PSYC-105 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Executive Functions
Document Summary
Stress is the tension, discomfort, or physical symptoms that arise when a stressor strains our ability to cope effectively. A traumatic event is a stressor so severe that it can produce long-term psychological or health consequences. Focuses on identifying types of stressful events. Helps identify situations that cause more stress and persons that react more strongly. Disasters that impact an entire community can increase social awareness and cement interpersonal bonds. Examines how people interpret and cope with stressful events. Stress is very largely in the eye of the beholder; incredible variability. Primary and secondary appraisals to determine if a situation is harmful and then if we can cope with it: primary appraisal: person"s assessment of whether or not a situation is harmful (emotionally, financially, socially, physically etc. ) E. g. a person loses their job, and interprets the event as harmful: secondary appraisal: a person"s belief in their ability to cope with a stressful situation.