Week 4: O'Brien & Beehr (2019) So far, so good: Up to now the challenge-hindrance framework describes a practical and accurate distinction

Question 1

The main purpose of this study is to create an overview of the _____ domain, by striving to find ____.

Answer 1

occupational stress, categorisations of stressors

Question 2

Stress is generally considered to be…

It can both increase and decrease ____ and ____.

Answer 2

a psychological response to demands that possess certain stakes for the person and exceed the persons capacity or resources

performance and satisfaction

Question 3

Stressors are _____ in the workplace environment that can result in ____.

Answer 3

characteristics/events, strains

Question 4

O’Brien and Beehr make the categorisation of _____ and ____ stressors and introduce what theory of potential stress outcomes?

Answer 4

challenge and hindrance

conservation of resources (COR) theory

Question 5

O’Brien and Beehr assume that stressful events can either weaken an employee in form of an ____, or bring them further in their ____.

Answer 5

illness, achievements

Question 6

O’Brien and Beehr argue that challenge stressors are work-related circumstances, such as ____ or ____, that, although potentially stressful have been associated with ____.

Answer 6

job demands, time pressure; potential gain for an individual

Question 7

O’Brien and Beehr argue that hindrance stressors are work-related demands that tend to ____ or ____ with an individuals work achievement, and which ted to be associated with _____.

Answer 7

constrain, interfere; potential loss for an individual

Question 8

The Conservation of Resources (COR) theory that O’Brien and Beehr introduce assumes what?

Answer 8

that stress leads to positive or negative outcomes depending on whether the stressor involves a net gain or loss of resources.

Question 9

According to the COR theory, one experiences ____ from positive stress and ____ from negative stress.

Answer 9

Eustress, distress

Question 10

Usually, eustress is associated with challenge stressors and distress with hindrance stressors.
Under what circumstances can one experience eustress from hindrance stressors?

Answer 10

if there is a gain of other resources (such as training programs or extra knowledge)

Question 11

In what way do challenge and hindrance stressors affect job performance and outcomes?

Answer 11

challenge stressors positively affect them, but if the stressors are too much, they can lead to strains as well

hindrance stressors negative affect job performance and outcomes

Question 12

What four work related hindrance stressors do O’Brien and Beehr focus on?

Answer 12

role conflict
role ambiguity
role overload
daily hassles

Question 13

Explain the hindrance stressor ‘role conflict’.

Answer 13

conflicting expectations that others may have of you in your role at work

Question 14

Explain the hindrance stressor ‘role ambiguity’.

Answer 14

unclear roles (uncertainty)

Question 15

Explain the hindrance stressor ‘role overload’.

Answer 15

the number of demanding roles gets too high so you perform well in none of them

Question 16

Explain the hindrance stressor ‘daily hassles’.

Answer 16

minor day-to-day demands that get in the way (e.g. copy machine)

Question 17

O’Brien and Beehr claim the challenge-hindrance distinction is better than what other distinction?

Answer 17

eustress-distress

Question 18

According to O’Brien and Beehr, future research should focus on what?

Answer 18

there should be more research looking at the direction of relationship stress and other variables

Question 19

The authors O’Brien and Beehr (2019) mention that the challenge hindrance framework has been integrated by other theories/models, namely:

a. Affective events theory
b. Vrooms expectancy theory
c. Social cognitive models of Stress
d. All of the theories mentioned here

Answer 19

d. all of the theories mentioned here

Question 20

What does the following definition in the article of O’Brien and Beehr (2019) refer to: ‘are work-related demands or circumstances that, although potentially stressful, have associated potential gains for individuals’’?

a. Hindrance stressors
b. Challenge stressors
c. Distress
d. Eustress

Answer 20

b. challenge stressors

Question 21

For Thomas it is not exactly clear what the tasks and responsibilities are that belong to his role, nor what makes up good performance for his role. Which of the following is most likely true for Thomas?

a. Thomas is experiencing role conflict, which is a work-related hindrance stressor.
b. Thomas is experiencing role conflict, which is a work-related challenge stressor.
c. Thomas is experiencing role ambiguity, which is a work-related hindrance stressor
d. Thomas is experiencing role ambiguity, which is work-related challenge stressor

Answer 21

c. work-related hindrance stressors

Question 22

The challenge-hindrance framework is described in what theory?

Answer 22

transactional model of stress

Question 23

Both the COR theory and the transactional model of stress have some incompatibilities. Elaborate on why the challenge-hindrance distinction is flawed.

Answer 23

Resource theories do not place emphasis on appraisal of stress - if a person appraises a stressor as a challenge or hindrance, what drove this distinction? How much was it due to the nature of the situational stressor and how much was it due to individual differences?

It could be the stressor is so hard to get over that most people would appraise it as a hindrance or an employee could be so Unsure of their own capabilities that minor annoyances are hindrances.