4C/D Psychobiological Models of stress

Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome holds that the stress response is

• non-specific but differs among members of the same species

• highly specific but identical among members of the same species

• highly specific but differs among members of the same species

• non-specific and identical among members of the same species

Which of the following best describes Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome?

• A

• B

• C

• D

In which stage-sub-stage of Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome is the onset of the fight-flight response most likely to occur?

• resistance

• alarm reaction: countershock

• alarm reaction: shock

• exhaustion

Manjot lost her job as a waitress. This made her struggle to pay her rent, and other liabilities. This was causing her significant stress. To cope with this, she was submitting a large number of job applications, as well as studying at university in the hope of gaining additional qualifications to assist her in obtaining a new job. Although she appeared to be coping well, Manjot began to show symptoms of a cold.

What stage of Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome is Manjot likely in?

• exhaustion stage; shown by the fact her immune system has deteriorated and she has a cold

• resistance phase; as she is in the process of coping with stressor, and is showing the immunosuppressive effects of cortisol

• exhaustion stage; as she is failing to cope with the stressor, struggling to pay rent and other liabilities

• alarm reaction phase; as Manjot has begun to cope with the stressor

One limitation of the General Adaptation Syndrome as a psychological model of stress with a biological process is that

• a rat's response to stressors cannot be generalised to a human's response because the rat's response is less varied

• Selye considered the impact of psychological stressors on the human body without considering physiological stressors

• it does not provide an explanation for why the human body's level of resistance to stress decrease during the exhaustion stage

• Selye claimed that, during countershock, the human body's level of resistance to stress decreases; however, it is actually known to increase

How does the Lazarus and Folkman model suggest an individual could deal with a potentially harmful stressor?

• Release cortisol, increasing one's ability to cope

• Appraise one's ability to cope with the stressor, if your primary appraisal suggests you can deal with the stressor, you do not need to stress

• Enter the flight-fight-freeze response, mitigating the potentially harmful stressor through releasing adrenaline

• Conduct a secondary appraisal, and if you deem your coping resources as being sufficiently able to cope with the stressor, the stress can be alleviated

Mia works in the city and commutes by train. At the train station, the station master announces that the train line that Mia takes is undergoing maintenance next week, with buses replacing trains, and that her commute time will increase by an hour. Without a car, Mia is concerned that she will have to wake up even earlier to get to work on time.

In primary appraisal, Mia would like consider this

• a threat

• a loss

• a challenge

• irrelevant

Natalie is preparing to travel overseas alone for the first time. The thought of navigating unfamiliar places, dealing with language barriers, and managing her finances is making her feel anxious. Natalie has been trying to put these feelings aside and focus on completing her final university assignment, however, she has recently realised that this is not effective in managing her feelings. Instead, Natalie decides to seek guidance from her cousin, Erika, who is an experienced traveller, and create a budget for herself. These two strategies help to alleviate her worries.

Which stage and explanation of Lazarus and Folkman’s Transactional Model of Stress and Coping does Natalie’s decision to seek guidance from her cousin, Erika and create a budget align with?

• Primary appraisal: Natalie evaluates the potential significance of her travel-related stressors.

• Secondary appraisal: Natalie assesses her available resources and determines she has adequate resources to cope.

• Primary appraisal: Natalie assesses her stressors as a significant challenge however determines she has adequate resources to cope

• Secondary appraisal: Natalie considers her upcoming trip as a potentially positive opportunity for

  growth, classifying it as a challenge

Which of the following correctly identifies a characteristic of Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome, and Lazarus and Folkman's model?

• A

• B

• C

• D

Which is not an advantage of the Lazarus and Folkman's Transactional Model of Stress and Coping?

• It takes into consideration the individual's psychological responses to stressors.

• It takes into account physiological responses to sources of stress.

• It includes reappraisal options allowing for coping flexibility approaches

• It explains why different people react to the same stressor in different ways