selective awareness Stop to smell the roses Stop to smell the roses Perspective and selective awareness Perspective and selective awareness An attitude of gratitude An attitude of gratitude Humor and stress Humor and stress Type A behavior pattern Type A behavior pattern Self-esteem Self-esteem © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

3. Chapter Overview (cont.) Locus of control Locus of control Anxiety management Anxiety management Resiliency Resiliency Hardiness Hardiness © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

4. What Are Perceptions? Cognitive interpretations of people, things, and events within your world © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

5. Selective Awareness Choose to focus on the positive rather than the negative in a situation Choose to focus on the positive rather than the negative in a situation Realize that there is both good and bad in every situation Realize that there is both good and bad in every situation Choose a positive physiological and psychological response Choose a positive physiological and psychological response © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

6. Selective Awareness (cont.) De-emphasize (but do not deny) negative features De-emphasize (but do not deny) negative features Recall the good events of each day Recall the good events of each day “Be your own best friend” “Be your own best friend” “Take time to smell the roses” “Take time to smell the roses” © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

7. Concepts of Perspective and Selective Awareness Put minor stressors into perspective Put minor stressors into perspective Focus on the positive aspects of the current situation Focus on the positive aspects of the current situation Develop an “attitude of gratitude” Develop an “attitude of gratitude” –Learn to be grateful for what you have, while not ignoring reality © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

8. Humor and Stress Humor can be an effective means of coping with stress Humor can be an effective means of coping with stress Humor prevents negative life events from resulting in mood disturbances Humor prevents negative life events from resulting in mood disturbances Coping with humor acted as a buffer between negative life events and mood disturbances Coping with humor acted as a buffer between negative life events and mood disturbances © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

9. Humor and Stress Relationship (cont.) Humor results in psychological and physiological changes leading to relaxation Humor results in psychological and physiological changes leading to relaxation Humor has been shown to improve the health of the elderly and has been used as therapy Humor has been shown to improve the health of the elderly and has been used as therapy Humor also can be used inappropriately, causing distress to others Humor also can be used inappropriately, causing distress to others © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

10. Personality Behavior Patterns Two types Two types –Type A: characterized by competitive drive, aggressiveness, impatience, time urgency, free-floating hostility, insecurity Found to be associated with coronary heart disease Found to be associated with coronary heart disease Exhibited in females as well as males Exhibited in females as well as males Learned behavior, not genetically passed down Learned behavior, not genetically passed down (Friedman & Rosenman, 1974) © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

11. Interesting Research A study of nurses and teachers shows that Type A’s tend to experience more job stress A study of nurses and teachers shows that Type A’s tend to experience more job stress Type A hospital employees had more health problems Type A hospital employees had more health problems Their appears to be a relationship between anger/hostility and coronary heart disease Their appears to be a relationship between anger/hostility and coronary heart disease © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

12. Did You Know? Of all the behavioral characteristics studied, it appears that Type A’s that have a preponderance of hostile aggression are more likely to develop coronary heart disease Of all the behavioral characteristics studied, it appears that Type A’s that have a preponderance of hostile aggression are more likely to develop coronary heart disease © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

13. Personality Behavior Patterns (cont.) More personality types (cont.) More personality types (cont.) –Type B: behavior that exhibits no free-floating hostility or sense of time urgency, opposite of Type A –Type C: denial and suppression of emotion –Type D: negative emotions and inhibited self- expression By setting goals linked to rewards and punishments, one can modify behaviors By setting goals linked to rewards and punishments, one can modify behaviors © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

14. Self-Esteem and Stress Management Self-esteem is how you regard yourself Self-esteem is how you regard yourself Poor self-esteem is related to drug abuse, irresponsible sexual behavior, and other unhealthy activities Poor self-esteem is related to drug abuse, irresponsible sexual behavior, and other unhealthy activities Can be affected by treatment by others; how we are judged affects how we feel about ourselves Can be affected by treatment by others; how we are judged affects how we feel about ourselves © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

15. Self-Esteem and Stress Management (cont.) Poor self-esteem may lead to the development of stress-related illnesses Poor self-esteem may lead to the development of stress-related illnesses Stress management requires confidence in your ability to control your life effectively Stress management requires confidence in your ability to control your life effectively © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

16. How to Increase Self-Esteem? 1.Identify what needs to be improved 2.Look at other components (e.g., low scores from Lab 7.4) 3.Ask yourself what needs to be improved 4.Whatever you decide to do: Do it now!Do it now! Stick with it!Stick with it! You can feel better about yourselfYou can feel better about yourself © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

17. Locus of Control Perception of the amount of personal control you have over events in your life Perception of the amount of personal control you have over events in your life –External locus of control: perception that one has little control over these events –Internal locus of control: perception that one has a good deal of control over life events Those with external locus take less action to control their lives because they believe such action is fruitless Those with external locus take less action to control their lives because they believe such action is fruitless © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

18. Interesting Research Women with an internal locus of control perceived themselves at greater risk of developing breast cancer and, therefore, were more likely to be screened (Rowe et al., 2005) Women with an internal locus of control perceived themselves at greater risk of developing breast cancer and, therefore, were more likely to be screened (Rowe et al., 2005) Locus of control related to chronic fatigue syndrome, sick leave from work, and how one responds to a diagnosis of human papillomavirus (van de Putte et al., 2005; Hansen et al., 2005; Kahn et al., 2005) Locus of control related to chronic fatigue syndrome, sick leave from work, and how one responds to a diagnosis of human papillomavirus (van de Putte et al., 2005; Hansen et al., 2005; Kahn et al., 2005) © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

19. Locus of Control (cont.) People can have good locus of control in one area of life and not in another People can have good locus of control in one area of life and not in another Cocreator Perception Deficiency (CCPD) describes those who believe that they have total control over events or no control at all; both are faulty Cocreator Perception Deficiency (CCPD) describes those who believe that they have total control over events or no control at all; both are faulty © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

20. Anxiety Management Complete Lab 7.6 Complete Lab 7.6 Anxiety is unrealistic fear resulting in physiological arousal and behaviors to avoid or escape the stimulus Anxiety is unrealistic fear resulting in physiological arousal and behaviors to avoid or escape the stimulus © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

21. Anxiety (cont.) Types of anxiety Types of anxiety  Test anxiety  Trait anxiety  State anxiety  Panic disorder  Social phobia  Specific phobias © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

22. Coping Techniques Environmental planning Environmental planning Relabeling Relabeling Self-talk Self-talk Thought stopping Thought stopping Systematic desensitization Systematic desensitization Cognitive restructuring Cognitive restructuring ABCDE technique ABCDE technique © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

23. Hardiness People who are hardy have the “3 C’s” People who are hardy have the “3 C’s” –Commitment –Control –Challenge Hardy people are able to better withstand the onslaught of stressors Hardy people are able to better withstand the onslaught of stressors –Become ill less often from stressors –Have less psychological distress, increased happiness and adjustment, happier marriages © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

24. Perception Interventions Chapter 7 © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.