Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Stress, Health, and Coping

Nature of Stress

• Stress Defined: Stress refers to any circumstance that threatens or is perceived to threaten one's well-being, thereby taxing one's coping abilities.

• Complex Concept: Stress is multifaceted; it manifests in both major and minor life events, impacting day-to-day functioning.

• Cumulative Impact: Daily hassles can accumulate, creating a significant adverse effect on overall well-being.

Subjectivity of Stress

• Appraisal of Events: The perception of stress is highly subjective and depends on individual appraisal of events.

  • Primary Appraisal: This is the initial evaluation concerning the relevance and threat level of a specific event and its potential stress impact.

  • Secondary Appraisal: This involves assessing one’s coping resources and abilities to manage stress.

Embedded Environmental Stress

• Ambient Stress: Chronic negative conditions that permeate the environment contribute to stress, such as excessive noise, pollution, or poverty.

• Elevated Hormones: Chronic stressors, particularly impoverished environments, are often associated with increased stress hormones in the body.

Cultural Influences on Stress

• Cultural Context: Culture influences how individuals experience and interpret stress. Different cultural groups may encounter unique stressors that affect their mental health, such as racial discrimination for minorities and acculturative stress for immigrants.

Categories of Stressors

• Acute Stressors: Short-term threatening events with a clear endpoint.

• Chronic Stressors: Long-term events that lack a clear end.

• Anticipatory Stressors: Events anticipated in the future seen as threatening, which can be as impactful psychologically and physically as actual stressors.

Stress as Frustration and Conflict

• Emotional Responses: Stress can lead to feelings of frustration when individuals are thwarted in reaching their goals.

  • Internal Conflicts: Notable types include:

    • Approach-Approach Conflict: Choosing between two appealing goals.

    • Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict: Choosing between two unattractive options.

    • Approach-Avoidance Conflict: Pursuing a goal that has both positive and negative consequences.

Stress from Change and Pressure

• Life Changes: Notable changes requiring adjustment can be stressful; they include both positive and negative events as highlighted by the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS).

• Types of Pressure: Pressure manifests when there are expectations for behavior, often self-imposed, and can relate to performance and conformity.

Conceptualizing Stress as a Transaction

• Transactional Model: Stress is viewed as a transaction between the individual and their environment, involving cognitive, physiological, and psychological systems.

• Character of Hardiness: Individuals with high levels of hardiness manage stress effectively due to traits like resilience and the perception of challenges as growth opportunities.

Physiological Responses to Stress

• Fight-or-Flight Response: A physiological reaction that mobilizes the body to confront or escape threats, driven by the autonomic nervous system (ANS).

  • Sympathetic Division: Activates energy during stress situations.

  • Parasympathetic Division: Works to calm the body once the stressor is removed.

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

• Three Stages:

  • Alarm: Initial shock and mobilization to face the threat.

  • Resistance: The body attempts to cope; if prolonged, resources begin to deplete.

  • Exhaustion: Prolonged stress leads to depletion of bodily resources, risking physical ailments.

Coping with Stress

• Behavioral Responses: Coping strategies are classified into various types, including those that are healthy versus unhealthy. Healthy coping strategies involve problem-solving and seeking social support, whereas unhealthy methods may include substance use or avoidance.

Gender Differences in Coping

• Men vs. Women: Men often use problem-focused strategies; women are more likely to seek social support and employ nurturing behaviors to cope with stress.

Negative Effects of Stress

• Impaired Task Performance: High-stress levels can lead to cognitive disruptions and reduced ability to focus.

• Burnout: Physical and emotional exhaustion that stems from chronic stress.

• Psychosomatic Illness: Stress-related physical health issues, such as high blood pressure and asthma.

Health and Stress Psychology

• Positive and Negative Correlations: Heart disease correlates with high-stress factors; conversely, positive emotions contribute to better health.

• Eustress: Positive stress that can encourage development and psychological growth.

Factors Influencing Stress Tolerance

• Social Support and Optimism: Strong social ties and positive outlooks significantly reduce negative stress effects and encourage effective coping strategies.