transactional model of stress and coping (susan folkman and richard lazarus (1984))

Question 1

primary appraisal

Answer 1

evaluation of significance of potential stressor= “ is the event stressful?”
resulting in decision that it is either irrelevant, benign-positive/ stressful.
if sit.= stressful, decide if poses harm/loss, threat, challenge

Question 2

harm/loss

Answer 2

if stressful
something in the present/immediately/in the moment
asseses how much damage has already occured

Question 3

threat

Answer 3

if stressful
future/ long term e.g will i be able to pay my rent?

Question 4

challenge

Answer 4

if stressful
assess potential for personal gain/growth from sit.
e.g if not get the job = i’ll find another job

Question 5

secondary appraisal

Answer 5

evaluate coping = “do i have the resources to cope?”
options and resources = can be internal/ external
can have inadequate coping resources= stress is heightened
or
have adequate coping resources = stress is minimised/managed

Question 6

strenght of trans. model

Answer 6

• model acknowledges the psychological determinants or cause of the stress response
• emphasises the personal nature and individality of the stress response, accounting for why indiv. responses to an event vary widely
• suggest that b/c stress involves an interaction with the environment, the indiv. has an active role in their own stress response = can learn to respond and manage it.
• the model allows for the fact that stressors and circumstances under which they occur can change over time as well as our response and though about a stressor can also change

Question 7

limitations for trans. model

Answer 7

• difficult to test through experimental research due to the subjective nature of indiv. responses to stress
• indiv. = not always be consciously aware of all the factors causing them stress
• narrowly focused on cognitive processes = not accounting for any physiological variations in indiv. responses to stress and external, sociocultural factors that may influence stress e.g education
• does not allow for indiv. variation in progression thru its stages b/c primary and secondary appraisal have been found to interact with one another/ occur simultaneously