Sources of Stress

Key Concepts

• General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS): Describes the biological changes the body undergoes when under stress, consisting of three stages: Alarm, Resistance, Exhaustion.

• Fight or Flight Response: The body's immediate response to a perceived threat, mediated by the sympathetic nervous system.

• Life Events as Stressors: Refers to major changes in life, positive or negative, that require mental adjustment.

• Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS): A scale developed to measure stress based on life events.

• Coronary Heart Disease (CHD): A condition that can be influenced by stress levels.

Understanding Stress

• Stress is a common experience marked by physiological responses to external stimuli and emotional reactions.

• Selye (1976) defined stress as "the nonspecific response of the body to any demand."

• Stress can have both beneficial (necessary alertness) and harmful effects (psychological and physical issues when chronic).

Sources of Stress

1. Life Events

   • Holmes and Rahe (1970) proposed that life events require mental energy and lead to stress.

   • Rahe's Study (1970): 2,500 sailors showed a significant correlation between stressful life events and illness incidences, indicating higher stress level linked to greater health susceptibility.

2. Workplace Stress

   • Factors include long hours, job security, workplace relationships, and communication access.

   • Johanssen Study: Evaluated occupational stress in a sawmill, highlighting task repetition and social isolation as stress factors.

   • Chandola et al. (2008): Longitudinal study of over 10,000 civil servants found a significant association between work stress and CHD, especially in those aged 37–49, linking unhealthy behaviours to increased stress exposure.

3. Personality Types

   • Friedman and Roseman (1978) identified Type A (competitive, time-urgent, hostile) and Type B (relaxed, easy-going) personalities, where Type A's tend to experience higher stress levels.

Evaluation of GAS Theory

• Strengths:

  • Clarity in outlining the stress response stages and paving the way for further research.

• Weaknesses:

  • Narrow focus on biological responses; lacks consideration for psychological/social factors and individual differences. Not everyone reaches the exhaustion stage.

• Conclusion: Understanding sources of stress through empirical studies enriches knowledge on its psychological and physiological impacts. Addressing both external stressors and individual coping strategies is essential in managing stress effects on health, particularly in modern society.

Issues and Debates

• Determinism: behaviours, including responses to stressors, are often dictated by external factors such as life events and workplace environments. Research studies like those by Holmes & Rahe and Chandola et al. suggest that stressful life events and occupational stress can significantly impact individuals' health and behaviour, indicating a deterministic view where people may not fully control their reactions to stressors.

• Free Will: emphasises personal agency and the ability to make choices, suggesting that individuals have the power to respond to stressors in healthier ways. Critics of deterministic theories point out that these approaches often overlook the potential for personal agency in managing stress and addressing health outcomes, thus contributing to a broader debate on stress management strategies and individual responsibility.

• +Burnout is prominent in high-stress professions (nurses, paramedics). It signals

Research Studies

1. Holmes and Rahe (1970):

   • Study: Assessed 2,500 sailors, correlating life events with illness.

   • Result: A significant correlation between life events and health issues was found.

   • Conclusion: More stressful life events = higher illness susceptibility.

2. Chandola et al. (2008):

   • Study: Longitudinal study of civil servants in London, assessing work stress and health.

   • Result: Significant association between work stress and coronary heart disease (CHD) in ages 37-49;

   • Higher health risks were linked to poor lifestyles under work stress.

   • Conclusion: Work stress impacts CHD partly due to unhealthy behaviours and physiological changes.

3. Johanssen et al.:

   • Study: Investigated stress in sawmill workers.

   • Findings: Finishers had much higher adrenaline levels and reported feeling rushed and less well than a control group.

   • Conclusion: Occupational stress was linked to repetitive, controlled work tasks.