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Chapter 16
Terms from chapter 16
54
Psychology
Undergraduate 1
01/22/2012

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Term
stressors
Definition
specific events or chronic pressures that place demands on a person or threaten the person's well-being.
Term
stress
Definition
the physical and psychological response to internal or external stressors.
Term
health psychology
Definition
the subfield of psychology concerned with ways psychological factors influence the causes and treatment of physical illness and the maintenance of health.
Term
chronic stressor
Definition
a source of stress that occurs continuously or repeatedly
Term
fight-or-flight response
Definition
an emotional and physiological reaction to an emergency that increases readiness for action
Term
general adaptation syndrome (GAS)
Definition
a three-stage physiological response that appears regardless of the stressor that is encountered.
Term
immune system
Definition
a complex response system that protects the body from bacteria, viruses, and other foreign substances.
Term
lymphocytes
Definition
white blodd cells that produce antibodies that fight infection.
Term
Type A behavior pattern
Definition
the tendency toward easily aroused hostility, impatience, a sense of time urgency, and competitive achievement strivings.
Term
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Definition
a disorder characterized by chronic physiological arousal, recurrent unwanted thoughts or images of the trauma, and avoidance of things that call the traumatic event to mind.
Term
burnout
Definition
a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion created by long-term involvement in an emotionally demanding situation and accompanied by lowered performance and motivation.
Term
repressive coping
Definition
Avoiding situations or thoughts that are reminders of a stressor and maintaining an artificially positive viewpoint.
Term
rational coping
Definition
Facing a stressor and working to overcome it.
Term
reframing
Definition
finding a new or creative way to think about a stressor that reduces its threat.
Term
stress inoculation training (SIT)
Definition
a therapy that helps people to cope with stressful situations by developing positive ways to think about the situation.
Term
relaxation therapy
Definition
a technique for reducing tension by consciously relaxing muscles of the body
Term
relaxation response
Definition
a condition of reduced muscle tension, cortical activity, heart rate, breating rate, and blood pressure.
Term
biofeedback
Definition
the use of an external monitoring device to obtain information about a bodily function and possibly gain control over that function.
Term
social support
Definition
the aid gained through interacting with others.
Term
psychosomatic illness
Definition

An interaction between mind and body that can produce illness.

 

Term
somatoform disorders 
Definition
the set of psychological disorders in which the person displays physical symptoms not fully explained by a general medical condition.
Term
hypochondriasis
Definition
a psychological disorder in which a person is preoccupised with minor symptoms and develops an exaggerated belief that the symptoms signify a life-threatening illness.
Term
somatization disorder
Definition
a psychological disorder involving combinations of multiple phhysical complains with no medical explanation
Term
conversion disorder 
Definition
a disorder characterized by apparently debilitating physcial symptoms that appear to be voluntary- but that the person experiences as involuntary.
Term
sick role
Definition
a socially recognizedc set of rights and obligations linked with illness.
Term
self-regulation
Definition
the exercise of voluntary control over the self to bring the self into line with preferred standards.
Term
environmental psychology
Definition
the scientific study of environmental effects on behavior and health.
Term
catecholamines
Definition
biochemicals indicating the activation of emotional systems
Term
cortisol
Definition
a hormone that increases the concentration of glucose in the blood to make fuel available to the muscles
Term
GAS's three stages in order of occurance:
Definition

ARE

Alarm phase

Resistance phase

Exhaustion phase 

Term
alarm phase
Definition
the body rapidly mobilizes its' resources to respon to the threat.
Term
resistance phase
Definition
the body adapts to its high state of arousal as it tries to cope with the stressor.
Term
exhaustion phase
Definition
the body's resistance collapses
Term
Psychoneuroimmunology
Definition
the study of how the immune system responds to psychological variables, such as the presence of stressors.
Term
atherosclerosis
Definition
a gradual narrowing of the arteries that occurs as fatty deposits, or plaque, build up on the inner walls of the arteries.
Term
primary appraisal
Definition
the interpretation of a stimulus as stressful or not
Term
secondary appraisal
Definition
determining whether the stressor is something you can handle or not-whether or not you have control over the event
Term
threat
Definition
a stressor you believe you might NOT be able to overcome
Term
challenge
Definition
a stressor you feel fairly confident you can control
Term
rational coping stages (3)
Definition

acceptance

exposure

understanding

Term
acceptance
Definition
coming to realize that the stressor exists and cannot be wished away
Term
exposure
Definition
attending to the stressor, thinking about it and even seeking it out
Term
understanding
Definition
working to find the meaning of the stressor in your life
Term
electromyography (EMG)
Definition
a technique used to measure the subtle activity of muscles
Term
tend-and-befriend
Definition
a female's response to stress in which they take care of people and bring them together
Term
oxytocin
Definition
a hormone secreted by the pituitary gland in pregnant and nursing mothers.
Term
fMRI
Definition
compare severity of reported symptoms with the degree of activation in brain areas usually associated with pain experience.
Term
malingering
Definition
people who feign medical or psychological symptoms to achieve something they want.
Term
commitment
Definition
an ability to become involved in life's tasks and encounters tahter than just dabbling.
Term
control
Definition
the expectation that one's actions and words have a causal influence over their lives and environment
Term
challenge
Definition
undertaking change and accepting opporunities for growth.
Term
illusion of unique invulnerability
Definition
a systematic bias toward believing that they are less likely to fall victim to the problem than are others.
Term
akrasia
Definition
weakness of will
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