Introduction to Psychology (Fall 2005)

S/R Paper for November 3, 2005

By

Halford H. Fairchild

Holmes, Thomas H., & Rahe, Richard H. (1967). The social readjustment rating scale. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 11, 213-218.

Stimulus: This article presents the classic research on life change events. It demonstrates how the accumulation of life change events (e.g., death of a loved one, divorce, getting a high mortgage, etc.) can lead to physical health problems.

Responses: Thinking of stress as “any emotion in its extreme form” is a definition that I disagree with. Much of our stress is the slow, drip-by-drip variety, subtle and barely detectable (e.g., discrimination or minority group status). These are “background” stressors or ace, sex and class bias.

Holmes and Rahe over-generalize the applicability of their scale – it is normed on mainstream, majority people.

The list of stressors needs to be updated. Significant things to include: IRS audit, college loans, death of a child, senior thesis, addiction, death of a pet, low grades, room mate problems, victim of a crime, welfare check got stole, winning the lottery, mortgage over $500,000, sexual violence, unemployment, etc.)

If stress leads to illness, note how the treatment for illness usually is inappropriate (pharmacological intervention instead of stressor reduction).

Seligman, Martin E.P., & Maier, Steven F. (1967). Failure to escape traumatic shock. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 74, 1-9.

Stimulus: This classic study demonstrated “learned helplessness” in dogs (dogs who could not escape electric shock stopped trying).

Responses: The power to control circumstances in your life is important, yet illusory. Note the lesser control of poor people and minorities.

Depression has multiple causes, and is frequently normal and healthy.

Uncontrollable stressful events can lead to serious diseases (and note the morbidity/mortality differences across ethnic groups for heart disease, hypertension, cancers, liver disease, life expectancy, etc.).

Friedman, Meyer, & Rosenman, Ray H. (1959). Association of specific overt be4havior pattern with blood and cardiovascular findings. Journal of the American Medical Association, 169, 1286-1296.

Stimulus: This article is the classic piece that describes Type A and Type B personalities. Type A’s are shown to be more subject to coronary heart disease.

Responses: If personalities, by definition, are unique to each individual, how sad that we categorize people into two groups.

What are examples of Type A behavior? (excessive drive, pressure to meet deadlines, competitive situations, economic frustration).

S’s were all males.

Greater incidence of CHD in parents does NOT mean that the behavior pattern is genetic.

How might different occupations (or majors) lead to behavior patterns that can be classified as Type A (e.g., Dr., lawyer) or Type B (e.g., musician, professor).