Pscl 101: Stress

stress

a negative emotional or physiological reaction to physical or psychological events

cognitive appraisal theory

explains individual differences in stress through primary and secondary appraisals

primary appraisal

appraisal of how stressful the situation is

secondary appraisal

appraisal of what resources or skills you have to deal with the situation

rule 1

negative events are more stressful than positive events

rule 1a

positive events can be stressful too (e.g. marriage)

rule 2

events that lead to change in identity are stressful

rule 3

making decisions is stressful, even if each decision is not major, and so are hassles

learned helplessness

the hopelessness and passive resignation humans and other animals learn when unable to avoid aversive events

fight or flight

short term: highly beneficial; long term: serious consequences to health

problem focused coping

attempting to reduce stress directly - by changing the stressor or the way we interact with that stressor

emotion focused coping

attempting to reduce stress by avoiding or ignoring to stressor and attending to emotional needs related to our stress reaction

external locus of control

outside forces control our fate

internal locus of control

people control their own fate