ASSIGNMENT #2                  Due: Friday, 2/11/00

Topic: Stress and Disease

Answer each of the following questions in a short paragraph (no more than 50-75 words each, for a total of 2-3 pages doublespaced).  The (*) notation after a question means that it relates to material presented only or mostly in class.

1. Briefly summarize the importance of the body’s immune system.

2. Explain the relationship between the immune system and vaccination.

3. Give one example to explain how the immune system can be directly linked to a specific disease.

4. How has the field of psychoneuroimmunology changed our ideas about how the immune system functions?

5. Explain the significance of the related concepts of immunosuppression and immunocompetence.

6. Brannon & Feist state that there are two pathways by which stress might cause or contribute to disease; using either cardiovascular disease or diabetes mellitus, describe the two pathways and how they might contribute to either CVD or DM.

7. Summarize what current research tells us about the apparent relationship between stress and depression.

8. What is the diathesis-stress model and how does it help us to understand why stress makes some people sick but not others.

9. Explain the meaning and significance of the hardy personality model.

10. Rice introduces us to the concept of physiological toughness; explain its significance.
 
 

Copyright ©1998 Beverly J. Volicer and Steven F. Tello, UMass Lowell.  You may freely edit these pages  for use in a non-profit, educational setting.  Please include this copyright notice on all pages.