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28 Cards in this Set
- Front
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behaviour and health |
- health psychologists study both positive/negative effects behaviour and decisions have on health, survival, and well-being - most widely studied health behaviour is smoking tobacco - life expectancy of average smoker = 7-14 years shorter than non-smokers (5.8M CA) |
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body mass index (BMI) |
statistic commonly used for estimating a healthy body weight given an individual's height - healthy usually 18.5-24.9 BMI - obesity - cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis, cancer - WHO estimate - 1B worldwide overweight, 300M obese |
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set point |
hypotheszied mechanism that serves to maintain body weight around physiologically programmed level - initial set point controlled by genetic mechanisms - actual weight modified by environmental factors (what and how much you eat) - gaining a certain amount of weight results in set point making corresponding shifts up/down - more likely to gain weight watching TV than computer because computer time requires more engagement, less time to eat - obese individuals may pay more attention to food cues and find them more rewarding than non-obese people, give higher value to food rewards - influence of poverty, discrimination, marriage status (unmarried women experience worst health risks) |
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social contagion |
often subtle, unintentional spreading of behaviour as result of social interactions |
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stress |
psychological and physiological reaction that occurs when perceived demands exceed existing resources to meet those demands - refers to both events (stressors) and experiences in response to those events (stress responses) |
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Lazarus-Folkman cognitive appraisal theory of stress |
- Appraisal - cognitive act of assessing and evaluating potential threat - Primary appraisal - determining if it is a threat - secondary appraisal - determining how to cope with the threat |
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social readjustment rating scale (SRRS) |
ranks stressful events according to magnitude - Cannon - physical responses to stress are general despite a variety of sources (biological, social, cognitive) |
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fight/flight response |
set of physiological changes that occur in response to psychological or physical threats |
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General Adaptation syndrome (GAS) |
theory of stress responses involving stages of alarm, resistance, and exhaustion (Hans Selye) - alarm reaction - recognition of the threat and physiological reactions that accompany it (blood pressure increase, muscle tension, heart rate increase, adrenaline release) - resistance - physical and mental resources respond to stressor in an appropriate way - exhaustion - stressful experience depletes physical resources and physiological stress response declines |
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key pathways for stress reponses |
- ANA and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis - ANS - hypothalamus stimulates SNS, adrenal medulla release epinephrine and norepinephrine (adrenaline/noradrenaline), trigger bodily responses |
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HPA axis |
neural and endocrine circuit that provides communication between the nervous system (hypothalamus) and the endocrine system (pituitary and adrenal glands) - hypothalamus releases corticotrophin-releasing factor - stimulates pituitary gland releasing adrenocorticotrophic hormone, stimulates cortisol - cortisol: hormone secreted by the adrenal cortex (outer part of the adrenal gland) that prepares the body to respond to stressful circumstances) - release of gluto-corticoids affected by social stressors - Taylor et. al - females participate more in tend-and-befriend phenomenon triggered by release of oxytocin (maybe) |
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oxytocin |
stress-sensitive hormone that is typically associated with maternal bonding and social relationships - contraction of uterus during labour, romantic attachment, social bonding, trust, wound healing, orgasm |
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psychoneuroimmunology |
study of relationship between immune system and nervous system functioning |
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coronary heart disease |
condition in which plaques form in the blood vessels that supply the heart with blood and oxygen, resulting in restricted blood flow - injury and infection damage arteries of the heart - triggers inflammatory response to affected areas in an attempt to repair damaged tissue - gather cholesterol, form plaques - stress creates draw to sweet/fatty foods (evolution) - chronic stress supresses more food |
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type A personality |
people who tend to be impatient and worry about time, and are easily angered, competitive, and highly motivated - experience more stress, more likely to have heart attacks than type B, engage in behaviours that compromise physical health (drinking large amounts of alcohol, smoking, sleeping less than type B) |
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type B personality |
people who are more laid back and characterized by a patient, easygoing, and relaxed disposition |
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coping |
refers to the processes used to manage demands, stress, and conflict - define the problem and work toward solution |
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positive psychology |
scientific methods to study human strengths and potential - found one of the most powerful tools for coping = focusing on positive emotions (affect how we perceive and think about the world) - positive moods cause focus of your attention to expand, increase creativity - broaden-and-build theory - positive emotions allow people to broaden their thought processes and build new intellectual, social, and physical resources |
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optimism |
tendency to have favourable, constructive view on situations and to expect positive outcomes |
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pessimist |
tend to have negative perception of life and expect negative outcomes |
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pessimistic explanatory style |
tendency to interpret and explain negative events as internally based (ie: due to that person rather than an external situation) - ways of coping by personality - Neuroticism - high negative affectivity |
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negative affectivity |
tendency to respond to problems with a pattern of anxiety, hostility, anger, guilt, or nervousness - frequent physical complaints and illnesses (headaches, chronic pain, stomach aches, coronary heart disease) |
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resilience |
ability to effectively recover from illness or adversity - usually multiple factors in their favour (financial and social resources, opportunities for rest and relaxation, other positive life circumstances) - exceptions (e.g. Viktor Frankl, Austrian psychiatrist) |
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post-traumatic growth |
capacity to grow and experience long-term positive effects in response to negative events |
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biodfeedback |
therapeutic technique involving the use of physiological recording instruments to provide feedback that increases awareness of bodily responses - mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) - structured relaxation program based on elements of mindfulness meditation (increase link between one's body and mind) |
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brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) |
protein in the nervous system that promotes survival, growth, and the formation of new synapses - levels boosted by exercise, helps explain changes in brain that account for cognitive benefits - exercise supports development of nerve cells to critical memory and cognitive activity |
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learned helplessness |
an acquired suppression of avoidance or escape behaviour in response to unpleasant, uncontrollable circumstances |
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compensatory control |
psychological strategies people use to preserve a sense of non-random order when personal control is compromised |
