Stress & Conflict. Sources of Stress Viewed differently by researchers. Considered an event, response or perception by various researchers Stress

Stress & ConflictStress & Conflict

Sources of StressSources of Stress

Viewed differently by researchers.Viewed differently by researchers. Considered an event, response or Considered an event, response or

perception by various researchersperception by various researchers Stress – a person’s reaction to his or her Stress – a person’s reaction to his or her

inability to cope with a certain tense event inability to cope with a certain tense event or situationor situation

Anxious or threatening feeling resulting Anxious or threatening feeling resulting from our appraisal of a situation & our from our appraisal of a situation & our reaction to demands placed upon us.reaction to demands placed upon us.

Components of StressComponents of Stress

Stressor – a stress producing event Stressor – a stress producing event or situationor situation

Not all events or situations are Not all events or situations are stressors to all people as people stressors to all people as people react differentlyreact differently

Stress reaction – the body’s response Stress reaction – the body’s response to a stressorto a stressor

Two Types of StressTwo Types of Stress

Distress – negative stress that stems from Distress – negative stress that stems from acute anxiety or pressureacute anxiety or pressure

Eustress – positive stress, which results Eustress – positive stress, which results from motivating strivings and challengesfrom motivating strivings and challenges

Stress is a normal essential part of life that Stress is a normal essential part of life that goes with facing challenges and working goes with facing challenges and working towards goals.towards goals.

Cannot escape stressCannot escape stress ““Complete freedom from stress is death!”Complete freedom from stress is death!”

Conflict SituationsConflict Situations

Conflict Situations – when a person must Conflict Situations – when a person must choose between two or more options that choose between two or more options that tend to result from opposing motivestend to result from opposing motives

4 types4 types– Approach-ApproachApproach-Approach– Avoidance-AvoidanceAvoidance-Avoidance– Approach-AvoidanceApproach-Avoidance– Double Approach-AvoidanceDouble Approach-Avoidance


Approach-Approach – you must Approach-Approach – you must choose between two attractive choose between two attractive optionsoptions

Mall or dance, two collegesMall or dance, two colleges Usually does not cause much stress Usually does not cause much stress

because both alternatives are because both alternatives are satisfyingsatisfying


Avoidance-Avoidance – you must Avoidance-Avoidance – you must choose between two disagreeable choose between two disagreeable optionsoptions

Study for math or English finalStudy for math or English final Accept a job you don’t really want or Accept a job you don’t really want or

continue lookingcontinue looking Can be very stressfulCan be very stressful


Approach-Avoidance – situation that Approach-Avoidance – situation that has both enjoyable and disagreeable has both enjoyable and disagreeable consequencesconsequences

Should you ask someone out? (could Should you ask someone out? (could say no)say no)

Asking for a raiseAsking for a raise Resolution of this type of conflict is Resolution of this type of conflict is

difficultdifficult


Double Approach-Avoidance – must Double Approach-Avoidance – must choose between multiple options, choose between multiple options, each of which has pleasurable and each of which has pleasurable and disagreeable aspectsdisagreeable aspects

Wait for girlfriend or go out with Wait for girlfriend or go out with friendsfriends

Most common situationMost common situation


Level of personal stress depends on Level of personal stress depends on how you appraise a situation.how you appraise a situation.

Primary appraisal – immediate Primary appraisal – immediate evaluation of a situationevaluation of a situation

Can be irrelevant, positive or Can be irrelevant, positive or negative (example – pop quiz)negative (example – pop quiz)

Secondary appraisal – deciding how Secondary appraisal – deciding how to deal with a potential stressful to deal with a potential stressful situationsituation

Environmental StressorsEnvironmental Stressors

Noise and feeling crowded are stressors.Noise and feeling crowded are stressors. Major life changes are stressorsMajor life changes are stressors Hassles – minor, day to day stressorsHassles – minor, day to day stressors

– Losing keys, near smoker, stuck in traffic are Losing keys, near smoker, stuck in traffic are examplesexamples

– Hassles can gradually weaken the body’s Hassles can gradually weaken the body’s defense systemdefense system

– People reporting more hassles had more health People reporting more hassles had more health problemsproblems

– Positive events or uplifts can reduce stressPositive events or uplifts can reduce stress

Reactions to StressReactions to Stress

Stress reactions can be physical, Stress reactions can be physical, psychological, or behavioral.psychological, or behavioral.

Human body is a holistic (integrated) Human body is a holistic (integrated) organism.organism.

Fight or Flight ResponseFight or Flight Response Body reacts to any stressor with Body reacts to any stressor with

immediate arousal.immediate arousal. Adrenal glands produce hormones to Adrenal glands produce hormones to

increase blood sugar for more energy.increase blood sugar for more energy. Adrenaline is also produced to allow the Adrenaline is also produced to allow the

body to use energy more quickly.body to use energy more quickly. Prepares a person for fight-or-flight Prepares a person for fight-or-flight

response to prepare you for dangerous response to prepare you for dangerous situations.situations.

Excess stress can use up body’s resources Excess stress can use up body’s resources and in extreme cases lead to death.and in extreme cases lead to death.

General Adaptation SyndromeGeneral Adaptation Syndrome

Selye – alarm, resistance and exhaustionSelye – alarm, resistance and exhaustion Alarm – heart & breathing rate quicken, Alarm – heart & breathing rate quicken,

pupils dilate, muscles tense and hormones pupils dilate, muscles tense and hormones are secreted to make one exceptionally are secreted to make one exceptionally alertalert

Resistance – enables a person to cope with Resistance – enables a person to cope with and ward off stressorsand ward off stressors

Exhaustion – continued exposure to Exhaustion – continued exposure to stressors causes body to reach breaking stressors causes body to reach breaking pointpoint

Emotional & Cognitive ResponsesEmotional & Cognitive Responses

Most common response to a sudden Most common response to a sudden & powerful stressor is anxiety & powerful stressor is anxiety (feeling of imminent and unclear (feeling of imminent and unclear threat)threat)

Anger – the irate reaction likely to Anger – the irate reaction likely to result from frustrationresult from frustration

Fear – the usual reaction when a Fear – the usual reaction when a stressor involves real or imagined stressor involves real or imagined dangerdanger

Emotional & Cognitive ResponsesEmotional & Cognitive Responses

Cognitive responses include difficulty Cognitive responses include difficulty in concentrating or thinking clearly, in concentrating or thinking clearly, recurring thoughts, and poor decision recurring thoughts, and poor decision making.making.

Continued frustration can lead to Continued frustration can lead to burnout.burnout.

Burnout can lead to other mental & Burnout can lead to other mental & physical illnessesphysical illnesses

Behavioral ReactionsBehavioral Reactions

Nervous habits (smoke, drink, take drugs, Nervous habits (smoke, drink, take drugs, feel tired, shaky voice, strained feel tired, shaky voice, strained expressions, changes in posture, lost expressions, changes in posture, lost interest in eating, grooming and bathing)interest in eating, grooming and bathing)

Many people can endure great amounts of Many people can endure great amounts of stress without behavioral responses while stress without behavioral responses while others may be seriously affected.others may be seriously affected.

Severe stress can lead to alcoholism, drug Severe stress can lead to alcoholism, drug addiction, chronic unemployment, addiction, chronic unemployment, delinquency, aggressiveness and criminal delinquency, aggressiveness and criminal behaviorbehavior

Physical ReactionsPhysical Reactions

Physical problems related to stress Physical problems related to stress include: health problems, breathing include: health problems, breathing problems, insomnia, migraines, problems, insomnia, migraines, urinary & bowel problems, muscle urinary & bowel problems, muscle aches, sweating, dryness of the aches, sweating, dryness of the mouth, ulcers, hypertension, mouth, ulcers, hypertension, arthritis, asthma, & heart diseasearthritis, asthma, & heart disease

Factors Influencing Reactions to Factors Influencing Reactions to StressStress

People’s reactions to stress vary People’s reactions to stress vary considerablyconsiderably

Personality may make you more Personality may make you more vulnerable to stressvulnerable to stress

Type B – relaxed, patient & do not anger Type B – relaxed, patient & do not anger easilyeasily

Type A – anger with no object or focus, Type A – anger with no object or focus, irritable, & competitiveirritable, & competitive

Most people exhibit Type A personalities at Most people exhibit Type A personalities at some time but not constantlysome time but not constantly

Control Over StressorsControl Over Stressors

Physical disorders are more likely Physical disorders are more likely when we do not have control over when we do not have control over stressorsstressors

People need feedbackPeople need feedback Physical and psychological well-being Physical and psychological well-being

is profoundly influenced by the is profoundly influenced by the degree to which we feel a sense of degree to which we feel a sense of control over our livescontrol over our lives

Social SupportSocial Support

Social Support – information that leads Social Support – information that leads someone to believe that he or she is cared someone to believe that he or she is cared for, loved, respected and part of a network for, loved, respected and part of a network of communication and mutual obligationof communication and mutual obligation

Social support helps people deal with Social support helps people deal with stress.stress.

Who has more stress – men or women?Who has more stress – men or women?

Coping with StressCoping with Stress

Stress can smother your life and Stress can smother your life and make you miserablemake you miserable

Coping with stress is an attempt to Coping with stress is an attempt to gain control over part of one’s life.gain control over part of one’s life.

People cope in many different ways People cope in many different ways with different strategies having with different strategies having varying success for different people.varying success for different people.

Coping strategies may not always be Coping strategies may not always be healthy (maladaptive)healthy (maladaptive)

Coping with StressCoping with Stress

Cognitive appraisal – the interpretation of Cognitive appraisal – the interpretation of an event that helps determine its stress an event that helps determine its stress impact.impact.

Denial – a coping mechanism in which a Denial – a coping mechanism in which a person decides that the event is not really person decides that the event is not really a stressora stressor

Intellectualization – coping mechanism in Intellectualization – coping mechanism in which the person analyzes a situation from which the person analyzes a situation from an emotionally detached viewpoint an emotionally detached viewpoint (sawmill video)(sawmill video)

Active Coping StrategiesActive Coping Strategies Hardiness – positive, controlled and committed Hardiness – positive, controlled and committed

response to a challenge or stressorresponse to a challenge or stressor Problem solving – evaluate problem or stressor Problem solving – evaluate problem or stressor

and come up with a rational solutionand come up with a rational solution Relaxation/meditationRelaxation/meditation Biofeedback – process of learning to control Biofeedback – process of learning to control

bodily states by monitoring the states to be bodily states by monitoring the states to be controlledcontrolled

Support groups & professional helpSupport groups & professional help TrainingTraining Improving interpersonal skillsImproving interpersonal skills

Stress in Your LifeStress in Your LifeCollegeCollege

Autonomy – ability to take care of Autonomy – ability to take care of oneself and make one’s own decisiononeself and make one’s own decision

Many students approach college with Many students approach college with high and unrealistic expectationshigh and unrealistic expectations

College is competitive, diverse, and College is competitive, diverse, and may challenge your valuesmay challenge your values

Stress in Your LifeStress in Your LifeWorkWork

Each person’s work experience is Each person’s work experience is different and each person reacts different and each person reacts differentlydifferently

Low job satisfaction associated with Low job satisfaction associated with absenteeism and turnover which absenteeism and turnover which leads to lower productivityleads to lower productivity


5 Sources of Work Satisfaction5 Sources of Work Satisfaction– 1.1. Resources to do the job wellResources to do the job well– 2.2. Pays well, good benefits & securePays well, good benefits & secure– 3.3. Interesting & challenging allowing Interesting & challenging allowing

worker to use skills, talents & abilitiesworker to use skills, talents & abilities– 4.4. Good relations with coworkersGood relations with coworkers– 5.5. Work conditions and environment Work conditions and environment

are attractiveare attractive


Career changes (possibly several times)Career changes (possibly several times) Comparable worth – the concept that Comparable worth – the concept that

women and men should receive equal pay women and men should receive equal pay for jobs calling for comparable skill and for jobs calling for comparable skill and responsibilityresponsibility

Women still face a considerable gapWomen still face a considerable gap Equal Pay Act of 1963 – prohibits wage Equal Pay Act of 1963 – prohibits wage

discrimination for jobs requiring equal discrimination for jobs requiring equal skills and responsibilitiesskills and responsibilities

Civil Rights Act of 1964 – can’t Civil Rights Act of 1964 – can’t discriminate on basis of race, gender, discriminate on basis of race, gender, religion and national originreligion and national origin

Documents

Stress & Conflict. Sources of Stress Viewed differently by researchers. Considered an event, response or perception by various researchers Stress