SOC363: 7 - Coping Flashcards

1
Q

The Role of Coping in the Stress Process

A

Defined: “behavioral or cognitive response to a stressor
that [attempts] to prevent or allay [reduce] the
harm otherwise caused by the stressor.” (Pearlin
and Bierman, 2012)
intervention in face of stressful situations

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

The Role of Coping in the Stress Process

A

Many questions:
*behaviour of coping vs background resources
◦ Do specific coping resources or styles mediate or
moderate the effects of stress….or both?

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

The Role of Coping in the Stress Process

A

◦ Does lower status result in more exposure to stress,
blocked access to coping resources, or both?
◦ What matters more….differences in specific coping
styles or generalized coping resources?
distribution of stressors vs coping resources

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

A Taxonomy of Coping

A

resources:

social - social support, social integration, social networks, social capital, mattering

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

A Taxonomy of Coping

A

personal - personality, instrumentalism* (mastery/sense of control/self-efficacy), flexibility (cognitive style), sense of coherence, self-esteem, hardiness

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

A Taxonomy of Coping

A

strategies:
behaviour - attempts to change situation, avoidance
cognitive - denial, selective perception, positive comparisons (look at ppl worse off)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Models for the Combined Effect of Stress and Coping

A

a) stress exposure: stress matters but coping doesn’t
b) generalized resistance resource: only coping resources matters
c) combined stress exposure/generalized resistance resources: combo of a and b
e) resistance resource/stress buffering
even when theres no stress, difference exists

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Models for the Combined Effect of Stress and Coping

A

d) stress buffering: focused on in research
activation at point of stress
divergent point
high coping resource - more immune, lowers impact of stress on increasing distress

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

A Closer Look at Stress-Buffering

A

Resources in moderating role……

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

A Closer Look at Stress-Buffering

A

Upper line: Fewer resources, less effective coping, more vulnerable per stressor
bigger response

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

A Closer Look at Stress-Buffering

A

Lower Line: More resources, effective coping, less vulnerable per stressor
more immune to consequences of stressors

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Social Support

A

Hammer et al: social linkages “may be thought of as
the basic building blocks of social structure… and
their formation, maintenance, and severance are…
fundamental social processes.”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Social Support

A

Social support has many different manifestations,

◦ Received support: actual supportive contacts with others.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Social Support

A

◦ Perceived support: the understanding that support is
available if needed — latent support. The perception of
being understood, cared for, and esteemed by others.
perceived - dormant-

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Concepts of Support

A
  • Cobb (1976) distinguishes types by what is
    communicated:
    ◦ Feel esteemed and valued (e.g., at work)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Concepts of Support

A

◦ Feel loved and cared for (e.g., in a relationship)

◦ Feel one belongs to a network of communication and mutual obligation.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Concepts of Support

A

Larger distinctions:
◦ Emotional support (as above)
◦ Instrumental support – logistics, information, guidance, advice.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Concepts of Support

A

◦ Structural support – membership in a network involving clear norms of exchange, strong ties, dense interactions, and homogamy (social similarity).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Concepts of Support

A

And in each case, need to distinguish:
◦ Actual support
◦ Perceived support: perceived support matters more

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Perceived Support

A

The core element of the mental health effect of
support. Works even when there is no explicit
supportive interaction.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Perceived Support

A

– Wethington and Kessler (1986) show
“not only that perceptions of support availability
are more important than actual support
transactions but that the latter promotes
psychological adjustment through the former.”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Perceived Support Findings (Wethington and Kessler)

A

Moderating (buffering) => Perceived support reduces the actual impact of stress
low perceived support - stress event increases in impact by .664
high support - impact only .172

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Perceived Support Findings (Wethington and Kessler)

A

Mediating => Received support from spouse works because of its consequences for perceived support

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Perceived Support Findings (Wethington and Kessler)

A

generalized value of perception support
indirect evidence
spouse support - increase percevied support - decrease stress

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Personal Resources

A

Sense of Control:
◦ the belief that you have control over the outcomes
in your life, and that they are not caused by external
forces.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

Personal Resources

A

Other terms: instrumentalism, mastery, self-efficacy,
internal locus of control.
sense of control - key elements in sociology of mental health

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Personal Resources

A
socialized by education, social class background, gender
psychological echos in key inequalities
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

Personal Resources

A

Cognitive Flexibility: avoid things i don’t know or like, how do i know i don’t like it
◦ The ability to see multiple sides of a problem, try
different approaches, change perspective, alter
strategies.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Personal Resources

A

Trust:
◦ The assumption that others should be trusted and
are worthy of trust.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

Personal Resources

A

-

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

A Theoretical Model for Mastery and Flexibility

A

Mastery leads to persistence, greater effort. Has nothing to do with strategy per se.
belief system about amount of control

32
Q

A Theoretical Model for Mastery and Flexibility

A

Flexibility leads to greater ability, skill - wider repertoire of available
learned strategies, via experimentation

33
Q

A Theoretical Model for Mastery and Flexibility

A

-increase coping ability - should lead to more skill
learn behaviours and how to cope with things
more options in matching response to particular threat

34
Q

An Expanded Model for Personal Resources

A

mastery => instrumentality of goal striving => persistence; effort

35
Q

An Expanded Model for Personal Resources

A

-flexibility => range of cognitive/behavioural repertroire => acquisition of skills, competence

36
Q

An Expanded Model for Personal Resources

A

-trust => perceived social equity => increased social contact

37
Q

An Expanded Model for Personal Resources

A

persistence => acquisition of skills; competence mental health

38
Q

The Stress Buffering

Role of Personal Resources (Wheaton, 1983)

A

fatalistic + highly inflexible - strong affect of stress onto distress
almost a flatline at low fatalism + low inflexibility - no mental health consequences

39
Q

Mirowsky and Ross: Defense vs. Control Theory

A

Defense Theory – more widely accepted:
dominant in pop culture + in psychology
Main distinction: self-blamers vs. selfdefenders

40
Q

Mirowsky and Ross: Defense vs. Control Theory

A

-self-blamers: internal attributions in failure and external in success
self-defender: internal attribution in success and external in failure

41
Q

Mirowsky and Ross: Defense vs. Control Theory

A

Control Theory: Generalized beliefs about Causation of Life Outcomes.
Main distinction: Instrumentalists vs. Fatalists

42
Q

Mirowsky and Ross: Defense vs. Control Theory

A

instrumentalists: internal attributions for both
fatalists: external attributions for both

43
Q

Testing Defense vs. Control Theory

A

Categorical Approach: put ppl into particular group
response to scale - internal and external distributions
1) Basic:
Control: instrumentalists less depressed than fatalists
Defense: self-defenders less depressed than self-blamers

44
Q

Testing Defense vs. Control Theory

A

2) Dominant :
Control: instrumentalists less depressed than self-defenders
Defense: self-defenders less depressed than instrumentalists

45
Q

Testing Defense vs. Control Theory

A

Continuous Approach
1) Basic:
Control: internal attributions for both success + failure less depressed than external
Defense: internal attributions for success less depressed than internal attributions for failure

46
Q

Testing Defense vs. Control Theory

A

Strong:
Control: beneficial effect of internal attributions same for both success and failure
Defense: internal responsibility for success decreases
depression while internal responsibility for failure increases depression

47
Q

Results (Categorical)

A

Instrumentalists significantly better off than anyone else:
•Relative to both fatalists and self-defenders
Self-defense doesn’t work, no better than self-blame

48
Q

Results (Categorical)

A

instrumentalists better off than everyone else
self-defenders not better off than self-blamers
no one in instrumentalists group has had a mental disorder

49
Q

Results (Categorical)

A

what is self esteem is not as important as sense of agency
lack of consistency - convenient view of how it works
difficult to maintain over time
instrumentalism is a consistent perspective

50
Q

Results (Continuous)

A

Relationship with Depression:
Personal responsibility for failure -.165*
Personal responsibility for success -.174*
more ppl take responsibility for failure less depressed similar to responsibility for success

51
Q

Results (Continuous)

A

strong control theory holds, as does dominant control hypothesis
control theory wins

52
Q

Results (Continuous)

A

possibility of changing in the future - optimism
blaming selves for lack of effort
keeps you in the game

53
Q

Ross and Mirowsky: Control vs. Support

A

Fundamental issue: which counts more in explaining social status differences in mental health.
No one does this: this paper takes on an issue most avoided
Social resources vs. personal resources.
inter-relationship between control and support

54
Q

Ross and Mirowsky: Control vs. Support

A

-Note different arguments for the effects of control and support:
Control => active problem solving
Meaning: 1) not ignoring the problem
2) figuring out the cause

55
Q

Ross and Mirowsky: Control vs. Support

A

3) doing something about it.

Support => intimate communication, solidarity, trust, affirmation of identity

56
Q

Ross and Mirowsky: Control vs. Support

A

Talking is the therapy?
But: perceiving support may be better than actually tapping into it.
support: exchange is helpful

57
Q

How are Control and Support Related?

A

Displacement perspective (in conflict):
Support fosters dependence + undermines problem-solving.
Immobilizing self-justification.

58
Q

How are Control and Support Related?

A

Facilitation perspective (cumulative):
Support facilitates problem-solving.
Increases the confidence necessary to cope effectively.

59
Q

How are Control and Support Related?

A

-Functional substitution perspective: Control + support alternative resources: one replaces need for the other, but either works.
One is enough if the other is absent

60
Q

Main Issue: Explaining Social Patterns

A

Evidence: Effects explained if

effect of social status - the coefficient - changes as you add control and support to the model, b/c…

61
Q

Main Issue: Explaining Social Patterns

A

◦ Mediation: The influence of social status occurs
because it first decreases the level of the resource,
and that in turn compromises mental health..

62
Q

Main Issue: Explaining Social Patterns

A

variable that reduces the effect more is the

one that explains the association more…

63
Q

Social Patterns in Depression

A
ppl in lower social class not really suffering from less social support
ppl with higher education perceive higher levels of control which leads to lower depression
64
Q

Social Patterns in Depression

A

-control more clustered with education than support

control works better than support in explaining social inequality in respect to social status

65
Q

Social Patterns in Depression

A

-perception of control works independently of problem solving
sense of persistence seperate
perceived support probably means you talk to others less

66
Q

Social Patterns in Depression

A

-great thing to perceive and assume support but don’t test

ppl find out they are less loved and cared and importan

67
Q

Meaning…

A

Sense of control explains effects of social class/SES on depression (not support).
Active problem solving not the main reason for the
effect of control…

68
Q

Meaning…

A

Persistence important?

Support has little to do with SES differences.-

69
Q

Meaning…

A

-Effect does not change when it is added to the
results.
Neither control nor support explain gender,
marital status, or differences by race…

70
Q

Does talking to others help?

A

No……
◦ Note the positive effect of talking to others on
depression.
◦ The sense of support more important than actual
“supportive” interactions.

71
Q

Control and Support Together

A

Functional substitution perspective supported..
◦ Means high levels of one reduce the effect of the other.
A picture of how they combine …

72
Q

Control and Support Together

A

no control, increase support = decrease distress

vice versa

73
Q

Main Messages

A

Personal resources, especially control, have more
consistent effects compared to social resources like social
support. Mirowsky and Ross – the key to mental health.

74
Q

Main Messages

A

Personal resources are also related to differences in social
status - differences in socialization, access, beliefs,
values, “a mechanism of social inequality.”

75
Q

Main Messages

A

key is personal resources not social support
Better to perceive support than to actually seek it from
others.
social position breed diff in personal resources

76
Q

Main Messages

A

Certain kinds of self-blame can be helpful.
Control and support replace each other - not necessary to
have both