Stress - Causes Of Stress

Question 1

What was the aim of Johansson’s study?

Answer 1

To measure the psychological and physiological stress response in two categories of employees.

Question 2

What was the method in Johansson’s study?

Answer 2

A quasi experiment where workers were defined as being at high risk of stress or in a control group. Data was collected through physiological measures of chemicals in urine and self report of mood.

Question 3

Who were the participants in Johansson’s study?

Answer 3

24 workers at a Swedish sawmill. The high-risk group were 14 workers who had to work at a set pace, governed by the production line; their job was complex and required a great deal of knowledge about raw materials. They were responsible for the rate at which the finished objects were completed and so responsible for their own and their team’s wages. The control group were 10 workers who were cleaners or maintenance workers.

Question 4

What was the design of Johansson’s study?

Answer 4

An independent design with participants already working in one of the two categories, so no manipulation of the IV. The high-risk group were classified as having jobs that were repetitive and constrained, had little control of pace or work routine, were more isolated and involved more responsibility.

Question 5

What was the procedure of Johansson’s study?

Answer 5

Each participant gave a daily urine sample when they arrived at work and at four other times during the day. They also gave self report of mood and alertness, plus caffeine and nicotine consumption. The baseline measurements were taken at the same time on a day when the workers were at home.

Question 6

What were the findings of Johansson’s study?

Answer 6

In the first urine samples of the day, the high risk group had adrenaline levels twice as high as their baseline and these continued to increase throughout the day. The control group had a peak of 1.5 time baseline level in the morning and this declined during the rest if their shift. In the self report, the high risk group felt more rushed and irritated than the control group. They also rated their well-being as lower than that of the control group.

Question 7

What were the conclusions of Johansson’s study?

Answer 7

The repetitive, machine-paced work, which was demanding in attention to detail and highly mechanised, contributed to the higher stress levels in the high risk group.

Question 8

What was the study on hassles?

Answer 8

Kanner

Question 9

What was the aim of Kanner’s study?

Answer 9

To compare the Hassles and Uplifts Scale and the Berkman Life Events Scale as predictors of psychological symptoms of stress.

Question 10

What was the method of Kanner’s study?

Answer 10

A repeated design in that each participant completed the Hassles rating scale and the Life Events scale. They then assessed their psychological symptoms of stress using the Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL) and the Bradburn Morale Scale.

Question 11

Who were the participants of Kanner’s study?

Answer 11

100 people who had previously completed a health survey in 1965. They were from California, were mostly white, Protestant, with adequate or above income and at least 9th-grade education. 216 were initially contacted, 109 agreed to take part and 9 dropped out.

Question 12

What was the design of Kanner’s study?

Answer 12

A repeated design as participants completed both the hassles and life events scales.

Question 13

What was the procedure of Kanner’s study?

Answer 13

All tests were sent out by post one month before the study began. The participants were asked to complete:

• the hassles rating every month for 9 months
• the life events rating after 10 months
• the HSCH and the Bradburn Morale Scale every month for 9 months

Question 14

What were the findings of Kanner’s study?

Answer 14

Hassles were consistent from month to month. Life events for men correlated positively with hassles and negatively with uplifts. The more life events on the SRRS, the more hassles and the fewer uplifts reported. For women, the more life events reported, the more hassles and uplifts reported. Hassle frequency correlated positively with psychological symptoms on the HSCL. The more hassles, the more negative psychological symptoms recorded.

Question 15

What were the conclusions of Kanner’s study?

Answer 15

Hassles are a more powerful predictor of psychological symptoms than life events. Hassles contribute to psychological symptoms whatever life events have happened.

Question 16

What was the study on lack of control?

Answer 16

Geer and Maisel

Question 17

What was the study on work?

Answer 17

Johansson

Question 18

What was the aim of Geer and Maisel’s study?

Answer 18

To see if perceived control or actual control can reduce stress reactions to adversity stimuli

Question 19

What was the method in Geer and Maisel’s study?

Answer 19

Lab experiment, participants were shown photographs of dead car crash victims and their stress levels were measured by galvanic skin response (GSR) and heart rate electrodes.

Question 20

Who were the participants in Geer and Maisel’s study?

Answer 20

60 undergraduates enrolled in a psychology course form New York University

Question 21

What was the design of Geer and Maisel’s study?

Answer 21

Independent, the participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions. Group 1 were given control over how long they saw each photograph for; they could press a button to terminate it and were told that a tone would proceed each photograph. Group 2 saw the photos for the same time as group 1 but were warned that the photos would be 60 seconds apart and for how long they would see each photo. They were also told about the warning tone. They had no control but knew what would happen. Group 3 also saw the photos for the same. Amount of time but were only told that from time to time they would see photographs and hear tones. This group had no control and no predictability.

Question 22

What was the procedure of Geer and Maisel’s study?

Answer 22

Each participant was seated in a sound shielded room and wired up to GSR and heart rate monitors. For 5 minuets the machine calibrated while the participant relaxed and a baseline measurement was taken. The instructions were then read over the intercom and after 1 min rest the stimuli were presented beach photograph was preceded by a 10 second tone and then flashed up until the button was pressed or for the predetermined length of time. The GSR analyses were taken at the onset of the tone, during the second half of the tone and in response to the photograph.

Question 23

What were the findings of Geer and Maisel’s study?

Answer 23

The heart rate monitors proved inaccurate so the results from these were discarded. Group 2 showed most stress with the tone, as they knew what was coming, but did not have control over the photograph. Group 1 experienced less stress in response to the photograph than groups 2 and 3.

Question 24

What were the conclusions of Geer and Maisel’s study?

Answer 24

Participants showed less GSR are action, indicating less stress, when they had control over the length of time they looked at the disturbing photographs. It is likely that being able to terminate aversive stimuli reduced their stressful impact.