Chapter 60: The Process Of Stress Flashcards
Who developed the general adaptation syndrome model GAS and what are its three phases
Hand Selye developed GAS model suggesting a pattern in way in which people react to stressors regardless of the nature.
The phases are alarm and mobilization
The resistance phase
Exhaustion phase
What happens during alarm and mobilization phase
We become aware of the presence of a stressor and the first reaction is to be alarmed. We experience shock and ability to cope drops below normal. The body counters effect by releasing hormones that help us mobilize against stressor
Explain the resistance phase
If stressor persists where we try deal and cope with stressor where our coping levels are higher than normal. If it is dealt with it disappears but if we unsuccessful it leads to exhaustion.
Describe the exhaustion phase
Our ability to cope declines and drops below normal coping levels. If situation persists we experience negative consequences of stress like physical illness difficulty concentrating and irritability.
What is the contextual model of stress.
People perceive events in context and that their reactions to them occurs in certain contexts so an event needs to be contextualised before it can be seen as a stressor and reaction to it need to be considered in context which it occurs.
What are the 4 assumptions of the contextual model of stress
- An event doesn’t have a universal meaning independent of the situation in which it occurs or independent of the person who perceives the event. An event gains meaning when it’s perceived by someone in certain situation.
- Communities share beliefs and meaning. Community may share interpretation of the stressfulness of certain events. The individual members are able to see an event as stressful if it’s viewed as a stressors by community as a whole.
- When event is perceived as a stressor the person assigns a positive or negative value to it depending on situation. Positive stress associated with life enriching events. Negative stress is associated with life threatening events
- Event gains meaning through perception meaning process of perception is key in contextualising of an event.
Explain the first phase encountering potential stressors of the contextual model
Potential stressors categorised into universal event that effect majority of people in society.2. personal events specific to a community or individual 3. Micro events that affect the individual on everyday basis.
State phase 2 of contextual model of stress
It’s performing a primary appraisal when an event is encountered and immediately experience it as positive negative neutral or ambiguous. The feeling we experience is the result of our psychology and psychosocial circumstance in which we find ourselves. Threatening and harmful events evoke negative feelings but an event that’s challenging is more likely to evoke a positive feeling.
Phase 3 is experiencing stress. Explain how
Feeling of stress is associated with heightened psycho physiological arousal. We feel physically and emotionally tense with feelings of pressure. If event causes negative feelings in primary appraisal we view it as a threat. If the primary appraisal is a positive feelings it’s associated with a challenge and opportunities that can be utilised to our advantage.
How does phase 4 performing a secondary appraisal occur
Event identified as stressors and individual has to consider coping ability. The outcome of secondary appraisal depends on whether the experience is threatening or challenging and whether the person feels they can cope. If they feel they can stress will deminish and become less negative. In case of challenging event the stress will deminish if a person feels they can cope.
What are the conditions of our ability of appraisal
They are influenced by explanatory style, psychological hardiness resourcefulness type of conflict relevance and reliability of info we have about situation and degree of control we have over circumstances.
Briefly explain the listed conditions
A person’s explanatory style can be pessimistic or optimistic. People with a pessimistic style are less likely to take action to counter effects of stressful events.
Psych hardiness refers to tendency to commit ourselves an aptitude for challenges and ability to take control of a situation. People with high psych hardiness seem to be more resistant to stressors and able to handle more stress effectively than those with lower levels.
Learnt resourcefulness refers to the ability to try various approaches to find a way to work through a difficult situation. People learn to act in helpless manner when subjected to situation they feel they have no control over if continued begin to feel apathetic and despondent.
Conflict has 2 options. Approach- approach meaning we want both and this is least stressful as both choices lead to good result. Avoidance-avoidance both have bad consequences causing stress as we try postpone making decisions. Approach- avoidance conflict happen when we’re faced with single options that has a good and bad outcome.
Unreliable info leads to doubt and lack of action as well as loss of control.
What is phase 5 of contextual model
It’s to apply coping strategies like problem solving, avoidance and social support.
