SOC363: 6. Stress Flashcards
Misconceptions
so generically used to explain everything - we can’t take it seriously
misleading that all stress same
problem with qualitative research - more stressful life
Misconceptions
illusion of personal stress: more stressful than others
illusion of constant stress: Life is constantly stressful
stress goes up and down
Misconceptions
illusion of useful vagueness: residual explanation of all that ails us
garbage explanation of doctors when can’t find problem
Misconceptions
illusion of ubiquitous stress: Basic, everywhere, all the time, all striving is stress
day to day life not full of stress
Misconceptions
illusion of simple solutions: Exercise, go to yoga, eat organic, breath deep
reduce only anxiety - stress is still there, but you just adjust levels
Misconceptions
illusion of biological determinism: People make their own stress – it is their problem
illusion that stress is an illusion: Stress is not real, just an excuse for failure
Stress, Stressors, Distress
stressors = (context) => stress = (coping) => distress
Fundamental terms to distinguish
Often misused
Stress, Stressors, Distress
A picture of a process……
stress is an input not an output - distress is more useful
The Process
Stressors exist in environment, not in people + they may:
Precipitate stress in people, if the context in which stressor occurs determines it is threatening….which then…..
context can intervene to define situation as threatening than not
The Process
not stressful, no need to cope
whether or not it results in distress
whether coping intervenes
The Process
Gives rise to necessity of coping with stressor, which, if not successful in reducing or removing the stressor + thus stress may lead to
Distress – state of persistent anxiety + depression
Definitions of Stressors
Now widely used: Conditions of threat, demand, or structural constraint that, by their very existence, call into the question the operating integrity of the organism
Definitions of Stressors
Threats: expectation or possibility of harm, requiring a response
Demands: overload, burden, being pushed
Definitions of Stressors
Constraints: severe and non-self-limiting social disadvantage, restriction of choice or opportunities or access to means to achieve goals, or under-reward or discrimination.
Contexts
circumstances in which the stressor occurs
e.g. can have diff stories about same marriage
history of experience of similar or contrasting stressors
Contexts
biography: history of experience…
less threatened by things familiar
knowledge and skills resulting from coping with previous stressors
Contexts
more stressors that occur - more chances to develop coping skills
Social contexts which determine meaning of the stressor
Contexts
Social comparison with other lives: look at networks and see if others go through similar hardships
Operative norms: what’s expected about occurence of stressors
Stress
Traditionally, in the biological model the state of alert or physiological arousal in the body due to the presence of the stressor…
Stress
! The alarm response in Selye’s four stage “General Adaptation Syndrome.”
Stress
! Important — this is the definition in the biological stress model only….
Coping
Behavioral, cognitive, or affective responses which are meant to control, remove, resolve, or redefine the meaning of the stressor.
Coping
! Only necessary if the stressor is determined to be threatening.
! A multi-stage sorting….
Coping
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What it Takes to Produce Distress
diff outcomes of stressors
most outcomes is that most ppl don’t get distress
not stressful = no distress
stressors - context - stressful - coping - distress/no distress
stressors - context - stressful - not stressful - no distress
What it Takes to Produce Distress
stressful - successful coping = no distress
only 1 situation when distress occurs: threatening context + failure to cope
Two Stress Models…1) Biological - Selye (1956) : The General Adaptation Syndrome
Stressors • Sudden, Acute • Chronic - Alarm Response - Resistance - Exhaustion
Two Stress Models…1) Biological - Selye (1956) : The General Adaptation Syndrome
Stressors here…
! Extreme heat or cold, loud noise, shocks, overcrowding, hunger, weight, toxic substances…
Two Stress Models…1) Biological - Selye (1956) : The General Adaptation Syndrome
! Stress is the “state of wear and tear of the body”, and a stressor is “that which produces stress.”
stress is biological alert response to presence of stress
resistance is coping
exhaustion - distress - depression (giving up)
Problems
The stressor is just a putative problem — whether it is a threat is determined by context.
Problems
! Stressors cannot be identified by consequences only, because people vary in what they find stressful — will not help in identifying generally threatening social environments..
Problems
! Can’t choose only extreme stressors
! Biological response not a necessary condition of a
mental health response to stressors.
Problems
! Typically, insidious, long-term, routine problems may not activate biologically based awareness.
Problems
! Stressors have broader sociological consequences, spreading into many areas of life – not just an issue of mental health.
Problems
! Translated to human research, stressors were thought to involve change by definition.. So only acute forms of stress evolved as the focus..
Problems
extreme stressors are not only kind of stress
no sense of what happened other than wondering how you got there
alert system didn’t notice
Problems
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