ATAR Psych - Stress (U4)

define stress

the non-specific neuroendocrine response of the body to any demand for change

define stressor

an event that produces stress because a person perceives it as a threat

define internal stressor

stressor originates within the individual (e.g. pain from injury, anxiety)

external stressor

stressor originates outside the individual (e.g. nagging parents, exams)

environmental stress

Stress that comes from your physical surroundings/the external world. e.g. loud noise, hot weather, crowded places

psychological stress

Stress that comes from your own personal thoughts and feelings. e.g. fear of failure overthinking, depression, anxiety

social stress

Stress that comes from relationships and interactions with others. e.g. break up, family arguments, peer pressure

cultural stress

Stress that comes from your cultural identity, values and traditions. e.g. racial discrimination, language barriers, religious expectations

eustress

- a positive response to stress that results from challenging but attainable & enjoyable tasks.

- can serve as a source of motivation and improve performance

- e.g. passing a test, scoring a goal.

distress

- a negative response to stress that results from being overwhelmed by demands, losses, or perceived threats.

- can hinder performance and cause anxiety/health risks.

- e.g. failing a test, breaking up, family issues.

stress response

a set of physical and psychological responses that are automatically triggered when the sympathetic NS is activated following the perception of a threat.

why is the stress response useful?

- helps the body to function at optimal levels

- helps adapt to changing circumstances which increases our chance of survival.

alarm reaction

- the body enters a state of shock & resistance to stress decreases temporarily

- the body then rebounds and enters "countershock"

- as a result, the sympathetic nervous system is activated to prepare for a fight or flight response and resistance to stress increases again

symptoms of alarm stage

increased heart rate & breathing rate, emotions such as fear, anger

resistance stage

- physiological arousal remains above normal levels

- the body tries to adapt & cope with the stressor

- the parasympathetic nervous system returns the body to homeostasis

- the person feels more control of the situation, but this response can weaken the body's immune system (and ability to fight infections)

exhaustion stage

- the body's resources are depleted & are unable to cope with the stress

- the immune system is very weak, leading to a higher risk of developing physical illness

symptoms of exhaustion stage

fatigue, muscle aches, headaches, burnouts, hypertensions, and possibly death

Social readjustment

the amount of change in lifestyle a person is forced to make after an event in their life.

Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS)

- Is a test comprised of 43 stressful (positive and negative) life events with a LCU value (1-100) depending on how stressful the event is.

- assesses how much stress a person has experienced in the past year based on how many life events they experienced.

- A high total LCU score is associated with an increased risk of developing physical & mental health problems

what data does it collect?

Collects Subjective quantitative data

strengths of SRRS

- provides a standardised method for assessing life events & stress

- supported by studies like Holmes and Rahe (1967), which found a strong positive correlation between SRRS scores and health records

limitations of SRRS

- data collection relies on self-reporting, which can be biased or inaccurate.

- assumes that everyone is impacted by life events in the same way; does not account for individual differences in severity of stress

- doesn't include minor daily pressures/hassles (e.g., losing keys, traffic jams) that can build up and cause stress

stress as a transaction (Lazarus and Folman's model)

- a person's stress response depends on their "appraisal" of the stressor and ability to cope with it

- if demand exceeds resources, then the stress response will be experienced, due to imbalance

- stress only occurs if a person appraises the situation as harmful and uncomfortable/unpleasant

demand

a person's subjective appraisal of the stressor

resources

a person's ability to cope with the stressor

primary appraisal

a person assesses whether the stimulus/stressor poses a harm or benefit, and whether it should be addressed now or in the future

harm/loss

damage has already occurred (e.g. I have failed the exam)

threat

harm/loss could occur in the future (e.g., I might fail the exam)

challenge

that there is an opportunity for personal growth or gain (e.g., I can learn from this exam experience)

secondary appraisal

- person assess their ability to cope and meet the demands of the stressor with the resources they have

positive secondary appraisal

If person believe they have the resources to cope with the stressor -> they form a positive appraisal -> eustress or no stress occurs

negative secondary appraisal

If person believe they do not have the resources to cope -> they form a negative appraisal -> distress occurs

problem focused coping

- attempts to manage or change the cause of the stressor

- used when people believe they have the resources to cope (positive appraisal)

- e.g. getting a job because you have no money to afford tickets to a concert

emotion focused coping

- attempts to manage or change our emotional reactions to the stressor

- used when people believe they do not have resources to cope (negative appraisal)

- e.g. meditation, denial, wishful thinking "I wish I had moneyyyy"

strengths of lazarus and folkman (1984)

1. explains why people can react differently to the same stressors (e.g. traffic problems)

2. shows that that people play an active role in their stress response. (e.g. people can change how they appraise a stressor and respond more positively)

limitations of lazarus and folkman (1984)

- focuses on psychological factors too much; does not consider biological factors

- it can be hard to objectively measure stress appraisals.

maladaptive coping strategies

- unhealthy & harmful methods to deal with stress

- it can give temporary relief, however, in the long term, they can worsen the severity of the stressor or create new stressors

maladaptive coping strategies examples

- denial: pretending the stressor doesn’t exist, so the problem is never solved

- substance abuse: using alcohol or drugs to cope, which harms physical health

- withdrawal: avoiding the situation completely, so the problem is never addressed

adaptive coping strategies

- healthy and effective methods to deal with stress

- they help you face the stressor directly (problem-focused) or manage your emotional response to it (emotion-focused).

examples of adaptive coping strategies

- exercise: reduces stress hormones & boosts mood

- acceptance: recognising that you can’t change a situation, conserving your energy

- time management: breaking down a task so the stress feels more manageable