Psychology2016

456 CHAPTER 11

11. 9 Identify social and cultural factors that influence
    stress reactions.

• Several social factors can be a source of stress or increase the effects
  of stress: poverty, stresses on the job or in the workplace, and enter-
  ing a majority culture that is different from one’s culture of origin.


• Burnout is a condition that occurs when job stress is so great that
  the person develops negative thoughts, emotions, and behavior as
  well as an extreme dissatisfaction with the job and a desire to quit.


• The four methods of acculturation are integration, assimilation,
  separation, and marginalization.


• Social-support systems are important in helping people cope
  with stress.

Coping with Stress

11. 10 Distinguish between problem-focused and
    emotion-coping strategies to stress.

• Problem-focused coping is used when the problem can be elim-
  inated or changed so that it is no longer stressful or so that the
  impact of the stressor is reduced.


• Emotion-focused coping is often used with problem-focused
  coping and involves changing one’s emotional reactions to a
  stressor.


• Meditation can produce a state of relaxation and reduce the
  physical reactions common to stressful situations.


• Concentrative meditation involves focusing inward on some
  repetitive stimulus, such as one’s breathing.
  11. 11 Explain how a social-support system influences
  a person’s ability to cope with stress.
  
  
  • A social-support system is the network of friends, family mem-
    bers, neighbors, coworkers, and others who can offer help to a
    person in need. Having a social-support system has been shown
    to reduce stress, help prevent illness, and aid people in coping
    more effectively with stressors.
  
  
  
  

   11. 12 Describe cultural differences in coping with stress.
  
   - Different cultures perceive stressors differently, and coping
  
      strategies will also vary from culture to culture.
  
   11. 13 Explain how religious beliefs can affect the
  
   ability to cope with stress.
  
   - People with religious beliefs also have been found to cope better
  
      with stressful events.

  
  

Social Brain Applying Psychology to Everyday Life: Peeking Inside the

with Stress Through Mindfulness Meditation

11. 14 Define mindfulness meditation and describe its
    use in coping with the effects of stress.

• Mindfulness meditation can help reduce the affects of stress and
  lead to improved psychological and physical health.


• The practice of mindfulness meditation includes maintaining an
  erect posture in a quiet area and focusing on one’s breathing and
  the immediate moment-by-moment experience.

Test Yourself

Pick the best answer.

1. Dean has a comprehensive final exam in three weeks that he
   is concerned about. His concerns prompt him to go ahead
   and start studying, and in doing so, he feels less worried as
   the exam approaches. In this example, the exam, Dean’s
   concerns, and his behavior may be seen as an example of
   _____.
   a. burnout c. distress
   b. depression d. eustress


2. Researchers today believe that eustress is based on
   __ of motivation.
   a. Maslow’s theory
   b. the arousal theory
   c. the biological theory
   d. the need for affiliation theory


3. Unpredictable, large-scale events that create a great deal of stress
   and feelings of threat are called
   a. major life events. c. hassles.
   b. catastrophes. d. major hassles.


4. A score above 300 on the SRRS would indicate a person has
   ____ of becoming ill or having an accident.
   a. a very high risk c. a low risk
   b. an average risk d. no risk


5. In addition to being emotionally intense, many items on both the
   SRRS and CUSS are stressful because they
   a. involve the most hassles.
   b. cause heart disease.
   c. turn into catastrophes.
   d. lead to mild stress disorder.


6. Research suggests the number and perceived severity of daily has-
   sles are strong predictors of
   a. diabetes. c. depression.
   b. headaches. d. heart attacks.


7. Based on previous research, who is more likely to experience lack
   of money as the biggest daily hassle in their life?
   a. children c. young adults
   b. adolescents d. elderly people


8. Time pressure is often found to have a negative impact on
   a. creativity. c. predictability.
   b. depression. d. frustration.


9. Michael was cut from his high school basketball team. He told
   his friends that he was cut because the coach did not like
   him, but his close friends know Michael was cut because he
   hardly ever practiced. In this situation, Michael’s excuse is an