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s prevailing
mood is more likely to be attended to, noticed, and processed at a
deeper level than noncongruent material
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CHAPTER 13: EMOTION, STRESS, AND HEALTH
b) Mood-dependent memory refers to recall of a previous emotional event
that occurs when the individual is in the same mood as during the
previous event
II.Stress of Living
A. Definitions
1. Stress is the pattern of responses an organism makes to stimulus events that
disturb its equilibrium and tax or exceed its ability to cope
2. Stressor refers to a stimulus event that places a demand on an organism for
some kind of adaptive response
B. Physiological Stress Reactions
1. Acute stress refers to transient states of arousal, with typically clear onset and
offset patterns
2. Chronic stress refers to a state of enduring arousal, continuing over time, in
which demands placed on the organism are perceived by the organism as
being greater than the inner and outer resources available for dealing with
them
3. Emergency Reactions to Acute Threats
a) Cannon first described the fight-or-flight response, a sequence of
internal activity that prepare the body to either defend itself or to run
away when faced with danger
b) Physiology of the stress response:
(i) Hypothalamus referred to as the stress center due to its dual
functions in emergencies:
(a) Control of autonomic nervous system
(b) Activation of the pituitary gland
(ii) ANS regulates activities of organs
(a) The adrenal medulla to release epinephrine and
norepinephrine
(b) The pituitary to secrete thyrotrophic hormone (TTH)
(stimulating the thyroid) and adrenocorticotrophic
hormone (ACTH) (stimulating the adrenal cortex)
4. The General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) and Chronic Stress
a) Selye described the GAS as including three stages:
(i) Alarm reaction
(ii) Stage of resistance
(iii) Stage of exhaustion
b) Process is successful at restoration of body’s balance only when
stressor is short-lived or acute
c) Chronic stress compromises integrity of the immune system
d) Application of GAS has been valuable in explaining psychosomatic
disorders
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PSYCHOLOGY AND LIFE
C. Psychological Stress Reactions
1. Major Life Events
a) Major changes in the life situation are the root cause of stress for many
individuals
(i) The Social Readjustment Rating scale (SRRS) rates degree of
adjustment required by life changes, both pleasant and
unpleasant, is measured in total number of life-change units
(ii) The life experience survey (LES) measures effects of life events
in a different manner than the SRRS
(a) Provides scores for both increases and decreases
(b) Scores reflect individual appraisals of events
(iii) Considerations for interpreting measurements of stressful life
events include:
(a) Tendency for studies to be retrospective, thus dependent on
recall
(b) Prospective studies finding significant correlations
between development of medical problems and earlier
accumulation of life stress units
2. Catastrophic and Traumatic Events
a) Catastrophic events are particularly stressful due to uncontrollability,
unpredictability, and ambiguity
b) Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
(i) Delayed reaction to stress, that occurs repeatedly
(a) Emotional numbing to daily events
(b) Feelings of alienation from others
(c) Emotional pain
(d) Sleep disorders
(e) Survivor guilt
(f) Concentration problems
(g) Exaggerated startle response
(ii) Clinical manifestations of PTSD are described as conditioned
responses, learned in the context of a life-threatening stimulus
situation
(iii) Responses can persist, becoming a chronic syndrome known
as the residual stress pattern
3. Chronic Stressors
a) Chronic stressors endure over time. Such as:
(i) Overpopulation and crime
(ii) Health crisis such as cancer and AIDS
(iii) Threat of nuclear war
b) Some population groups experience chronic stress as a function of
their SES or racial/ethnic identity
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CHAPTER 13: EMOTION, STRESS, AND HEALTH
4. Daily Hassles
a) Daily hassles are recurring day-to-day stressors that confront most
people much of the time
b) Relationship between hassles and health problems indicates that the
more frequent and intense the hassles, the poorer the health of the
individual, both physically and mentally
c) Stressors that occur on a daily basis may have a negative impact on
cognitive functioning, including memory impairment
D. Coping with Stress
1. Coping is the process of dealing with internal or external demands that are
perceived as straining or exceeding an individual’s resources
2. Coping may consist of behavioral, emotional, or motivational responses and
thoughts
3. Appraisal of stress
a) Cognitive appraisal plays a central role in defining the situation, refers
to the cognitive interpretation and evaluation of a stressor
b) Lazarus distinguished two phases in cognitive appraisal
(i) Primary appraisal is used for initial evaluation of the
seriousness of a dema
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