Lecture 4: Stress, Stress Process & Structual Strain Flashcards
social stress
- A state of arousal that results from either the presence of socioenvironmental demands that tax the ordinary adaptive capacity of the individual or from the absence of the means to attain sought-after ends
- Anything that puts wear and tear on the body (negative environmental stimuli)
- Requires readjustment
stressor
event or circumstance that causes or brings about the stress
stress theory
- Initial focus on major life events
- Additional consideration of severe life events and chronic strains
- The more stressors an individual experiences, the worse their mental health tends to be
severe life events
events that have a major impact on one’s life
chronic strains
occur over a long period and require repeated adjustments to behaviour
exposure vs. vulnerability
Someone can be exposed to a stressor and not be as negatively affected by it and vice versa
stress proliferation
when an initial stressor generates more stressors
criticisms of stress theory
- The stress -> poor mental health trend wasn’t as strong as researchers thought it would be
- This may be due to differences in coping mechanisms
stress process model
- An explanation for the modest association between stressors and health
- Social context shapes exposure to stress, as well as risk and protective factors
- Stress exposure and coping resources are socially patterned: more stress + few coping resources = worse mental health
- Status and social position define conditions of life to which individuals are subject
- Stressful circumstances arise out of such contexts
coping resources
social/personal assets
coping strategies
behavioural/cognitive attempts
problem-focused coping strategies
trying to change or eliminate the stressor itself
emotion-focused coping strategies
changing one’s emotional reaction to the stressful demand
meaning-focused coping strategies
changing one’s perception of stressful demands so that they seem less stressful
distirbution of coping resources
Coping/resources are socially distributed
social characteristics
aspects of our lives that are socially defined and assigned to us
social support
- The degree to which individuals have access to reliable social resources, in the form of relationships
- Perceived support matters more than received support for health outcomes
personal resources
personal attributes or characteristics that affect one’s ability to cope with environmental demands
self-esteem
an evaluation that one makes about oneself
self-esteem and health
Associated with positive health outcomes
self-esteem across social demographics
- People with higher SES tend to have greater self-esteem
- Some evidence shows that people who are currently married exhibit higher levels of self-esteem
- Men tend to have higher self-esteem than women (this difference isn’t always found)
mastery
the degree to which someone believes they have control over what happens in their life
mastery and health
Associated with positive health outcomes
mastery across demographics
- Shown to be socially distributed
- Black people and low SES people tend to have lower senses of mastery
mattering
the feeling that others need oneself and are invested in oneself
mattering and health
- Associated with positive health outcomes
- Contributes to psychological well-being
mattering across demographics
Higher among women
emotional reliance
involves the development and maintenance of personal worth through other people’s appraisals
emotional reliance and health
- Associated with negative health outcomes
- This might be due to unstable feelings of self-worth
John Henryism
a coping strategy that involves expending high efforts in response to stressors
John Henryism and health
Associated with negative health outcomes
John Henryism across demographics
- Used to deal with financial and interpersonal stressors
- Associated with increased blood pressure in Black people
structural strain theory
- Mental illness stems from the organization of society
- Influences of Merton and Durkheim
- Strains at different levels of society
- Harmful consequences of social isolation
Merton’s 5 responses
- conformity
- ritualism
- innovation
- retreatism
- rebellion
Merton’s anomie
the gap between cultural goals and the structural means to achieve those goals
conformity
adherence to goal & legitimate means
ritualism
change goal & legitimate means
innovation
adherence to goal & illegitimate means
retreatism
no goal & illegitimate means
rebellion
new goal & new means
which of Merton’s responses are socially acceptable
conformity & ritualism
which of Merton’s responses aren’t socially acceptable
innovation, retreatism, and rebellion
Merton on mental illness
- Mental illness is an adaptive response to structural strain
- It’s a reaction to how society is organized
- Strains in macrosocial and economic systems cause higher rates of disorder for certain groups
Durkheim’s anomie
rapid change in social structure accompanied by a breakdown of norms
levels of social intergration
egoism & altruism
egoism
weak interaction
altruism
strong interaction
