Chapter 5

Key Terms

Adrenaline: a hormone producing increased arousal within the sympathetic nervous system.

Noradrenaline: a hormone producing increased arousal within the sympathetic nervous system.

Adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH): a hormone that leads to the release of the stress hormone cortisol.

Cortisol: the so-called “stress hormone” because elevated amounts are typically found in the bodies of highly stressed individuals.

Technostress: the anxiety and stress caused by difficulties in coping with technological advances (especially in computing).

Burnout: long-term emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, and lack of personal achievement triggered by excessive work demands.

Type A personality: a personality type characterised by impatience, competitiveness, time pressure, and hostility.

Type D personality: a type of personality that is characterised by high negative affectivity and social inhibition.

Interpretive bias: negatively biased or distorted interpretations of ambiguous stimuli and situations.

Immune system: a system of biological structures and processes in the body involved in fighting disease.

Problem-focused coping: a strategy for dealing with a stressful situation by acting directly on the source of the stress.

Emotion-focused coping: a strategy for dealing with a stressful situation in which the individual tries to reduce his/her negative emotional state.

Coping flexibility: the notion that individuals who respond to stressful events flexibly via the use of various different coping strategies have better psychological adjustment than those who cope less flexibly.

Oxytocin: a hormone that promotes feelings of well-being by increasing sociability and reducing anxiety.

Weblinks

Dr Daniel Pine introduces the fight-or-flight response
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsQAbcjErbc

A video about the science of stress
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyP8L3qTW9Q

Professor Robert Sapolsky talking about his research on the stress response
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPS7GnromGo

Eli Bay discusses the Type A personality
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvx1nUYy8s0

Harvard health website: An article on Type D personality
http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Type_D_for_distressed.htm

Life events stress test
http://www.stresstips.com/lifeevents.htm

Hassles and Uplifts scale
http://www.theresilienceprogramme.co.uk/sites/default/files/download-files/hassles_and_uplifts_scale.pdf

The Stress Management Society
http://www.stress.org.uk/

The International Stress Management Association
http://www.isma.org.uk/

Dr Donald Meichenbaum talking about the concept and applications of stress inoculation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xiF_J1w0J8&feature=related

TEDtalk by John Gray: Mars brain, Venus brain
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuM7ZS7nodk

Article overviewing Taylor et al’s (2000) ‘tend and befriend’ stress response
https://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200009/tend-and-befriend

Eysenck, M.W. (2009). Fundamentals of psychology. Chapter 4 of this textbook contains detailed coverage of stress research
http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9781841693729/