Psychology: Stress, Health, and Human Flourishing – Flashcards
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stress
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the process by which we perceive and respond to certain events, called stressors
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stressor
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an event or condition which we view as threatening, challenging or overwhelming
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appraisal
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refers to deciding whether to view something as a stressor
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stress reaction
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any emotional and physical responses to the stressor such as rapid heartbeat, elevated cortisol levels
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general adaptive syndrome (GAS)
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Selye's concept of the body's adaptive response to stress in three phases-alarm, resistance, exhaustion
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tend and befriend
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under stress, people (especially women) often provide support to others (tend) and bond with and seek support from others (befriend)
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cortisol
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stress hormone
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health psychology
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a subfield of psychology that provides psychology's contribution to behavioral medicine
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psychoneuroimmunology
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the study of how psychological, neural, and endocrine processes together affect the immune system and resulting health
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emotional-focused coping
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means reducing the emotional impact of stress by getting support, comfort and perspective from others
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coronary heart disease
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the clogging of vessels that nourish the heart muscle; the leading cause of death in many developed countries
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Type A
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term for competitive, hard driving, impatient, verbally aggressive and angry-prone people
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Type B
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term for easygoing, relaxed people
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catharsis
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the idea that "releasing" aggressive energy (through action or fantasy) relieves aggressive urges
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coping
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alleviated stress directly- by changing the stressor or the way we interact with the stressor
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internal locus of control
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we feel that we are in charge of ourselves and our circumstances
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external locus of control
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we picture that a force outside of ourselves controls our fate
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pessimists
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attribute their poor performance to basic lack of ability or to situations enduringly beyond their control
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optimists
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expect to have more control, to cope better with stressful events, and to enjoy better health
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aerobic exercise
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sustained exercise that increases heart and lung fitness; may also alleviate depression and anxiety
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positive psychology
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the scientific study of optimal human functioning; aims to discover and promote strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to flourish
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subjective well-being
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self-perceived happiness or satisfaction with life
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adaptation-level phenomenon
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our tendency to form judgements relative to neutral level defined by our prior experience
