Stressors In The Environment

Question 1

Environmental stressors

Answer 1

Stimulus that requires an adjustment or adaptation in order to deal with it
Could be either internal stressors such as feelings of anxiety or external stressors such as noise

Question 2

Key research

Answer 2

Black and Black
Investigating effect of aircraft noise on stress and hypertension

Question 3

Black and Black aim

Answer 3

Investigating if quality of life (health wise) is worse for a community chronically exposed to aircraft noise compared to one that isn’t
See if association exists between high blood pressure and exposure to aircraft noise (stress as mediating factor)

Question 4

Sample of Black and Black

Answer 4

Received 704 complete responses across 2 different areas in Australia

Question 5

Sample divided into 2 groups for Black and Black

Answer 5

Addresses near Sydney airport that experienced 50 aircraft noise events every day
Addresses in a similar socioeconomic background that experienced no aircraft noise

Question 6

Controlling for individual differences in Black and Black

Answer 6

Both groups similar in socioeconomic factors
Survey asked for information on any variables that could effect stress eg employment and alcohol consumption and past health history

Question 7

Sample method for Black and Black

Answer 7

Self selected: those who wanted to partake in study volunteered themselves by sending the answered survey back

Question 8

Data collection method in Black and Black

Answer 8

Self report = sending out a survey asking for self reported info on annoyance to aircraft noise and past health issues such as hypertension

Question 9

Survey for black and black composed of

Answer 9

Cover letter explaining aim to investigate environmental noise but vague on true aim: avoid demand characteristics
Questions on: health, hypertension, annoyance to noise, any outside factors

Question 10

How in black and black did they ask about Ps health concerns?

Answer 10

SF-36, internationally recognised questions on physical health and mental health

Question 11

Black and black scale to rate annoyance

Answer 11

Asked ps to identify 10 sources of noise at home and on rating scale, rate how annoying it is
1=not annoyed at all
10= very annoyed

Question 12

Confounding variables that effect noise stress in black and black?

Answer 12

Employment
Alcohol
Smoking

Question 13

Mean annoyance score of each group to aircraft noise

Answer 13

Chronically exposed to aircraft noise = 6.27
Not exposed to aircraft noise = 1.03

Question 14

Hypertension results in black and black

Answer 14

Odds of hypertension in those chronically exposed to aircraft noise is significantly higher compared to those not effected by aircraft noise

Question 15

Conclusions of Black and Black

Answer 15

There was a significantly higher difference in health related quality of life in those chronically exposed to aircraft noise than those who aren’t exposed
Association between hypertension and long term exposure to aircraft noise

Question 16

Additional studies

Answer 16

Lundberg
Kenrick and MacFarlane
Glass and Singer
Ellis

Question 17

Ludenberg research

Answer 17

On overcrowding in commuter trains

Question 18

2 IVs of Ludenberg

Answer 18

Whether passengers were in low or high density train conditions
Whether passengers boarded at the start of the journey or middle of the journey

Question 19

DV of Ludenberg

Answer 19

Adrenaline levels in male passengers urine samples

Question 20

Results of Ludenberg

Answer 20

Higher adrenaline levels in urine (thus stress) of those in high density areas compared to smaller crowds
Lower adrenaline levels in urine samples of passengers who boarded at start compared to those who boarded later on

Question 21

Why did boarding the train later like in Ludenberg mean there was more adrenaline in passenger’s urine?

Answer 21

Because despite having lower autonomous arousal (being on train later than those who got on early) they had no control over who to sit with and where thus there were social factors that influenced stress felt by commuters

Question 22

Kenrick and Macfarlane

Answer 22

Investigating effect of higher temperature on stress

Question 23

Where was Kenrick and Macfarlane set?

Answer 23

Exit road in Phoenix, Arizona with traffic lights controlling only 1 lane

Question 24

Time period of Kenrick and Macfarlane

Answer 24

On 15 Saturdays between 11am-3pm from April- August

Question 25

What did Kenrick and Macfarlane aim to find out?

Answer 25

How temperature can effect a person’s response to another (confederate) driver obstructing the lane for 12 seconds despite the light turning green

Question 26

How did Kenrick and Macfarlane operationalise the stress/annoyance felt by participants?

Answer 26

Observer nearby counted number of honks, duration of honk and also latency until 1st honk by the participant

Question 27

How did they measure temperature in Kenrick and Macfarlane?

Answer 27

Geography department from Arizona state university took temperature every time

Question 28

Sample of Kenrick and Macfarlane

Answer 28

39 male and 36 female aged 16-65

Question 29

Findings from Kenrick Macfarlane

Answer 29

Temps over 38°c meant 34% held horn for 50% of 12 second duration while none did this under 32°c

Question 30

Conclusions of Kenrick and Macfarlane

Answer 30

Higher heat increases interpersonal hostility thus showing temperature is an environmental stressor

Question 31

Ellis additional research

Answer 31

Rational emotive therapy

Question 32

What is RET

Answer 32

Emotion based therapy program to manage environmental stress that arises from a problem rather than fixing the problem

Question 33

Emotion focused vs problem focused therapy

Answer 33

Emotion focused = dealing with and managing emotions caused by stressor
Problem focused = directly preventing someone’s exposure to stress

Question 34

The format of RET

Answer 34

ABCDE
All stands for different ages of rational emotive therapy

Question 35

RET: A

Answer 35

Activating experience that causes stress: eg noise, temperature, overcrowding

Question 36

RET: B

Answer 36

Beliefs someone has about the stressful experience that are irrational

Question 37

RET: C

Answer 37

Consequences from the irrational beliefs, emotional reactions such as anger, anxiety

Question 38

RET: D

Answer 38

Disputing of irrational beliefs by a psychologist or therapist

Question 39

RET: E

Answer 39

Effects of the therapy such as a new set of rational beliefs about the stressor which can be used to cope with the same stressor in the future

Question 40

Glass and Singer investigation

Answer 40

Investigate what aspect of noise is stressful: loudness, unpredictability, lack of control over the noise?

Question 41

Glass and Singer procedure

Answer 41

Designed 8 recordings which had been manipulated based on the 3 aspects of noise
Ps completed cognitive task whilst this played to test for tolerance of frustration caused by noise
Ps had to identify SPAG errors in book to test for quality of performance

Question 42

How had Glass and Singer’s recordings been manipulated?

Answer 42

Volume: either loud or quiet
Predictability: either at regular intervals or random bursts
Perceived control: either given a switch to stop noise or not given this option
8 Recordings of unique combos of the above aspects

Question 43

How had Glass and Singer’s recordings been manipulated?

Answer 43

Volume: either loud or quiet
Predictability: either at regular intervals or random bursts
Perceived control: either given a switch to stop noise or not given this option
8 Recordings of unique combos of the above aspects

Question 44

Worst combo of noise in Glass and Singer

Answer 44

Having no perceived control (ie no switch to stop noise) and it was at unpredictable intervals
Louder

Question 45

Did loudness have as much of an effect as other IVs in Glass and Singer?

Answer 45

No