Health PsychologyHealth Psychology

Chapter 4: StressChapter 4: Stress

Sep 7-12, 2007Sep 7-12, 2007

Classes #8-10Classes #8-10

What is Stress?What is Stress?

StressStress– The whole process by which we appraise and The whole process by which we appraise and

respond to events that threaten or challenge usrespond to events that threaten or challenge us– Is any stimulus that upsets the dynamic balance Is any stimulus that upsets the dynamic balance

of your bodyof your body– Can be caused by hunger, thirst, work, Can be caused by hunger, thirst, work,

psychological pressures or a multitude of other psychological pressures or a multitude of other thingsthings

– Is an unending aspect of life…Is an unending aspect of life… In other words, unfortunately it appears that In other words, unfortunately it appears that

the only way to have no stress is to be dead! the only way to have no stress is to be dead!

Can have detrimental Can have detrimental effects…effects…

If severe or prolonged, stress can If severe or prolonged, stress can cause mental or physical harmcause mental or physical harm– Decline in body’s overall level of Decline in body’s overall level of

biological functioning because of biological functioning because of continued secretion of stress-related continued secretion of stress-related hormoneshormones

Can have positive effects…Can have positive effects…

Some individuals thrive and excel Some individuals thrive and excel when aroused by a challengewhen aroused by a challenge– Examples:Examples:

EliteElite athletes athletes TopTop entertainers entertainers GreatGreat leadersleaders

Yerkes-Dodson LawYerkes-Dodson Law

Performance on simple tasks benefit Performance on simple tasks benefit from higher levels of arousal while from higher levels of arousal while stress hinders performance on complex stress hinders performance on complex taskstasks

High arousal appears to get in the way High arousal appears to get in the way of complex or unlearned tasks but can of complex or unlearned tasks but can actually enhance performance on well-actually enhance performance on well-learned taskslearned tasks– Never ask someone to perform a task in Never ask someone to perform a task in

front of an audience unless they have front of an audience unless they have rehearsed it many timesrehearsed it many times

How Does Stress Affect the How Does Stress Affect the Body?Body?

Selye (1976)Selye (1976)– His General Adaptation Syndrome model His General Adaptation Syndrome model

illustrates the effects of stressillustrates the effects of stress– Selye felt that the body’s adaptive Selye felt that the body’s adaptive

response to stress was very general – response to stress was very general – like a burglar alarm that would sound off like a burglar alarm that would sound off no matter what intrudedno matter what intruded

– His model has three overlapping stages His model has three overlapping stages - alarm, resistance, and exhaustion- alarm, resistance, and exhaustion

The General The General Adaptation SyndromeAdaptation Syndrome

Phase 1: Alarm ReactionPhase 1: Alarm Reaction

Alarm reaction caused by a sudden activation of Alarm reaction caused by a sudden activation of your sympathetic nervous system (this is the part your sympathetic nervous system (this is the part of the autonomous nervous system that arouses of the autonomous nervous system that arouses the body (increases HR, BP, etc.) the body (increases HR, BP, etc.)

Mobilizes energy in stressful situationsMobilizes energy in stressful situations– So, your body recognizes danger and mobilizes So, your body recognizes danger and mobilizes

for a for a "fight-or-flight""fight-or-flight" situation… situation… System is activated but since you are in System is activated but since you are in

temporary shock – your resistance drops temporary shock – your resistance drops below normal – usually minor and short-termbelow normal – usually minor and short-term

Therefore, the person may show various Therefore, the person may show various symptoms of stress -- headaches, fever, symptoms of stress -- headaches, fever, fatigue, sore muscles, shortness of breath, fatigue, sore muscles, shortness of breath, diarrhea, upset stomach, etc.diarrhea, upset stomach, etc.

Phase 2: ResistancePhase 2: Resistance Time to fight the challengeTime to fight the challenge

Your body responds to the challenge with an outpouring Your body responds to the challenge with an outpouring of stress hormones causing your temperature, blood of stress hormones causing your temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration all remain highpressure, heart rate, and respiration all remain high

Everything is in full force to help you cope with the Everything is in full force to help you cope with the stressorsstressors

As body defenses stabilize, the symptoms of alarm seem As body defenses stabilize, the symptoms of alarm seem to disappearto disappear

The adjustment to stress and the outward appearance of The adjustment to stress and the outward appearance of normality are maintained at high cost…normality are maintained at high cost…– During this During this resistance stageresistance stage, the body is more able , the body is more able

to cope with the original stressto cope with the original stress– However, its resistance to any other stress is loweredHowever, its resistance to any other stress is lowered

Phase 3: ExhaustionPhase 3: Exhaustion

During this phase, the individual During this phase, the individual reservoir of resources is becoming reservoir of resources is becoming depleteddepleted– The person is especially vulnerable to The person is especially vulnerable to

diseases and in extreme cases collapse diseases and in extreme cases collapse and death (immune system is being and death (immune system is being challenged by the long-term stress)challenged by the long-term stress) Example: Heart attack Example: Heart attack

Transactional Model of StressTransactional Model of Stress

Environmental stress and people’s Environmental stress and people’s behaviors must be looked at togetherbehaviors must be looked at together– Primary appraisalPrimary appraisal– Secondary appraisalSecondary appraisal– Cognitive reappraisalCognitive reappraisal

Diathesis-Stress ModelDiathesis-Stress Model

Diathesis - A predisposition toward a given Diathesis - A predisposition toward a given disorderdisorder– Can derive from biological, psychosocial, and Can derive from biological, psychosocial, and

sociocultural causal factorssociocultural causal factors– Diathesis may be perceived as the distal Diathesis may be perceived as the distal

necessary or contributory causenecessary or contributory cause Stress – a response to an adjustment demandStress – a response to an adjustment demand

– Stress is a more proximal undesirable event or Stress is a more proximal undesirable event or situationsituation

– Stress produces the disorder in someone with Stress produces the disorder in someone with the distal necessary or contributory causethe distal necessary or contributory cause

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)(PTSD)

Up to 70% of adults in U.S. have Up to 70% of adults in U.S. have experienced at least one major trauma experienced at least one major trauma (extreme stressor) in their lives… (extreme stressor) in their lives… – Examples:Examples:

serious accident/natural disasterserious accident/natural disaster rape or criminal assaultrape or criminal assault combat exposure combat exposure child sexual or physical abuse and/or child sexual or physical abuse and/or

severe neglect severe neglect hostage/imprisonment/ torturehostage/imprisonment/ torture sudden unexpected death of a loved sudden unexpected death of a loved

oneone

PTSD PTSD   

Five factors are necessary for Five factors are necessary for diagnosis:diagnosis:– The person must have experienced or The person must have experienced or

witnessed an extreme stressorwitnessed an extreme stressor– Re-experiencing of the traumatic eventRe-experiencing of the traumatic event– Avoidance and emotional numbingAvoidance and emotional numbing– Increased arousalIncreased arousal– Set of symptoms that have lasted at Set of symptoms that have lasted at

least one monthleast one month  

Female Stress Response: Female Stress Response: Tend-and-Befriend”Tend-and-Befriend”

A team of researchers headed by Shelley Taylor, a A team of researchers headed by Shelley Taylor, a psychologist at the University of California, Los Angeles, psychologist at the University of California, Los Angeles, reviewed over 1,000 human and animal stress response reviewed over 1,000 human and animal stress response studiesstudies – Men and women also react with a “tend-and-befriend” approach Men and women also react with a “tend-and-befriend” approach

in the face of work and life stress in the face of work and life stress – Females respond to stressful situations by protecting themselves Females respond to stressful situations by protecting themselves

and their young through nurturing behaviors--the "tend" part of and their young through nurturing behaviors--the "tend" part of the model--and forming alliances with a larger social group, the model--and forming alliances with a larger social group, particularly among women--the "befriend" part of the modelparticularly among women--the "befriend" part of the model

– Males, in contrast, show less of a tendency toward tending and Males, in contrast, show less of a tendency toward tending and befriending, sticking more to the fight-or-flight responsebefriending, sticking more to the fight-or-flight response

Taylor, Shelley (2002). Taylor, Shelley (2002). The Tending Instinct: Women, Men and the Biology of NurturingThe Tending Instinct: Women, Men and the Biology of Nurturing. New . New York: Times BooksYork: Times Books

Understanding PressureUnderstanding Pressure

StressStress ArousalArousal AnxietyAnxiety

What is stressful?What is stressful?

ImportanceImportance Uncertainty Uncertainty

– Not predictableNot predictable Low controlLow control

– What do we have control over?What do we have control over?

Do you remember a time when you Do you remember a time when you were very stressed out or excited?were very stressed out or excited?

What were the signs?What were the signs?

Arousal TheoriesArousal Theories

Drive theoryDrive theory Inverted U-shapedInverted U-shaped

Arousal

Perf

Drive Theory

Arousal

Perf

Inverted U

Let me bring a little sport Let me bring a little sport psych stuff into this psych stuff into this

discussion…discussion… Motivational SpeechesMotivational Speeches

Psychosocial Sources of Psychosocial Sources of StressStress

Significant Life ChangesSignificant Life Changes CatastrophesCatastrophes Daily HasslesDaily Hassles Environmental StressEnvironmental Stress

Significant Life ChangesSignificant Life Changes

Change itself may cause stress by Change itself may cause stress by forcing us to adapt to new forcing us to adapt to new circumstancescircumstances– Is change, positive or negative, Is change, positive or negative,

necessarily harmful?necessarily harmful? No support that positive “stressors” are as No support that positive “stressors” are as

harmful as negative stressorsharmful as negative stressors Impact of change depends on person and Impact of change depends on person and

how change is interpretedhow change is interpreted

CatastrophesCatastrophes

Unpredictable, Unpredictable, large scale eventslarge scale events– Natural disasters Natural disasters

Cataclysmic Cataclysmic eventsevents– Sudden, without Sudden, without

warningwarning Ex: WTC Ex: WTC

tragedytragedy

Scarring Effects of Natural Scarring Effects of Natural DisastersDisasters

Krug et al. (1998)Krug et al. (1998)– These researchers analyzed These researchers analyzed

counties that had experienced counties that had experienced disasters disasters Before/after research revealed some Before/after research revealed some

alarming numbersalarming numbers See next slide See next slide

Krug et al. (1998)Krug et al. (1998)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Increase in

Suicide Rate

Floods Hurricances Earthquakes

Type of Natural Disaster

The Hassles of Everyday The Hassles of Everyday LifeLife

Most common source of stress arises Most common source of stress arises from the daily hassles that irritate usfrom the daily hassles that irritate us– Ex: Environmental factorsEx: Environmental factors

““Microstressors” place a constant Microstressors” place a constant strain strain on uson us– The accumulation of daily hassles The accumulation of daily hassles

contributes more to illness than do contributes more to illness than do major life eventsmajor life events

Dormitory LifeDormitory Life

Baum & Valins (1977)– These researchers compared two layouts These researchers compared two layouts

of dormitory in university residences…of dormitory in university residences… One was based on a long corridor design, with One was based on a long corridor design, with

17 rooms opening off a single corridor, whereas 17 rooms opening off a single corridor, whereas the other was a suite of three rooms opening the other was a suite of three rooms opening off a communal areaoff a communal area

The total space per student was about the The total space per student was about the same in the two designs and the facilities were same in the two designs and the facilities were similar, but student s in the long corridor style similar, but student s in the long corridor style residence complained more about being residence complained more about being crowded and about having to avoid unwanted crowded and about having to avoid unwanted social contactsocial contact

They withdrew from social contact even when They withdrew from social contact even when they were away from the residencethey were away from the residence

Dormitory LifeDormitory Life

Baum & Valins (1977)– Traditional Traditional

dorms dorms appear to be appear to be more more stressful stressful than newer than newer suite stylesuite style

They demolished this They demolished this dorm…dorm…

In one case, a 26 floor, 1,300 student In one case, a 26 floor, 1,300 student residence, Sander Hall, was residence, Sander Hall, was demolished at the University of demolished at the University of Cincinnati in 1991 because of Cincinnati in 1991 because of persistent problems of violence and persistent problems of violence and vandalismvandalism

Karlin et al. (1979)Karlin et al. (1979)

Students who are accommodated 3 Students who are accommodated 3 to a room intended for 2 suffer less to a room intended for 2 suffer less contentment and lower gradescontentment and lower grades

Watch your Blood Watch your Blood Pressure…Pressure…

Evans (1979)Evans (1979) – Compared ten person groups of peopleCompared ten person groups of people– Some were in rooms 20 x 30 feet, while Some were in rooms 20 x 30 feet, while

others were in rooms 8 by 12 feetothers were in rooms 8 by 12 feet Results:Results:

– The people packed into small The people packed into small rooms had higher pulse rates and rooms had higher pulse rates and blood pressure blood pressure

Environmental StressEnvironmental Stress

Is noise stressful???Is noise stressful??? Research indicates that living in a busy Research indicates that living in a busy

city, near a highway, airport, etc. can have city, near a highway, airport, etc. can have detrimental effectsdetrimental effects

Crowds/TrafficCrowds/Traffic– Had my share of this in NYCHad my share of this in NYC

WorkWork– Consequences of job-related stressConsequences of job-related stress– OverloadOverload– Burn-outBurn-out

One Life to LiveOne Life to Live

3,155,414,4003,155,414,400

52,590,24052,590,240

876,504876,504

36,52136,521

5,2185,218

1,2001,200

400400

100100

11

SecondsSeconds

MinutesMinutes

HoursHours

DaysDays

WeeksWeeks

MonthsMonths

SeasonsSeasons

YearsYears

LifeLife

How long will you live?How long will you live?

MalesMales

If you are a If you are a white malewhite male, , subtract 3 yearssubtract 3 years

If you are a If you are a black maleblack male, , subtract 11 yearssubtract 11 years

All All other U.S. malesother U.S. males, , subtract 8 yearssubtract 8 years

FemalesFemales

If you are a If you are a white white female, female, add 4 yearsadd 4 years

If you are a If you are a black black femalefemale, , subtract 2 subtract 2 yearsyears

All All other U.S. Femalesother U.S. Females, , subtract 0 yearssubtract 0 years

Begin with the no. 76.Begin with the no. 76.

Personal FactsPersonal Facts

How long will you live? How long will you live? If you live in an urban If you live in an urban

area with a area with a population population over 2 millionover 2 million, , subtract 2 subtract 2 yearsyears

If you live in a town with If you live in a town with a a population under population under 10,00010,000 or on a farm, or on a farm, add add 1 year.1 year.

If any natural If any natural grandparent lived to 85 grandparent lived to 85 or more, or more, add 2 yearsadd 2 years

If all 4 natural If all 4 natural grandparents lived to 80 grandparents lived to 80 or more, or more, add 5 additional add 5 additional yearsyears

If either natural parent If either natural parent died of a stroke or heart died of a stroke or heart attack before the age of attack before the age of 50, 50, subtract 4 years.subtract 4 years.

If any natural parent, If any natural parent, brother, or sister under brother, or sister under 50 has (or had) cancer 50 has (or had) cancer or a heart condition, or or a heart condition, or has had diabetes since has had diabetes since childhood, childhood, subtract 3 subtract 3 yearsyears

Do you earn over Do you earn over $100,000 a year? $100,000 a year? Subtract 1 yearSubtract 1 year

How long will you live?How long will you live?

If you finished If you finished college, college, add 1 yearadd 1 year. If . If you have a graduate you have a graduate or professional or professional degree, degree, add 2 moreadd 2 more

If you are 65 or over If you are 65 or over working at something working at something you enjoy, you enjoy, add 2 add 2 yearsyears

If you live with a If you live with a spouse, friend, or spouse, friend, or family member, family member, add add 4 years4 years. If not, . If not, subtract 1 year for subtract 1 year for every 10 years alone every 10 years alone since age 25, since age 25, unless unless you have pets.you have pets.

If you have strong If you have strong social ties, social ties, add 1 yearadd 1 year

How long will you live?How long will you live?

If your If your work iswork is sedentarysedentary, such as , such as sitting at a desk, sitting at a desk, subtract 2 yearssubtract 2 years

If your If your work requireswork requires regular physical activityregular physical activity, , such as farm or factory such as farm or factory labor, labor, add 2 yearsadd 2 years

If you exercise regularly If you exercise regularly and moderately and moderately (walking, running, (walking, running, swimming, bicycling, swimming, bicycling, etc.) 3 to 5 times a etc.) 3 to 5 times a week for at least ½ an week for at least ½ an hour (5 min. warm up, hour (5 min. warm up, 20 min. aerobic activity, 20 min. aerobic activity, 5 min. cool down), 5 min. cool down), add 4add 4

Do you sleep more than Do you sleep more than 10 hours each night? 10 hours each night? subtract 3 yearssubtract 3 years

Lifestyle statusLifestyle status

If you are If you are intense, intense, aggressive, and easily aggressive, and easily angeredangered, , subtract 2 subtract 2 yearsyears

If you are If you are easygoing, easygoing, laid back, and peacefullaid back, and peaceful, , add 2 yearsadd 2 years

Do you have a Do you have a compelling purpose in compelling purpose in life, something life, something important yet to be important yet to be done?done? Add 1 year Add 1 year

Are you Are you happyhappy? ? Add 1 Add 1 yearyear

UnhappyUnhappy? Subtract 2 ? Subtract 2 yearsyears

Have you had a speeding Have you had a speeding ticket in the past year? ticket in the past year? Subtract 1 yearSubtract 1 year

If you always wear a seat If you always wear a seat belt, belt, add 1 yearadd 1 year

Do you smoke Do you smoke more than more than 2 packs2 packs of cigarettes a of cigarettes a day? day? Subtract 8 yearsSubtract 8 years

1 to 2 packs1 to 2 packs? ? Subtract 6Subtract 6 ½-1 pack½-1 pack? ? Subtract 3Subtract 3 If you regularly smoke a If you regularly smoke a

pipe or cigarspipe or cigars, , subtract 2subtract 2

How long will you live? How long will you live?

Credits:Credits: http://www.psynt.iupui.edu/users/jkremer/sports/sptsarousahttp://www.psynt.iupui.edu/users/jkremer/sports/sptsarousa

l.pptl.ppt http://www.humankinetics.com/theSportPsychHandbook/PP/http://www.humankinetics.com/theSportPsychHandbook/PP/

chap07.pptchap07.ppt psych.sjsu.edu/.../Dr.%20Glazer/Psycpsych.sjsu.edu/.../Dr.%20Glazer/Psyc

%20190&PHPSESSID=f9fa37c0b84cfd9175e2b06c8cf4db62%20190&PHPSESSID=f9fa37c0b84cfd9175e2b06c8cf4db62 http://www.extra.research.philips.com/http://www.extra.research.philips.com/

probing_experience/presentations/probing_experience/presentations/vingerhoets.ppt#380,2,Outline of the presentationvingerhoets.ppt#380,2,Outline of the presentation