stress and coping exam 1

• the general adaptation syndrome (GAS) has three stages: alarm, resistance, exhaustion
• selye alarm response is a physiological response to stress that is triggered by the sympathetic nervous system. body prepares for fight or flight and its first reaction to stress
• Selye's resistance stage is when the body can cope with stressors. governed by the parasympathetic nervous system. reducing cortisol which leads to heart rate and BP going back to normal
• exhaustion phase occurs if stressor continues too long. body cannot maintain homeostasis anymore. immune system weakens and disease susceptibility increases.
• stress is not always bad. it can be positive as well. eustress is good stress. it motivates us to do things like exercise, work hard, etc.
• what is stress?

  Psychological and physiological response to a perceived threat or challenge.
• what is Lazarus 3 types of stress?

  harm

  • psychological damage /lost that already happened

  threat

  • anticipation of harm

  challenge

  • demands that a person feels confident about mastering
• what is Lazarus problem-focused and emotion focus coping theory ?

  problem :attempt to change the person-environment realities behind negative emotions or stress

  emotion: relating to internal elements and trying to reduce a negative emotional state or change the appraisal of the demanding situation
• what is the resource theory of stress?

  stress arises with a lack of resources (such as time, money, or social support) to cope with a situation.

  4 categories

  • object
  • condition
  • personal
  • energy
• what is the primary appraisal in Lazarus theory?

  we assess how significant or meaningful an event is to us
• what is a secondary appraisal in Lazarus' theory?


  assessing individuals' coping abilities in response to the event.
• what is the nervous system?

  body's command center made of 2 parts
• what is the central nervous system?

  brain and spinal cord and controls:

  • movement, awareness, thinking, speech, and 5 senses.
• what is the peripheral nervous system?

  The peripheral nervous system is the part of the nervous system that connects the central nervous system to the rest of the body.
• what is the somatic nervous system?

  The somatic nervous system is responsible for voluntary movements and sensory perception . nerves that connect to the CNS.
• what 2 parts are within the autonomic nervous system?

  Sympathetic and parasympathetic.
• what is the sympathetic nervous system?

  Part of the autonomic nervous system that prepares the body for "fight or flight" response.
• what is the parasympathetic nervous system?

  rest and digest.
• what is the endocrine system?

  made up of glands and organs

  • controls metabolism, energy lvl , growth hormone,
  • hypothalamus, pituitary gland, pineal gland, thymus, pancreas, thyroid, adrenal gland, ovaries and testes.
• the amygdala controls what?

  Emotions
• the hypothalamus does what?

  is the command center, communicates with nervous system (autonomic nervous system)
• the pituitary gland is what?

  The endocrine gland tells other glands what to do, hormone gland, releases adrenaline and cortisol.
• list the order of hormone release under stress.

  • the hypothalamus sends signals to the adrenal gland.
  • 1st message leads to epinephrine --> releases to blood stream
  • norepinephrine release also increases.
  • glucose can be found in blood, heart rate rises, increase metabolism &BP.
• what happens when danger is still looming?

  HPA axis is activated
• if danger still looms what is the following hormone release?

  first releases corticotrophin release hormone (CRH), which travels along neurons to the pituitary.

  then pituitary gland sends a message, releasing adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) into bloodstream.
• what is the first stage of the stress response cycle?

  perceived threat (brain senses danger/challenge)
• what is brain alert in the stress response cycle?

  hypothalamus signaling trouble and sends message to pituitary gland (also the 2nd part of the stress response)
• what follows after brain alert?

  hormone release
• what are some physiological effects of stress?

  sympathetic fires off glucocorticoids = high heart rate, Increased cortisol, high BP,
• what are some effects and diseases of stress?

  Effects: Anxiety, depression, insomnia, high blood pressure, heavy food consumption. Diseases: Heart disease, diabetes, weakened immune system, gastric disorders.
• what is hyperphagic?

  Excessive eating.
• whats hypophagic?

  Hypophagic means having a reduced appetite or eating less than usual.
• CRH inhibits what?

  ACTH, and appetite
• glucocorticoids stimulate what types of foods?

  sugary, starchy, fat foods
• ACTH inhibits what?

  glucocorticoids
• what is allostasis?

  maintaining homeostasis through adaptive changes to meet demands
• what is homeostasis?

  physiological measures are being kept at optimal lvl
• define allostatic load?

  Cumulative wear and tear on the body due to chronic stress.
• true or false: Eustress is bad stress ?

  False
• what is "good stress" called?

  Eustress