introductory psychology: stress
DESCRIPTION
lecture 27 from a college level introduction to psychology course taught Fall 2011 by Brian J. Piper, Ph.D. ([email protected]) at Willamette University, SeyleTRANSCRIPT
StressBrian J. Piper, Ph.D.
Stress and Health Stress and Illness
Stress and the Heart
Stress and Susceptibility to Disease
Stress and Health
Psychological states cause physical illness. Stress is any circumstance (real or perceived)
that threatens a person’s well-being.
When we feel severe stress, our ability to cope with it is impaired.
Stress can be adaptive. In a fearful or stress- causing situation, we can run away and save our
lives. Stress can be maladaptive. If it is prolonged
(chronic stress), it increases our risk of illness and health problems.
Stress and Health
Stress
Stress and Stressors
Stress is a slippery concept. At times it is the stimulus (missing an appointment) and
at other times it is a response (sweating while taking a test).
Stress and Stressors
Stress is not merely a stimulus or a response. It is a process by which we appraise and cope with environmental
threats and challenges.
When short-lived or taken as a challenge, stressors may have positive effects. However, if
stress is threatening or prolonged, it can be harmful.
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The Stress Response SystemWalter Cannon
proposed that the stress response (fast) was a fight-or-flight response marked by
the outpouring of epinephrine and
norepinephrine from the inner adrenal glands (medulla),
increasing heart and respiration rates, and
dulling pain.
Medulla: EpinephrineCortex: Cortisol
Evolutionary Psychology
• Robert Sapolsky• 0:15 – 3:58:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPS7GnromGo
General Adaptation Syndrome
According to Selye, a stress response to any kind ofstimulation is similar. The stressed individual goes
through three phases.
General Adaptation Syndrome
Alarm“Fight or Flight” reaction: body mobilizes resources to combat threat; activates the sympathetic nervous system.
ResistanceEnhanced ability to fight stressor via moderate physiological arousal; ability to withstand additional stressors (e.g., infection) is reduced.
ExhaustionDepletion of resources brings on diseases and disorders (e.g., chronically high heart rate and blood pressure increase chances of heart attack and stroke).
3 min: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJCeDtNh_Aw
Chronic Stress & Neurogenesis
• Rats were exposed to 125 dB 12kHz noises for 2 hours/day for 10 weeks
• Hippocampampal tissue was processed for doublecortin for new neurons (subgranular zone or SGZ).
*
Kraus et al. (2010). Neuroscience, 167, 1216-1226.
Stressful Life Events
Catastrophic Events: Catastrophic events like earthquakes, combat stress, and
floods lead individuals to become depressed, sleepless, and anxious.
Significant Life Changes
The death of a loved one, a divorce, a loss of job, or a promotion may leave individuals vulnerable to disease.
Stress & Lifespan?
• Top Causes of Death (2009):– Heart Disease– Cancer– Chronic respiratory diseases– Stroke– Accidents– Alzheimer’s – Diabetes– Influenza & pneumonia– Kidney disease– Suicide
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr59/nvsr59_04.pdf
Stress& Lifespan?
Expected Lifespan (2009):– Caucasian Males: 76.2– Caucasian Females: 80.9– African American Males: 70.9– African American Females: 77.4
Center for Disease Control, 2009
Health-Related Consequences
Stress can have a variety of health-related consequences.
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Stress and the Heart
Stress that leads to elevated blood pressure may result in coronary heart disease, a clogging of
the vessels that nourish the heart muscle.
Plaque incoronary artery
Arteryclogged
Personality Types
Type A is a term used by Meyer Friedman for competitive, hard-driving, impatient, verbally aggressive, and anger-prone people. Type B refers to easygoing, relaxed people.
Type A personalities are more likely to die fromcoronary heart disease.
Total (3154) CHD Death (50)
A 1589 (50.4%) 34 (68%)
B 1565 (49.6%) 16 (32%)
Rosenman et al. (1975). JAMA, 233, 872-877.
1910-2001
Pessimism and Heart Disease
Pessimistic adult men (sample = 2000 Veterans) are twice as likely to develop
heart disease over a 10-year period.
Kubzansky et al. (2001). Psychosomatic Medicine, 63, 910-916.
Stress & Susceptibility to Disease
A psychophysiological illness is any stress-related physical illness such as
hypertension and some headaches.
Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) is a developing field in which the health effects
of psychological, neural, and endocrine processes on the immune system are
studied.
Psychoneuroimmunology
B lymphocytes fight bacterial infectionsT lymphocytes attack viruses and cancer cells microphages ingest foreign substancesDuring stress, energy is mobilized away from
the immune system making it vulnerable.
Stress and Colds
People with the highest life stress scores were also the most vulnerable when
exposed to an experimental cold virus.
Stress and AIDS
Stress and negative emotions may accelerate the progression from human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).
HIV Worldwide
UN AIDS/WHO, 2004 Data
Stress and Cancer
Stress does not create cancer cells. Researchers disagree on whether stress
influences the progression of cancer. However, they do agree that avoiding
stress and having a hopeful attitude cannot reverse advanced cancer.
Behavioral Medicine
Psychologists and physicians have developed an interdisciplinary field of behavioral medicine that integrates behavioral knowledge with medical
knowledge.
“Mind” and body interact; everything psychological is simultaneously
physiological.
Summary
• GAS
• Stress & Health
Course Summary
• Biopsychosocial
• Comparative
• Scientific process (Question authorities!)