Psychological Appraisal and the experience of stress

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Psychological Appraisal and the experience of
stress

• Primary appraisal
• Is the event positive, neutral or negative in its
  implications?
• If negative, to what extent is it presently
  harmful, threatening for the future, and
  potentially challenging

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Secondary Appraisal

• Are coping abilities and resources sufficient to
  overcome the harm, threat or challenge posed by
  the event?
• Physiological, cognitive, emotional behavioral
  responses

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The physiology of stress

• Sympathetic-adrenomedullary system (SAM)
• Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis (HPA)
• Repeated activation leads to cumulative damage

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Allostatic load premature aging

• Allostasis physiological systems fluctuate to
  meet demands of stress
• Over time problems include
• Immune system
• Inability to shut off cortisol
• Lowered heart rate variability
• Elevated epinephrine levels
• Decrease hippocampus volume?

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What makes events stressful?

• Events are stressful to the extent that they are
  perceived as stressful
• Negative events more stressful than positive
  events
• Uncontrollable events more stressful than
  controllable or predictable events
• Ambiguous events often perceived as more
  stressful than clear-cut events

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What makes events stressful?

• Overloaded people more stressed than people with
  fewer tasks to perform

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Which stressors?

• Central life domains
• Investment of self
• Example parenting role
• Example single mothers

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Adaptation

• To mild stressors
• Severe stress causes chronic problems
• Persistent arousal
• Psychological distress
• Reduced task performance
• Gradual reduction in cognitive capabilities

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Occupational stress

• Work hazards
• Overload
• Pressure
• Conflict and ambiguity
• Relationships
• Lack of or too much advancement
• Lack of input/control
• unemployment

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Occupational stress can lead to

• Increased illness
• Absenteeism
• Job dissatisfaction
• Tardiness
• Turnover
• Accidents
• Poor performance

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Role stress multiple roles

• Role conflict
• Role overload
• Depends on sense of mastery

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