Psychology 1000 Lecture Notes - Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Stress (Biology), Sympathetic Nervous System

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 1000
• Professor: Shelley Cross- Mellor

Document Summary

Stressors = stimuli/events in environment that place demands on us. Example: i have too much stress in my life right now . Example: i"m feeling stressed out : person situation interaction. Stress is a pattern of cognitive appraisals, physiological responses and behavioural tendencies. Occurs in response to a perceived imbalance between situation and resources needed to cope. Place demands on well-being and require us to adapt: microstressors. Example: natural disasters, war: major negative events. Example: victim of major crime, abuse, death of loved one. Meaningful stressful life events: life events scale. Quantify stress over a given period of time. Stress response: how we appraise" situations. Personal meaning: what does the outcome imply. World: distortions/mistaken appraisals can occur at any level. Example: important job interview: primary appraisal (demands) Depends on how difficult it will be. Significance how badly do you want/need the job: secondary appraisal. Perceived ability to cope with the situation. Knowledge, abilities, verbal skills, social responses: consequences.