Lazarus and Folkman’s Transactional Model of Stress and Coping

Question 1

Stress as a Psychological Process:
Personal factors can influence how a person responds to stressors:

Answer 1

●Prior experience with stressors
● Motivation
● Coping skills
● Life outlook (optimism or pessimism)
● Attitude
● Self esteem
● Personality
● Perception of control (do we think we can cope?)

Question 2

NOTE

Answer 2

These factors are not independent of one another & they combine in different ways in each indi vidual

Question 3

Lazarus and Folkman’s Transactional Model of Stress and Coping

Answer 3

The model of stress and coping proposes that stress involves:
● An encounter (‘transaction’) between an indi vidual and their external
en ronment, and that a stress response depends upon the indi dual’s evaluation (‘appraisal’) of the relevance of the stressor to their wellbeing and their ability to cope with it.
The model focuses on 2 key psychological factors:
a. The significance of the event to the indi vidual
b. The indi vidual’s judgement of their ability to cope

Question 4

Primary Appraisal:

Answer 4

Primary Appraisal: evaluating the significance of the event
The outcome of this appraisal is a decision about whether the event is…irrelevant, benign/positive or stressful.
benign-positive: an initial appraisal of a stimulus as neutral or good that does not cause stress for the individual
irrelevant: an initial appraisal of a stimulus as a non-issue for the individual
stressful: an initial appraisal of a stimulus as a source of worry or emotional significance for the individual
If stressful, then there are three additional appraisals to decide if the stressor is;
● Harm/loss: how much damage has been done?
● Threat: what losses could occur in the future?
● Challenge: what chance is there of a positive outcome/personal growth?
Secondary Appraisal:
Secondary Appraisal: This is where we evaluate our coping options and the available resources.
● Coping options may be Internal (E.g: strength & determination) ○ or External (E.g: money & support from family & friends)

Question 5

Strengths of Lazarus and Folkman’s Transactional Model of Stress and Coping:

Answer 5

● Emphasises psychological responses to a stressor and the personal nature of stress
● Research has been conducted on
humans rather than animals
● Views stress as an interaction between a person and their
en ronment … explains variability in the stress response

Question 6

Limitations of Lazarus and Folkman’s Transactional Model of Stress and Coping:

Answer 6

● Difficult to test through experimental research
● Primary and secondary appraisals may be undertaken simultaneously
● Do we need to appraise a situation to experience stress?
● Overlooks the physiological responses to stress (GAS)