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
Conflict SituationsConflict Situations
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
Conflict SituationsConflict Situations
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
Conflict SituationsConflict Situations
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
Conflict SituationsConflict Situations
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
Conflict SituationsConflict Situations
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
Stress in Your LifeStress in Your LifeWorkWork
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
Stress in Your LifeStress in Your LifeWorkWork
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