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Myers PSYCHOLOGY
Seventh Edition in Modules
Module 39
Stress and Illness
James A. McCubbin, Ph.D.
Clemson University
Worth Publishers
Stress and Illness
 Stress
 the process by
which we
perceive and
respond to
certain events,
called stressors,
that we appraise
as threatening or
challenging
Stress Appraisal
Appraisal
Response
Threat
(“Yikes! This is
beyond me!”)
Panic, freeze up
Challenge
(“I’ve got to apply
all I know”)
Aroused, focused
Stressful event
(tough math test)
Cerebral cortex
(perceives stressor)
Thalamus
Hypothalamus
Pituitary hormone in the
bloodstream stimulates
the outer part of the adrenal
gland to release the stress
hormone cortisol
Pituitary gland
Sympathetic nervous
system releases the
stress hormones
epinephrine and
norepinephrine
from nerve endings
in the inner part of
the adrenal glands
Adrenal glands
Stress and Illness
The body’s resistance to stress can
last only so long before exhaustion sets in
Stress
resistance
Stressor
occurs
Phase 1
Alarm
reaction
(mobilize
resources)
Phase 2
Resistance
(cope with
stressor)
Phase 3
Exhaustion
(reserves
depleted)
 General
Adaptation
Syndrome
 Selye’s concept
of the body’s
adaptive
response to
stress in three
stages
Stress and Health
 Behavioral Medicine
 interdisciplinary field that integrates
behavioral and medical knowledge and
applies that knowledge to health and disease
 Health Psychology
 subfield of psychology that provides
psychology’s contribution to behavioral
medicine
Stressful Life Events
 Chronic Stress by Age
Stressful Life Events
 Catastrophic Events
 earthquakes, combat stress, floods
 Life Changes
 death of a loved one, divorce, loss of job,
promotion
 Daily Hassles
 rush hour traffic, long lines, job stress,
burnout
Perceived Control
 Health consequences of a loss of control
“Executive” rat
To shock control
“Subordinate” rat
To shock source
Control rat
No connection
to shock source
Perceived Control
 Equality and Longevity
Stress and the Heart
Hopelessness
scores
3.5
3
Men who feel extreme hopelessness
are at greater risk for heart attacks
and early death
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Heart attack
Low risk
Death
Moderate risk
High risk
Stress and Illness
 Leading causes of death in the US in 1900
and 2000
Stress and the Heart
 Coronary Heart Disease
 clogging of the vessels that
nourish the heart muscle
 leading cause of death in many
developed countries
Stress and the Heart
 Type A
 Friedman and Rosenman’s term for
competitive, hard-driving, impatient,
verbally aggressive, and anger-prone
people
 Type B
 Friedman and Rosenman’s term for
easygoing, relaxed people
Stress and the Heart
Stress and Disease
 Psychophysiological Illness
 “mind-body” illness
 any stress-related physical illness
 some forms of hypertension
 some headaches
 distinct from hypochondriasis-misinterpreting normal physical
sensations as symptoms of a disease
Stress and Disease
 Lymphocytes
 two types of white blood cells that are
part of the body’s immune system
 B lymphocytes form in the bone marrow
and release antibodies that fight bacterial
infections
 T lymphocytes form in the thymus and,
among other duties, attack cancer cells,
viruses, and foreign substances
Stress and Disease
UCS
(drug)
UCR
(immune
suppression)
CS
(sweetened
water)
CS
(sweetened
water)
 Conditioning of
immune
suppression
UCS
(drug)
UCR
(immune
suppression)
CR
(immune
suppression)
Stress and Disease
 Negative emotions and health-related
consequences
Heart
disease
Persistent stressors
and negative
emotions
Unhealthy behaviors
(smoking, drinking,
poor nutrition and sleep)
Release of stress
hormones
Immune
suppression
Autonomic nervous
system effects
(headaches,
hypertension)