1. What is stress? the process by which we perceive and respond to certain events, called stressors, that we appraise as threatening to our well being

2. Alternative definition?

3. Immediate physical safety Long Range security Self-Esteem THREATS TO OUR: Reputation Peace of Mind

4. NATURE OF STRESS

5. Stressful Life events Overwhelming traumatic crises are quite stressful But also quite unusual

6. Everyday events are stressful Waiting in line Car trouble Losing your keys Christmas Shopping Stuck in traffic

7. Major and minor stressors are related Major changes Going to college Create minor stressors Changing your address Buying books New surroundings Getting Lost

8. Appraisal: stress lies in the eye of the beholder Stressful event (tough math test) Threat (“Yikes! This is beyond me!”) Challenge (“I’ve got to apply all I know”) Panic, freeze up Aroused, focused Appraisal Response

9. Major types of stress: Frustration –Pursuit of goal is frustrated Transient and temporary Failures and losses are significant

10. Conflict-Incompatible motivations or behavioral impulses compete for expression –Approach-Approach –Avoidance-Avoidance –Approach-Avoidance

11. Change-Any noticeable alterations in one’s living circumstances that require readjustment. –Is change itself inherently stressful? –Social readjustment rating scaleSocial readjustment rating scale

12. Pressure-Expectations or demands that one behave in a certain way

13. RESPONDING TO STRESS Physiological Emotional Behavioral

14. Physiological Responses Sympathetic nervous system? ______ Heart rate ______ Respiration ______ digestion ______ pupils ______ release of glucose by liver ______ secretions of adrenal gland ______ bladder increases inhibits dilates stimulates relaxes FIGHT OR FLIGHT

15. Another stress response: The hypothalamus secretes a hormone to the anterior pituitary. This hormone stimulates the pituitary to secrete another hormone which causes the adrenal glands to release cortisol, the classic stress hormone that arouses the body to meet a challenging situation. But cortisol then modulates the stress response by acting on the hypothalamus to inhibit the continued release of the initial hormone. Cortisol acts on many parts of the immune system to prevent it from overreacting and harming healthy cells and tissue. (reduce inflammation)

16. Selye’s concept of the body’s adaptive response Stress resistance Phase 1 Alarm reaction (mobilize resources) Phase 2 Resistance (cope with stressor) Phase 3 Exhaustion (reserves depleted) The body’s resistance to stress can last only so long before exhaustion sets in Stressor occurs General Adaptation Syndrome patients with a variety of illnesses had many of the same "non-specific" symptoms. But these non-specific symptoms were a common response to stressful stimuli experienced by the body. After a series of tests on laboratory rats, Selye asserted that stress wasn't the culprit that led to the body's vulnerability. Rather, it was the prolonged duration of stress resulting in "diseases of adaptation." Chronic stress, he says, results in the overproduction of chemicals and hormones, producing symptoms such as ulcers and high blood pressure.

17. Emotional Responses to Stress Negative: Annoyance, anger and rage Apprehension, anxiety, and fear Dejection, sadness and grief Positive responses : promote creativity, problem solving, flexibility, learning about self

18. Effects of Emotional arousal Emotional arousal can help or hinder attempts to cope with stress The “inverted U hypothesis” As task becomes more complex optimal level of arousal tends to decrease

19. Long drive? Complex decision? Sporting event Speaking in front of class- student? Speaking in front of class- teacher?

20. Behavioral Responses to stress Behavioral responses involve COPING Coping: Active efforts to master, reduce, or tolerate the demands created by stress Can be positive or negative

21. Negative coping behaviors “Behavioral disengagement”-learned helplessness rather than stress

22. Striking out at others –‘frustration-aggression hypothesis –Not always aggressive towards source of stress (displacement) –Idea of ‘catharsis’ not supported by research Different than expressing feelings, which does help.

23. Self-Indulgence –Excessive consumption

24. Defense mechanisms Defend against emotions elicited by stress –Anger –Guilt –Anxiety –dejection

25. Not healthy choice because they –Involve avoidance which isn’t a genuine solution –Cause delay in dealing with problems –(Small illusions are beneficial. Extreme distortions are maladaptive)

26. Constructive Coping Healthful efforts to deal with stress Doesn’t guarantee success –Confronting problems directly Action oriented Conscious effort to rationally evaluate options –Reasonable realistic appraisal of coping resources –Recognize and inhibit disruptive emotional reactions to stress

27. Coping strategies Reappraisal –Ellis’s rational thinking –Detect catastrophic thinking –Dispute irrational assumptions that cause it “I must have approval from everyone” “I must perform well in all endeavors”

28. TYPE A PERSONALITY –Reactive, competitive, hard-driving, impatient, time-conscious, supermotivated, verbally aggressive, and easily angered

29. “First, there is the tendency to try to accomplish too many things in too little time. Second, there is free- floating hostility. These people are irritated by trivial things; they exhibit signs of struggle against time and other people.”

30. There are also contrasting patterns in social behavior. Type As tend to be more impatient with others and become angry when other people hold them back in any way. In general, Type As report feeling less comfortable around others than do Type Bs. They prefer to work alone rather than as a team, and they seem to resent being told what to do. Types As are more ready to do the opposite of what is demanded of them.

31. What about Type A and work performance? Type As seem to work faster even when no pressure or deadline is involved. They complain less about hard work and report being less tired when it is finished. However, Type As do more poorly on tasks requiring patience or careful, considered judgment. Interestingly, surveys indicate that most members of top management are Type Bs, not Type As.

33. Perhaps As don’t survive to make it! More likely, however, the impatient, hurried style of Type A is not compatible with the skills needed of top-level executives. In summary, Baron suggests that Type As do better on tasks involving time pressure or solitary work. Type Bs may do better on tasks requiring complex judgment, accuracy rather than speed, and working as part of a team.

34. Expressing emotions, not acting out on them. Managing hostility –Type A and heart disease –Recent research finds that the anger of aggressively reactive temperament is strongest predictor of heart attack

35. Manage hostility by forgiving others Learn to relax

36. Promoting Health Biofeedback system for electronically recording, amplifying, and feeding back information regarding a subtle physiological state blood pressure muscle tension

37. Perceived Control Health consequences of a loss of control No connection to shock source To shock controlTo shock source “Executive” rat“Subordinate” ratControl rat

38. Poverty and inequality How unemployment affects families In America Wealth = Health

39. Harmful effects Physical Health Heart disease Reduced immune function