Serenity

* All the following abstractions are excerpted from <Psychology and Life>, Richard J. Gerrig & Philip G. Zimbardo, 19th edition

Chapter 12 — Emotion, Stress, and Health. 

— Emotions

• Emotions are complex patterns of changes made up of physiological arousal, cognitive appraisal, and behavioral and expressive reactions.

• As a product of evolution, all humans may share a basic set of emotional responses.

• Cultures, however, vary in their rules of appropriateness for displaying emotions.

• Classic theories emphasize different parts of emotional response, such as peripheral bodily reactions or central neural processes.

• More contemporary theories emphasize the appraisal of arousal.

• Moods and emotions effect information processing and decision making.

• Subjective well-being is influenced by both genetics and life experiences.

— Stress of Living

• Stress can arise from negative or positive events. At the root of most stress are change and the need to adapt to environmental, biological, physical, and social demands.

• Physiological stress reactions are regulated by the hypothalamus and a complex interaction of the hormonal and nervous systems.

• Depending on the type of stressor and its effect over time, stress can be a mild disruption or lead to health-threatening reactions.

• Cognitive appraisal is a primary moderator variable of stress. 

• Coping strategies either focus on problems (taking direct actions) or attempt to regulate emotions (indirect or avoidant).

• Cognitive reappraisal and restructuring can be used to cope with stress.

• Social support is a also a significant stress moderator, as long as it is appropriate to the circumstances.

• Stress can lead to positive changes such as posttraumatic growth.

— Health Psychology

• Health Psychology is devoted to treatment and prevention of illness.

• The biopsychosocial model of health and illness looks at the connections among physical, emotional, and environmental factors in illness.

• Illness prevention focuses on lifestyle factors such as smoking and AIDS-risk behaviors.

• Psychological factors influence immune function.

• Psychosocial treatment of illness adds another dimension to patient treatment.

• Individuals who are characterized by Type A (especially hostile), Type B, and optimistic behavior patterns will experience different likelihoods of illness.

• Health-care providers are at risk for burnout, which can be minimized by appropriate situational changes in their helping environment.