Psychology 101 // Chapter 11 (Stress and Health)

Stress

Answer explanation

The term used to describe the physical emotional, cognitive, and behavioral response to events that are appraised as threatening or challenging.

Stressors

Answer explanation

Events that cause a stress reaction

Distress

Answer explanation

The effect of unpleasant and undesirable stressors

Eustress

Answer explanation

The effect of positive events, or the optimal amount of stress that people need to promote health and well-being

Cognitive Factors of Stress

Answer explanation

Cognitive appraisal approach, primary appraisal, secondary appraisal

Cognitive appraisal approach

Answer explanation

States that how people think about a stressor determines, at least in part, how stressful that stressor will become

Primary appraisal

Answer explanation

The first step in assessing a stress, which involves estimating the severity of a stressor and classifying it as either a threat or a challenge

Secondary appraisal

Answer explanation

The second step in assessing a Threat, which invovles estimating the resources available to the person for coping with the stressor.

Responses to a stressor

Answer explanation

Lazarus's cognitive appraisal approach. According to this approach, there are two steps in cognitvely determining the degree of stress created by a potential stressor. Primary appraisal involves determining if the potential stressor is a threat. if it is perceived as a threat, secondary appraisal involves determining the resources one has to deal with the stress. such as time, money, physical ability, and so on. Inadequate resources lead to increased feelings of stress and the possibility of developing new resources to deal with the stress.

Causes of stress

Answer explanation

Catastrophe, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Major Life Events, Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS), College Undergraduate Stress Scale (CUSS), Hassles