OBHR 330: Exam 2 - Chapter 5

Stress

The psychological response to demands when there is something at stake for the individual, and where coping with these demands would tax or exceed the individual’s capacity or resources

Stressors

Demands that cause the stress response

Strains

Negative consequences of the stress response

Transactional theory of stress

A theory that explains how stressful demands are perceived and appraised, as well as how people respond to the perceptions and appraisals

Primary appraisal

Evaluation of whether a demand is stressful and, if it is, the implications of the stressor in terms of personal goals and well-being

Benign job demands

Job demands that are not appraised as being stressful

Hindrance stressors

Stressors that tend to be appraised as thwarting progress toward growth and achievement

Challenge stressors

Stressors that tend to be appraised as opportunities for growth and achievement

Role conflict

When others have conflicting expectations of what an individual needs to do

Role ambiguity

When an individual has a lack of direction and information about what needs to be done

Role overload

When an employee has too many demands to work effectively

Daily hassles

Minor day-to-day demands that interfere with work accomplishment

Time pressure

The sense that the amount of time allotted to do a job is not quite enough

Work complexity

The degree to which job requirements tax or just exceed employee capabilities

Work responsibility

The number and importance of the obligations that an employee has to others

Work-family conflict

A form of role conflict in which the demands of a work role hinder the fulfillment of the demands in a family role (or vice verse)

Negative life events

Events such as a divorce or death of a family member that tend to be appraised as a hindrance

Financial uncertainty

Uncertainties with regard to the potential for loss of livelihood, savings, or the ability to pay expenses

Family time demands

The amount of time committed to fulfilling family responsibilities

Personal development

Participation in activities outside of work that foster growth and learning

Positive life events

Events such as marriage or the birth of a child that tend to be appraised as a challenge

Secondary appraisal

When people determine how to cope with the various stressors they face

Coping

Behaviors and thoughts used to manage stressful demands and the emotions associated with the stressful demands

Behavioral coping

Physical activities used to deal with a stressful situation

Cognitive coping

Thoughts used to deal with a stressful situation

Problem-focused coping

Behaviors and cognitions of an individual intended to manage the stressful situation itself

Emotion-focused coping

Behaviors and cognitions of an individual intended to help manage emotional reactions to stressful demands

Burnout

The emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion from coping with stressful demands on a continuing basis

Type A Behavior Pattern

People who tend to experience more stressors, appraise more demands as stressful, and be prone to experiencing more strains

Recovery

The degree to which energies used for coping with work demands are restored from a period of rest or relief from work

Social support

The help people receive from others when they are confronted with stressful demands

Instrumental support

The help people receive from others that can be used to address a stressful demand directly

Emotional support

The empathy and understanding that people receive from others that can be used to alleviate emotional distress from stressful demands