Defining and
Measuring Stress
Chapter 5
WHAT IS STRESS?

RESPONSE TO INCREASED DEMAND

A NEGATIVE EMOTION

A MOTIVATOR

THE CAUSE OF ILLNESSES
Cognitive Processing
Appraisal
Response
Physiological
Cognitive
Affective
Stressor
Event
Behavior
Coping
THE STRESSOR

COULD BE ANY STIMULUS

POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE

LIFE EVENTS

DAILY HASSELS
COGNITVE PROCESSING APPRAISAL

LAZARUS POPULARIZED THE IDEA OF
APPRAISAL

OUR INTERPRETATIONS DICTATE
WHAT IS STRESSFUL

BASED ON PERCEIVED THREAT
TYPES OF APPRAISAL

PRIMARY


The initial appraisal
SECONDARY

Appraisal of coping ability
Options
 Self-efficacy
 Outcome Expectancy

THE RESPONSE

PHYSIOLOGICAL



COGNITIVE




FIGHT OR FLIGHT
BEHAVIORAL INHIBITION SYSTEM (BIS)
WORRY
RUMINATION
FOCUS
AFFECTIVE




TENSE
SAD/HURT
OVERWHELMED
PUMPED
PHYSIOLOGY OF STRESS

DIVISIONS OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

NEUROENDOCIRNE SYSTEM

ADRENOCORTICAL RESPONSE

ADRENOMEDULLARY RESPONSE
Figure 5.1 (p. 100)
Divisions of the human nervous system.
AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM
CONTROLS MOBILIZATION OF BODIES
RESOURCES – FIGHT/FLIGHT RESPONSE
THE EFFECTS OF ANS

SYMPATHETIC

INCREASE


DECREASE


HR, RESPIRATION, BP, GLUCOSE UTILIZATION, BLOOD
TO MUSCLES
IMMUNE SYSTEM , DIGESTIVE FUNCTIONS
PARASYMATHETIC





RETURN TO BASELINE
RELAXATION DIGESTION
PUPILLARY CONSTRICTION
SALIVA FLOW
NEAR VISION
ENDOCRINE SYSTEM
NEUROTRANSMITTERS AND HORMONES
SUMMARY OF STRESS
RESPONSE
STESSOR IS APPRAISED AS HARMFUL/THREAT



HYPOTHALAMUS
RELEASES CRF
PITUITARY RELEASES
ACTH
AC – RELEASES
CORTISOL

+ENERGY +FOCUS IMMUNE



AUTONOMIC NEURONS
TRAVEL TO AM AND
SECRETE Ach
AM - RELEASES E AND
NE
INIATES AND DRIVES
FIGHT/FLIGHT
The Effect of Chronic Stress Over Time:
The General Adaptation Syndrome
SOURCES OF STRESS

ENVIRONMENT
CROWDING
 POLLUTION
 NOISE
 URBAN PRESS



OCCUPATION
RELATIONSHIPS
MEASURING STRESS

PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGIAL MEASURES
HORMONE LEVELS
 BP
 HR
 GSR



LIFE EVENTS SCALES
EVERYDAY HASSELS SCALE
Coping

Emotion Focused Coping


Coping w/the response
Problem-Focused Coping
Changing the appraisal
 Changing the event

EVENT
Problem Focused
Coping
APPRAISAL
RESPONSE
Emotion Focused
Coping
Theories of Coping:
Problem- & Emotion- Focused
Lazarus & Folkman (1984)
(Strategy)
Problem-Focused
Emotion-Focused
Resolve cause of
problems
Managing emotional
impact of problem
Seeking info.
Going to GP
Think of options
Devise plan
Change job
Talk to friends
Going shopping
Drinking
Relaxing
Avoidance
Who Uses Which?
High perceived
controllability
Adolescents+
Problem-Focused
Emotion-Focused
Relationship
problems
Males
Females
Children
Work
problems
Low perceived
controllability
Low resources
Effectiveness of Coping Strategies

Effectiveness of coping strategy relates to the
nature of the problem

A flexible approach is better than rigid use of
specific style

Many studies indicate that problem-solving is
overall a better strategy
Global Factors Influencing Coping:
Social Support



Social Support –Material and emotional support from others
 Emotional
 Instrumental
 Informational
Structure
 Social Network
 Marriage
 Social Isolation
Gender Differences – Tend and Befriend
 Women seek more
 Women give more
 Stronger effects on health for women
Social Support and Health

The Data
Studies in different states and countries support the
link
 Correlational


The mechanism
Encouragement - Compliance
 Appraisal coping
 Buffering hypothesis

Just Thinking About Support
Helps


For this study, “undergraduates (41 men, 41 women) wrote about supportive
ties or casual acquaintances. Supportive ties were rated as warmer and less
controlling than acquaintances, and writing about them evoked reductions in
negative affect, especially for low-hostile participants," the researchers said.
"Compared with the acquaintance condition, the supportive tie condition
resulted in reduced heart rate and blood pressure response during a subsequent
speech stressor” among low-hostile participants.
Mental activation of supportive ties, hostility, and cardiovascular reactivity to laboratory stress in young men
and women. Health Psychology, 2004;23(5):476-485.
Mobilizing Social Support

Qualities of Effective Social Support
Emotional Sharing
 Cooperation


Increasing Social Support
Improve Existing Networks
 Support Groups

Global Factors Influencing Coping:
Personal Control

Internal vs. External Locus of Control


Perceived Control


Internal is better
Higher is better
Langer and Rodin (1976)
Nursing home residents
 Personal control increased physical and mental
health status
