PSY 331 Chapter Notes - Chapter 14: Barack Obama, Eustress
Sources of Stress
Objectives:
1. Define Stress
2. Identify various sources of stress.
3. Differentiate between the various types of conflict situations.
I. What is Stress?
A. Definition: A person’s perception of his or her inability to cope with a certain tense event or
situation.
II. Components of Stress
A. Events or situations that produce stress are known as stressors. A stress reaction is an
observable response to how an individual responds to a stressor; this varies from
person to person.
B. Not all stress is bad. Stress comes in both positive and negative forms. Negative stress is
called distress, while positive stress is called eustress.
C. A third component of stress is how a person perceives and evaluates an event. This is known
as the Cognitive Model of Stress.
Cognitive Model of Stress process for determining stress:
Analyze a situation -> Evaluate a situation -> Determine stress level of the situation
III. Conflict Situations
A. People are faced with choices and decisions everyday that create some form of stress. These
choices are known as conflict situations because they force us to choose between options
that are in conflict with each other.
B. There are four types of conflict situations.
1. Approach-Approach: A situation where an individual must choose between two attractive
alternatives. Usually this type of conflict does not produce major stress because both
results are satisfying to the individual. This is only really stress in name due to the
individual satisfaction.
• Ex: (1) Being accepted at both of your two top college choices and then having to
choose; either way you get to go where you want. (2) Having to choose
between two job offers that offer a desirable job and compensation plan. You
must choose one but either way you will have a job you want with good pay.
2. Avoidance-Avoidance: A situation where an individual must choose between two
unattractive alternatives. Usually this type of conflict does produce major stress
because both results are unsatisfying to the individual. In this situation one is likely to
look at the options and choose the “lesser of two evils”.
• Ex: An individual who is unhappy with the current political leadership of the nation
may have viewed the presidential election in this way. I don’t like John
McCain or Barak Obama but I have to choose between the two.
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Document Summary
Objectives: define stress, identify various sources of stress, differentiate between the various types of conflict situations, what is stress, definition: a person"s perception of his or her inability to cope with a certain tense event or situation. Components of stress: events or situations that produce stress are known as stressors. A stress reaction is an observable response to how an individual responds to a stressor; this varies from person to person: not all stress is bad. Stress comes in both positive and negative forms. Negative stress is called distress, while positive stress is called eustress: a third component of stress is how a person perceives and evaluates an event. This is known as the cognitive model of stress. Cognitive model of stress process for determining stress: Analyze a situation -> evaluate a situation -> determine stress level of the situation. Conflict situations: people are faced with choices and decisions everyday that create some form of stress.
