Chapter 3: Meeting Life Challenges

Learning Objectives:

Introduction

Life poses challenges all the time. Much depends on how a challenge is viewed. Stress is like electricity - it gives energy when properly managed but can be destructive when excessive. Not all stress is inherently bad or destructive.

Nature, Types and Sources of Stress

Nature of Stress

Stress originates from Latin words meaning "tight or narrow". Stressors are events that cause our body to give the stress response. Hans Selye defined stress as "the non-specific response of the body to any demand".

Stress is a dynamic mental/cognitive state involving individuals transacting with their social and cultural environments, making appraisals of those encounters and attempting to cope.

Lazarus's Cognitive Theory of Stress

Two types of appraisal:

  1. Primary appraisal: Perception of environment as positive, neutral or negative (harm, threat, or challenge)
  2. Secondary appraisal: Assessment of one's coping abilities and resources

Factors affecting appraisal:

Types of Stress

Type Description Examples
Physical and Environmental Demands that change the state of our body or aspects of our surroundings Overexertion, injury, noise, pollution, disasters
Psychological Stresses generated in our minds Frustration, conflicts, internal pressures, social pressures
Social Induced externally from interaction with others Death in family, strained relationships, trouble with neighbors

Sources of Stress

  1. Life Events: Major changes that disturb routine (Holmes and Rahe scale measures these)
  2. Hassles: Daily personal stresses (noisy surroundings, commuting, etc.)
  3. Traumatic Events: Extreme events like accidents, disasters

Effects of Stress on Psychological Functioning and Health

Four major effects:

  1. Emotional: Mood swings, anxiety, depression
  2. Physiological: Changes in heart rate, blood pressure, metabolism
  3. Cognitive: Poor concentration, reduced memory
  4. Behavioral: Disrupted sleep, increased absenteeism, reduced performance

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

By Hans Selye - three stages:

  1. Alarm reaction: Activation of adrenal-pituitary-cortex system (fight-or-flight)
  2. Resistance: Efforts to cope with threat
  3. Exhaustion: Resources drained, susceptibility to stress-related diseases

Stress and the Immune System

Psychoneuroimmunology studies links between mind, brain and immune system. Stress can affect natural killer cell cytotoxicity, important for defense against infections and cancer.

Lifestyle

Stress can lead to unhealthy behaviors like poor nutrition, lack of sleep, smoking, alcohol abuse. Health-promoting behaviors include balanced diet, regular exercise, family support.

Coping with Stress

Coping is a dynamic situation-specific reaction to stress intended to resolve problems and reduce stress.

Coping Strategies (Endler and Parker)

  1. Task-oriented: Directly dealing with stressful situation
  2. Emotion-oriented: Maintaining hope, controlling emotions
  3. Avoidance-oriented: Denying/minimizing seriousness, suppressing stressful thoughts

Lazarus and Folkman's Coping Types

Stress Management Techniques

Promoting Positive Health and Well-being

Stress Resistant Personality (Hardiness)

The "three Cs":

  1. Commitment: Sense of purpose
  2. Control: Over one's life
  3. Challenge: Seeing changes as normal and positive

Life Skills

Factors Promoting Positive Health

  1. Diet: Balanced nutrition lifts mood and strengthens immune system
  2. Exercise: Reduces tension, anxiety and depression
  3. Positive Attitude: Accurate perception of reality, sense of purpose
  4. Positive Thinking: Optimism linked to well-being
  5. Social Support: Tangible, informational and emotional support

Resilience and Health

Resilience is the capacity to "bounce back" from stress and adversity. Three resources:

Summary

Key Terms