QCM : Understanding Psychological and Physiological Stress — 9 questions

Explication

Stress is defined as a psychological and physiological response to a stimulus (stressor) that demands attention or coping efforts, involving both mental and bodily reactions.

Explication

The course explicitly states that stressors are classified into internal and external types, with internal stressors originating within the individual and external stressors coming from outside the individual.

Explication

The psychological components of stress primarily influence how an individual perceives, interprets, and emotionally responds to stressors, shaping their subjective experience of stress, whether as motivating or overwhelming.

Explication

The fight-or-flight response was first described by Walter Cannon in 1915, making this the correct date for when the acute stress response mechanism was established in scientific literature.

Explication

The acute stress response involves immediate activation of the sympathetic nervous system, leading to rapid physiological changes such as increased heart rate and adrenaline release. In contrast, the chronic stress response involves prolonged cortisol secretion over time, which can suppress immune function and affect health. This key difference in duration and hormonal activity makes option 0 the correct answer.

Explication

Hans Selye is widely credited with pioneering research on stress and was among the first scientists to describe the role of cortisol in the body's response to chronic stress, establishing foundational concepts in stress physiology.

Explication

Internal stressors are caused by factors originating within the individual, such as negative attitudes, rumination, low self-esteem, or nervous system dysfunction. These internal psychological and biological factors influence how stress is perceived and experienced.

Explication

The best way to apply understanding of external stressors is to develop coping strategies proactively, so one can effectively manage stress when such external stimuli occur. Ignoring external stressors or focusing only on internal factors does not address the external stimuli directly, and permanently reducing exposure is often impractical. Therefore, developing coping strategies is the most practical application.

Explication

The key features of psychological stress responses are subjective mental and emotional reactions, including perceptions, appraisals, and emotional states like worry or excitement, which distinguish them from purely physiological or external responses.