selye

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Stress can be defined as ‘Stress describes the way you feel when under

pressure – when the perceived demands of a situation are greater than your

perceived ability to cope, particularly when these demands are seen as

endangering your well being in some way.’

A stressor can be explained as ‘an agent, condition, or other stimulus that

causes stress to an organism’

The initial effects of stress on an individual

are: sweating, headaches, dry mouth, increase in heart and pulse rate. A stress or a stressor placed on the

individual causes the sympathetic nervous system to trigger the central nervous

system in the release of adrenaline and cortisol into the blood stream, in

readiness to help the body cope with the situation. Eustress and distress

realise cortisol as part of the fight or flight mechanism

The parasympathetic nervous

system works in unison with the sympathetic system balancing the body.

Stress is not always harmful,

eustress is good for an individual for example: an athlete getting ready to

perform in a race. However if stress is applied for long periods of time it can

cause damaging effects. Individual reactions to a stressor will differ, factors

such as: age, health and lifestyle will contribute.

An

empirical model of stress is Hans Selyes

Hans Selye nomothetic research

led him to apply a variety of stressors to mice including: noxious agents,

surgical injury, drugs and excessive exercise. Selye measured the effects of

the stress response by collecting quantitative data on the response changes in the

adrenal glands, digestive system and the immune system.

Selye’s model comprises of three parts: The

Alarm Stage, The Resistance Stage and Exhaustion.

The

alarm stage recognizes the initial threat from a stressor,

. In the resistance stage the stressor is being

applied. The body adapts a strategy to cope.

In the exhaustion stage the body system cannot

continue with normal activity. The original symptoms may arise and cortisol

production weakens.

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selyle

Biological approach

One strength in Selye’s

pioneering research is it paved the way to other empirical research in stress

studies.

However one limitation in Selye’s research is it did not account for

the cognitive approach as it only focuses on the biological approach.

empirical model is Lazarus and Folkman’s

Lazarus’s transactional model, which proposed the

reaction to stress, came from a cognitive approach in two-stages, primary and

secondary.

primary stage questions a

stressor or situation which then classifies it to be: ‘neutral and not

important, positive and challenging, or negative and stressful.

secondary stage appraises the feelings related

to dealing with the stressor or stress. Individuals respond to the stress or

stressor with either positive or negative feedback. This helps them decide a course

of action in dealing with the situation that they are facing.

One strength in the Lazarus model is that the

cognitive approach allows for individual differences. One limitation is that

the Lazarus theory lacks empirical evidence, as it is difficult to label

factors determining stress.

method of treating stress is by

anti-anxiety drugs, such as beta-blockers or benzodiazepines.

Beta-blockers treat stress by decreasing

activity in the sympathetic nervous system.

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