Outline
What is stress
4 approaches to stress
Consequences (individual/organizational)
Individual differences
Exercise: identifying stressors and prevention

Stress
Stress/stress response: person’s unconscious preparation to fight or flee when faced with demand. Distress/strain: adverse psychological, physical, behavioral & organizational consequences that may occur as a result of stressful events.
Stressor:

Alex has 5 exams tomorrow. He has a terrible headache, this is known as:

1.
2.
3.
4.

A stress response
Distress/strain
A stressor
Optimal stress level

Yerkes-Dodson Law
Performance arousal

High

Low
Low
(distress)

Boredom from understimulation Optimum
(eustress)

Optimum stress load

High
(distress)

Conditions perceived as stressful Distress from overstimulation Four Approaches to Stress
.
– Fight-or-flight; homeostasis or equilibrium

Cognitive Appraisal Approach
– Psychological, perceptions

The Person-Environment Fit Approach
– fit; role stress

Psychoanalytic Approach
– gap between ego-ideal and self-image

Individual and Organizational
Consequences
Individual

Organizational

-Psychological disorders

-Withdrawal

-Medical illnesses

-Performance decrements

-Behavioral problems

-Disability claims/lawsuits

James starts drinking when his workload increases. This is an example of a:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Psychological disorder
Medical disorder
Behavioral problem
Withdrawal behavior
None of the above

Individual Differences in the
Stress-Strain Relationship
Gender effects
.
Personality hardiness
– commitment, control, challenge

Self reliance
– interdependence, counterdependence, overdependence Preventive Stress Management
Primary prevention: target stressor
.
Tertiary prevention: