Stress - Life Events and Life Changes

Question 1

Define what a retrospective event is?

Answer 1

A past event

Question 2

Define what a prospective event is?

Answer 2

A future event

Question 3

State some criticisms of the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS)?

Answer 3

Causality - SRRS is correlational, chronic illness may lead to life issues - you also cant inflict this on real people (F.E killing peoples spouse)
Individual Differences - people react differently to illness or stress
Positive Life Events - doesn’t distinguish between the two
Self Report - attitudes can change over time (level of stress felt)
Dated and Androcentric - stress changes over time

Question 4

How does the SRRS work?

Answer 4

Ppts check off any events they have experienced in the last year and each of these events has a LCU (life change unit) score.
The higher the overall score = risk of illness F.E score over 150 = illness increased by 30%

Question 5

Explain an example of the SRRS?

Answer 5

Rahe et al.
2500 navy personnel filled in the SRRS for last 6 months, over the coming 7 months number and severity of stress related illnesses were recorded.
Result = positive correlation of 0.12
Weak correlation

Question 6

State a justification for the “causality” critic?

Answer 6

Extraneous variables so the correlation could be completely irrelevant to stress if something else is causing the illness

Question 7

Explain Sarason et al?

Answer 7

Is a development of the SRRS and they ppts rate events from -3(very negative) to +3(very positive).
This reduces the effect of individual differences, it is more current and distinguishes between the positive and negative events

Question 8

Define Daily Hassles?

Answer 8

Minor, every day annoyances that most likely cause stress

Question 9

Define Daily Uplifts?

Answer 9

Positive, everyday experiences that will most likely protect you against stress

Question 10

Examples of Daily Hassles?

Answer 10

Concerns of weight
Health of family member
Property investment or taxes
Misplacing items

Question 11

Examples of Daily Uplifts?

Answer 11

Completing a task
Getting enough sleep
Too much work

Question 12

What word is used to refer to the fact that the same result has been found in other studies?

Answer 12

Replicated

Triangulation

Question 13

Why is the replication of a theory support the original one?

Answer 13

Different results support it
Increase in the reliability or validity
Pattern of the results will mean a stronger support for the theory