Psychology of Stress: Lecture Notes

Introduction

• Personal anecdote about receiving a beagle puppy named Hank.
• Hank's behavior of chasing rabbits illustrates concepts of stress in psychology.

Definition of Stress

• Stress involves:
  • Stressor: The threatening or challenging event (e.g., Hank's teeth for the bunny).
  • Stress Reaction: The physical and emotional response (e.g., the bunny's response to Hank).
• Stress is a process involving appraisal and coping with environmental threats and challenges.

Richard Lazarus' Theory of Stress

• Stress arises more from our assessment (appraisal) of events than the events themselves.
• Two stages of cognitive appraisal:

1. Primary Appraisal

• Initial evaluation of the threat in the present situation.
• Responses:
  • Irrelevant: The threat does not affect the individual.
  • Benign/Positive: The threat is perceived as non-harmful or beneficial (e.g., a dinosaur eliminating a bird's enemy).
  • Stressful: The threat is considered harmful, challenging, or threatening.

2. Secondary Appraisal

• Evaluation of the ability to cope with the situation.
• Assessments:
  • Harm: What damage has already been caused.
  • Threat: Potential future damage (e.g., the rabbit's fear of Hank's teeth).
  • Challenge: How the situation can be overcome or managed (e.g., the rabbit trying to escape).

Human vs. Animal Response to Stress

• Humans have a higher level of cognitive functioning.
• Unique ability to anticipate stressors, not just respond to them.
• The anticipation affects the triggering, duration, and response to stress.

Conclusion

• The lecture set the stage for exploring the psychology of stress further.
• Future videos will delve deeper into how humans experience and manage stress.