Chapter 3: Stress and Health Psychology

The body's nonspecific response to any demand made on it; physical and mental arousal to situations or events that we perceive as threatening or challenging.

Trigger that prompts a stressful reaction.

Pleasant or beneficial stressex: moderate exercise

Stress that is unpleasant or objectionable,ex: from chronic illness

Early stress researches Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe believed that any life change that required some adjustment in behavior or lifestyle could cause some degree of stress.

Events such as terrorist attack, or single events like death or a birth. NOT ALL STRESSFULL SITUATIONS ARE THESE.

Such as a bad marriage, poor working conditions, or an intolerable political climate.

Due to recent global economic meltdown, this has become pressing concern. It includes unemployment, keeping or changing jobs, job performance, etc.

can pile up and become a major source of stress. Ex time pressures and financial concerns

A result of persistent hassles, physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion occurs.

Can cause stress, the more motivated we are, the more frustrated we are when our goals are blocked.

When we are forced to make a choice between at least two incompatible alternatives.

Forced choice between two or more favorable alternatives. Either choice will have positive results; the requirement to choose is the source of stress.

Forced choice between alternatives that will have both desirable and undesirable results, which generally lead to a great deal of ambivalence.

Forced choice between alternatives that will have both desirable and undesirable results, which generally leads to a great deal of ambivalence.