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AP Psychology

AP Psychology. Stress and Coping. Health Psychology. Looks at the relationship between psychological behavior (thoughts, feelings, actions) and physical health. Stress.

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AP Psychology

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  1. AP Psychology Stress and Coping

  2. Health Psychology • Looks at the relationship between psychological behavior (thoughts, feelings, actions) and physical health

  3. Stress • Psychological and physiologic reactions to stressors, situations, events or stimuli that produce uncomfortable feelings or anxiety • A stressor is a trigger that prompts a stressful reaction • Stress is a process

  4. Stressor • Stimuli such as heat, cold, pain, mild shock, etc. that we perceive as endangering our well-being • Acute Stressor - response to a terrifying or traumatic event • Examples -- relationship breaking up, starting new school, separation, divorce, death of spouse, victim of crime, natural disaster • Chronic Stressor - response to emotional pressure suffered for a prolonged period over which an individual perceives he or she has no control • Examples -- unsafe neighborhood, continuing marital discord, unemployment, homelessness, ongoing abuse, captivity

  5. Stressful life events include… • Catastrophes – unpredictable, large-scale disasters that threaten us (Ex. Sept 11, 2001) • Significant life events – stressful changes in lives (Ex. Death of loved one, marriage, starting college) • Daily Hassles – everyday annoyances that together can raise our blood pressure, cause headaches, lower immunity

  6. Social Readjustment Rating Scale • Holmes and Rahe • Rates stressful event in our lives • The higher our score on the scale, the greater the probability you face a major health event within the next year (disease, illness, etc) • Example… • 100 – death of spouse (highest) • 50 – getting marries • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holmes_and_Rahe_stress_scale

  7. Conflict • Occurs when a person is forced to choose between two or more opposing goals or desires • Approach-approach conflict • Avoidance-avoidance conflict • Approach-avoidance conflict

  8. Approach-approach conflict • Occurs when you are forced to choose between two or more desirable alternatives that both lead to positive results • Example… • You receive letters of acceptance from your top two colleges / both have academic and social advantages that make them equally attractive • Which college will you choose to attend? • While stressful, this ultimately leads to a choice between two desirable options

  9. Avoidance-avoidance conflict • Occurs when you are forced to choose between two undesirable alternatives that will both lead to negative results • Example… • You are rejected by all of the colleges to which you applied / you must now choose between getting a job or joining the military • Which option will you choose? • Stressful because both options are undesirable

  10. Approach-avoidance conflict • Occurs when you are forced to choose an alternative that will have both desirable and undesirable results • Example… • You receive a letter of acceptance from your top college / you want to attend this college, but it is very expensive • Will you choose this college or one that is less expensive? • Stressful because we experience both good and bad results regardless of what we decide

  11. Hans Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome • Hans Selye (1907-1982) • Physiologist renowned for studies of stress • Identified three progressive stages of stress that collectively form what is called general adaptation syndrome (ARE a GAS) • The Alarm Stage • The Resistance Stage • The Exhaustion Stage

  12. Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome

  13. Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome

  14. The Alarm Stage • You confront a stress-producing event • Your body responds to the stressor by mobilizing internal physical resources • Sympathetic nervous systems • “Fight or Flight” • Example…during the alarm stage, your body produces adrenaline to bring about the flight-or-flight response

  15. The Alarm Stage

  16. The Alarm Stage

  17. The Resistance Stage • Coping stage • Although intense arousal of the alarm stage diminishes, physiological arousal remains higher than normal (Examples…raised temp, heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, adrenalin) • Resources are gradually depleted since the body cannot indefinitely maintain a heightened state of arousal • This stage can lead to diseases of adaptation, including ulcers and high blood pressure

  18. The Exhaustion Stage • Prolonged exposure to the stressor depletes the body’s resources • Exhaustion leads to physical disorders (toxic stress – Ex…MPD, DID, Schiz) , vulnerability to illness (suppressed immune system) , psychophysiological illness (Ex…hypertension, headaches), depression, ulcers and even death

  19. Personalities and Health Type A Type B Relaxed Calm approach to life • High achievers • Competitive • Impatient • Multi-tasker • Walk, talk, ear quickly • Type A more likely to have a heart attack and physical ailments due to stress! Anger, hostility, cynical

  20. Coping strategies… • Def – active efforts to reduce or tolerate perceived levels of stress • Maladaptive (-) vs. Adaptive (+)

  21. Maladaptive • Aggression; indulging ourselves by eating, drinking, smoking, using drugs, spending money or sleeping too much; or using defense mechanisms (unconscious, deceptive reactions – Examples… http://psychcentral.com/lib/2007/15-common-defense-mechanisms/ )

  22. Adaptive • Aerobic exercise, problem solving, seeking support of friends, accepting the problem • Relaxation, visualization, meditation and biofeedback can help lessen the effects of stress and boost our immune system • http://www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_management_relief_coping.htm • Hardy – the characteristic of someone who reframes obstacles as challenges, and maintains an optimistic view in spite of stressors

  23. Learned Optimism • can combat stress • idea in positive psychology that a talent for joy, like any other, can be cultivated • done by consciously challenging any negative self talk • Opposite of learned helplessness (Martin Seligman) • condition of a human or animal that has learned to behave helplessly • that clinical depression and related mental illnesses may result from a perceived absence of control over the outcome of a situation

  24. Stress Vocab • http://quizlet.com/1623772/ap-psychology-chapter-13-stress-coping-and-health-flash-cards/

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