Workplace Stress Flashcards
Adaptation*
Behavioral and physiological changes that enable adjustment to the environment.
Arousal Hypothesis*
Proposition that:
- Individual performance is optimal at moderate arousal and lower if arousal is high or low.
- Simple or well-learned tasks have higher optimum arousal than complex or new tasks.
Burnout*
Accumulated strain from too much job stress that includes exhaustion, depersonalization, frustration about lack of impact, cynicism or demoralization, and motivation to change careers.
*Mnenomic device: CDDEFM
Burnout example
Urban high school teacher, discouraged and exhausted after 5 years of seeing students drop out, fail, or get suspended despite his best efforts, quits teaching for a job as an assistant manager in a local business.
Fatigue
Reduced alertness, depleted energy, and diminished personal capacity following extended work demands, effort, and/or stress.
Role Ambiguity*
Unclear expectations about individual behavior.
Role Conflict*
Contradictory expectations for an employee from supervisor, co-workers, or other counterparts.
Stress*
Response to perceived personal threat or challenge, including the physical “fight or flight” response and narrowed attention.
Strain
Physical deterioration and/or loss of capacity from stress and/or coping with stressors.
Stressor/workplace examples
Chronic high blood pressure and memory loss after years of stress on the job as an air-traffic controller.
Arousal Hypothesis example
An experienced public speaker performs best when moderately excited, and less so when too agitated or relaxed.
Adaptation example
Acclimation to a hot or humid workplace.
Developing time-management skills in the job of supervisor.
Role Ambiguity example
- A receptionist told to answer the phone “appropriately.”
- Production worker told, “do your best.”
Role Conflict example
- Supervisor says, “ship all work, and ship only perfect work at the end of the day, regardless.”
Arousal
A general state of alertness, ranging from near-sleep to extreme agitation.
