On This Page:ToggleHistory and OverviewPostulatesCriticismModern CriticismsIllustrative Examples On This Page:Toggle On This Page: Key Takeaways History and Overview Disengagement theory (Cummings and Henry, 1961) posits that successful aging means an acceptance and desire for the process of disengagement from active life. This disengagement is seen as functional for society and beneficial, normal, typical, and ideally voluntary on the part of the individual (Marshall and Clarke, 2007). Disengagement theory is perhaps the most formal theoretical theory of aging at the individual and social-psychological level....

On This Page:ToggleBackgroundSourcesTransmissibilityExamples On This Page:Toggle On This Page: Key Takeaways Emotional contagion refers to the phenomenon where people unconsciously ‘catch’ the emotions of those around them, resulting in a transfer of mood between individuals in a group. Definition and Background These “copiers” then feel the same emotions as the person who made the original behavior change (Panksepp and Lahvis, 2011). The recognition of emotions according to facial expressions is universal in world cultures (Brown, 2004), and facial expressions can communicate emotions ranging from approval to expectations and emotions....

On This Page:ToggleWhat is Fight or Flight?What Is Fight, Flight, or Freeze?SignsFight ResponseFlight ResponseFreeze ResponseFawn ResponseWhy it is ImportantHow to CopeWhen to Seek HelpHow Does it Work? On This Page:Toggle On This Page: It is your turn to present in front of a big crowd. While out for a walk, a dog jumps onto your path and begins barking at you. You are driving down the highway, the car in front of you suddenly stops, and you slam the brakes....

The technique is based on the principle of extinction, which suggests that when a person is exposed to a feared stimulus repeatedly and for a prolonged period without any negative consequences occurring, their fear response will diminish. Flooding aims to help individuals confront their fears directly and experience the absence of harm or negative outcomes, leading to the extinction of their anxiety response. For example, a claustrophobic will be locked in a closet for 4 hours, or an individual with a fear of flying will be sent up in a light aircraft....

On This Page:ToggleOverviewHow It WorksImpact On This Page:Toggle On This Page: The James-Lange theory of emotion states that emotions arise as a result of physiological arousal. When we encounter a stimulus, it creates a bodily response, and our brain interprets this physical reaction as an emotion. So we do not tremble because we are afraid, we are afraid because we tremble. The physical response comes before the conscious experience of emotion....

The medical model ofmental illnesstreats mental disorders in the same way as a broken arm, i.e., there is thought to be a physical cause. Supporters of the medical model consequently consider symptoms to be outward signs of the inner physical disorder and believe that if symptoms are grouped together and classified into a ‘syndrome,’ the true cause can eventually be discovered and appropriate physical treatment administered. Assumptions The biological approach to psychopathology believes that disorders have an organic orphysical cause....

On This Page:ToggleWhat is Panic Disorder?What Does A Panic Attack Feel Like?How Long Do Panic Attacks Last?DiagnosisBiology and Psychology of PanicThe Cycle of AnxietyTreatmentCoping On This Page:Toggle On This Page: Feeling anxious or fearful are normal human emotional reactions to frightening situations.Anxious feelingscan be helpful, making someone more alert and responsive to their environment.Fearcan also be useful as it can signal imminent danger and allows the body to respond to increase chances of survival....

On This Page:ToggleBrain PartsRight Brain vs. Left BrainLobes of the BrainCerebral CortexDeep StructuresVentricles & Cerebrospinal FluidNeuronsGlial CellsCranial Nerves On This Page:Toggle On This Page: The brain receives information from sensory receptors and sends messages to muscles and glands. It is the center of all conscious awareness and is divided into different lobes with different functions. It contains the cerebrum, about 85% of the total mass.The brain controls all functions of the body, interprets information from the outside world, and defines who we are as individuals and how we experience the world....

On This Page:ToggleSymptoms of SADComplicationsWhat causes SAD?DiagnosisTreatment and prevention On This Page:Toggle On This Page: Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a form ofdepressionthat typically occurs during the fall and winter months, when daylight hours are shorter (although it can also occur in spring and summer months).SAD can cause symptoms such as persistent sadness, low energy, changes in appetite, and difficulty sleeping. Additionally, some people may experience irritability, feelings of hopelessness, and difficulty concentrating....

On This Page:ToggleSRRSEmpirical ResearchSource of Stress Daily Hassles & Uplifts On This Page:Toggle On This Page: The scale was designed to identify major stressful life events and was based on the premise that such events, regardless of whether they’re positive or negative, might necessitate significant adjustment and, hence, induce stress. The SRRS comprises a list of 43 stressful life events, ranging from marriage and divorce to minor law violations and changes in sleeping habits....

On This Page:ToggleStress and IllnessStress and Immune FunctionKiecolt-Glaser et al. (1984) On This Page:Toggle On This Page: The immune system is a collection of billions of cells that travel through the bloodstream. They move in and out of tissues and organs, defending the body against foreign bodies (antigens), such as bacteria, viruses, and cancerous cells. There are two types oflymphocytes: B cells– produce antibodies which are released into the fluid surrounding the body’s cells to destroy the invading viruses and bacteria....

On This Page:ToggleWhat Is A Mood Disorder?TypesSignsCauses and Risk FactorsVicious Cycle of DepressionWhen to Seek HelpManagement On This Page:Toggle On This Page: Mood is a general feeling that can be long-lasting compared to emotions alone which can be fleeting and short-term. Although moods can be temporary, when these moods persist to extremities and cause significant dysfunction, these can cause long-term disturbances. Mood disorders can significantly impact an individual, causing disruptive and prolonged shifts in their emotional state, leading to feelings of intense sadness, hopelessness, irritability, or uncontrollable euphoria, thereby affecting their overall well-being, relationships, and daily functioning....

On This Page:ToggleHow the Law WorksOriginal ExperimentsReplication StudiesExamplesArousal and PerformanceCritical Evaluation On This Page:Toggle On This Page: The concept of optimal arousal in relation to performance on a task is depicted here. Performance is maximized at the optimal level of arousal, and it tapers off during under- and overarousal. Key TakeawaysThe Yerkes-Dodson law states that there is an empirical relationship between stress and performance and that there is an optimal level of stress corresponding to an optimal level of performance....

Prochaska and DiClemente (1983) noticed that the change from unhealthy behavior (smoking) to healthy behavior (not smoking) is complex and involves a series of stages. These stages do not happen in a linear order; the process is often cyclical. Some stages may be missed, or the addicts might go back to an earlier stage before progressing again. The model considers how ready people are to quit the addiction and adapts intervention to the stage the client is at....

Food addiction is the uncontrollable consumption of highly palatable foods in quantities beyond necessary energy requirements. Like addictive drugs, highly palatable foods trigger chemical reactions in the brain’s “reward circuit” that induce feelings of pleasure and comfort. Similar to how individuals become dependent on drugs or alcohol to manage depression and anxiety, we can become reliant on highly palatable foods for satisfaction and stress reduction. Food addictions involve abnormal eating behaviors, such as excessive food intake or restriction and binging and purging, to cope with one’s negative emotions....