PSYCH 4.4 Social and Cognitive Factors in Learning

Coping

Stressors are perceived problems with our environment that our body warns us to resolve
This can lead to increased hormones and nervous system activity
We cope in different ways depending on the nature of the issue

Indirect solution
An attempt to avoid the stressor
Does not solve the issue, but rather remove it from our perception so that it does not bother us
Attending to our emotional needs that the stressor may have affected
Maladaptive or harmful examples may be watching a movie instead of doing a stressful school project
A more healthy, or adaptive, way to cope may be to receive social support from friends

Self control is the ability to delay gratification and control impulses
- This can be tiring to try and do repeatedly
An external locus of control is a perception that outside factors affect our lives, and there’s nothing we can do to change it
- Ideas of fate or luck
- People may adopt this ideology when they feel out of control and like things are going wrong
An internal locus of control is the idea that we control our own paths in life
- People may feel this way when they see the tangible proof of their work or their life is going well
Remember that we are more likely to blame others for unfortunate events and praise ourselves for fortunate ones
- If someone fails a test, they may blame the teacher, saying they didn’t teach well enough and it’s not the student’s fault
- Another student did very well on that test and congratulates themself on how much they studied for it

Uses cognitive factors to influence physiological factors of stress
Our body gives us very many subtle indicators when something is wrong
- Listening to these indicators can warn of health concerns, unhealthy amounts of stress, etc.
Using these indicators, we can try to address environmental factors that are affecting health
This has shown to be especially effective when reducing the intensity of tension headaches