PSYCH1000: CHAPTER 15: STRESS, COPING & HEALTH
The Nature of Stress
• Stress is a response to real or imagined stimuli perceived as blocking a goal, endangering
• Stress viewed as either stimulus, response w/ cognitive, physiological & behavioural
components, or transaction between person & environment
• Transactional model of stress: interactions —> situational, appraisal, physiological and
behavioural factors
• Predicts individual differences in response to stressors
• Stressors: events placing physical/psychological demands on organisms
• Major categories: hassles —> life changes —> catastrophes
• Stressfulness defined by balance between demands/resources
• Characteristics: severity (+/-), predictability, controllability, chronicity
• Intervening factors: appraisal, perceived control, personality, social support, coping
• Cognitive appraisal process:
1. Nature of the demands (primary appraisal)
2. Resources available to deal with demands (secondary appraisal)
3. Possible consequences if demands are not met
4. Personal meaning of those consequences (what they say about identity)
• Distortions in appraisals = inappropriate stress responses
• Stress reaction: physiological, emotional, behavioural
• Physiological stress response mediated by autonomic & endocrine systems (fight/flight)
• Reaction also depends on appraisal
• Sense stressor (SNS activates adrenal medulla —> epinephrine)
• Hypothalamus —> activates secretion of cortisol
• Cortisol (similar to epinephrine): converts protein to glucose, makes fats available for
energy, increased blood flow
• GAS: general adaptation syndrome (changes that occur during chronic stress)
• 1) alarm reaction (stress response is activated)
• 2) resistance (bodily resources mobilized so you can function despite stress)
• 3) exhaustion (resources are depleted, stress-induced illness occurs)
Stress & Health
• Both major & micro stressors are associated w/ negative psychological outcomes
• Casual link between negative life events & psych distress hard to make
• Life stress— decrease immune function, worsen existing illness, increase illness & death risk
• Stress suppresses immune system b/c cortisol directly suppresses white blood cell action
• Noise —> living closer to an airport = more likely to have heart attack
• Similar results for traffic, pollution, heat and other stressors
• Psychosomatic disorders
• Physical symptoms that are caused or maintained by psychological factors
• Ex. Hypertension (high blood pressure?)
• Gastric ulcers: painful lesion of stomach lining (acid burns tissue it shouldn’t touch)
• Linked to living in stressful environment
• Degree of ulceration linked to amount of control in situation, predictability of stressor
• Degree of plc
Anxiety Disorders
• General symptoms:
• Subjective stress, physiological activation, avoidance/escape behaviour, life interference
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder
• Panic Disorder (more intense anxiety disorder)
The Nature of Stress
• Stress is a response to real or imagined stimuli perceived as blocking a goal, endangering
• Stress viewed as either stimulus, response w/ cognitive, physiological & behavioural
components, or transaction between person & environment
• Transactional model of stress: interactions —> situational, appraisal, physiological and
behavioural factors
• Predicts individual differences in response to stressors
• Stressors: events placing physical/psychological demands on organisms
• Major categories: hassles —> life changes —> catastrophes
• Stressfulness defined by balance between demands/resources
• Characteristics: severity (+/-), predictability, controllability, chronicity
• Intervening factors: appraisal, perceived control, personality, social support, coping
• Cognitive appraisal process:
1. Nature of the demands (primary appraisal)
2. Resources available to deal with demands (secondary appraisal)
3. Possible consequences if demands are not met
4. Personal meaning of those consequences (what they say about identity)
• Distortions in appraisals = inappropriate stress responses
• Stress reaction: physiological, emotional, behavioural
• Physiological stress response mediated by autonomic & endocrine systems (fight/flight)
• Reaction also depends on appraisal
• Sense stressor (SNS activates adrenal medulla —> epinephrine)
• Hypothalamus —> activates secretion of cortisol
• Cortisol (similar to epinephrine): converts protein to glucose, makes fats available for
energy, increased blood flow
• GAS: general adaptation syndrome (changes that occur during chronic stress)
• 1) alarm reaction (stress response is activated)
• 2) resistance (bodily resources mobilized so you can function despite stress)
• 3) exhaustion (resources are depleted, stress-induced illness occurs)
Stress & Health
• Both major & micro stressors are associated w/ negative psychological outcomes
• Casual link between negative life events & psych distress hard to make
• Life stress— decrease immune function, worsen existing illness, increase illness & death risk
• Stress suppresses immune system b/c cortisol directly suppresses white blood cell action
• Noise —> living closer to an airport = more likely to have heart attack
• Similar results for traffic, pollution, heat and other stressors
• Psychosomatic disorders
• Physical symptoms that are caused or maintained by psychological factors
• Ex. Hypertension (high blood pressure?)
• Gastric ulcers: painful lesion of stomach lining (acid burns tissue it shouldn’t touch)
• Linked to living in stressful environment
• Degree of ulceration linked to amount of control in situation, predictability of stressor
• Degree of plc
Anxiety Disorders
• General symptoms:
• Subjective stress, physiological activation, avoidance/escape behaviour, life interference
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder
• Panic Disorder (more intense anxiety disorder)
