Transactional Model of Stess and Coping

Question 1

Transactional Model of Stress and Coping

Answer 1

• stressful experiences thought of as person-environment interactions/transactions
  primary appraisal - significance/meaning of the event to the individual
  secondary appraisal - individual’s ability to cope with it / coping resources

Question 2

Primary Appraisal

(2)

Answer 2

• evaluation of significance of stressor or event
  irrelevant | benign-positive| stressful
• if stressful further appraisal occurs
  harm/loss - past damage that has already occured
  threat - future damage that may occur
  challenge - potential of personal gain or growth

Question 3

Secondary Appraisal

Answer 3

• evaluation of whether or not an individual has the adequate coping resources to deal with stressor

Question 4

Strengths of TMSC

(3)

Answer 4

• focuses on psychological responses to stressors
• emphasises individuality and personal nature of stress responses
• looks at the voluntary, controllable aspects of stress responses

Question 5

Limitations of TMSC

(3)

Answer 5

• overlooks physiological responses
• difficult to test through experimental research due to subjective nature
• disregards the ability to experience stress without appraisal e.g. flight-fight-freeze response