Environmental Stressors
When people are not content with their circumstances, they can adapt by either adjusting to or altering their living environment to make it more pleasant. However, this trait of flexibility meets daily challenges involving external forces, such as crime, war, natural catastrophes, or developments in technology, in addition to internal forces, such as seeking greater material goods. When these forces combine to threaten adaptability in humans, it is commonly known as stress (Veitch & Arkkelin, 1995). To deal with stress, one must first understand what it entails. By understanding the concept of stress as well as the physiology and psychology of it, one may identify atmospheric environmental stressors and strategize ways to manage said stressors.
Considering the effect of stress on human functioning may be an effective way to understand the relationship between behavior and environment; it can help one begin to identify the environmental qualities that interfere with human functioning (Evans & Cohen, 1987). Most researchers agree that the concept of stress is “a state that occurs when people are faced with demands from the environment that requires them to change in some way” (Vetch & Arkkelin, 1995, p. 118). However, it is unclear whether that demand is stress or if stress is a person’s response to the demand. Therefore, there are several theoretical perspectives regarding the concept of stress. Below are just two of the theoretical perspectives (Veitch & Arkkelin, 1995).
Some theorists believe in a response-based explanation. According to them, stress is a change in the amount or force of a particular human reaction such as blood pressure, heart rate, anxiety, or loss of control. By this defi...
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According to McIntosh and Sheppy, (2013) stress is not always harmful and can have some positive effects on an individual (McIntosh & Sheppy, 2013). Some stress can serve as an intrinsic motivator and enhance an individual’s performance and productivity. Stress becomes a problem when it begins to decrease an indivi...
The term ‘stress’ was generally thought to have been a concept created by Robert Hooke in the 17th century. He worked on the design of physical structures, such as bridges; his concept of stress came from how much pressure a structure could withstand. However, Lazarus (1993) pointed out that the term ‘stress’ has been used as far back as the 14th century, when it meant hardship or adversity. Back then it referred to the external stressor, such as the death of a spouse or financial worry; in the 20th century, there are many different schools of thought on this area. Hans Selye (1956), brought together the work of Cannon and Bernard and devised a comprehensive system of physiological stress; which he termed the ‘General Adaptation Syndrome’, and is a 3-stage process. He theorised that a certain level of stress called ‘eustress’ (Cox, 1978) could actually be beneficial to our overall performance. Later In 1976, Cox & Mackay devised another model called the ‘Transactional model’. This model takes into account the individual differences in the perception of the amount of stress experienced by the person. The main difference between these two models is that Selye’s model only accounts for the physiological side of stress, whereas Cox’s model takes into account both the physiological and psychological aspects of stress. Therefore, both models will have slight similarities and differences in their explanation for how stress occurs in individuals, which is the main focus of this essay.
This research paper concerns how individuals perceive stress and the serious effect on their psychological thought process and physical and mental health and how they can cope with their anxiety driven thoughts. Research was gathered using printed material obtained at the Syracuse Bird Library, and also using various online sources and scholarly journals. One printed source written by Frank Campbell addresses the health effects stress can have on an individual while author Richard Lazarus explores coping mechanisms individuals can use to attempt to get rid of the their stress. Author Bruce G. Charlton in his publication in the Journal of Medical Ethics, claims that stress is an empty word, with little value and explains the origin of the Stress. Robert Lazarus explains the concept of stress along with the ambiguity associated with the word. Ruth O’Hara explains what situations causes stress. While authors Carolyn Aldwin and Sandi Mann discuss coping and how to alleviate stress.
Scientist Hans Selye (1907 - 1982) introduced the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) model in 1936 and it is one of the best known biological theories of stress. The “syndrome provides a summary of the psychological changes that follow stress as the body attempts to return to homeostasis” (Olpin & Hesson, 2009). In his work, “he developed the theory that stress is a major cause of disease because chronic stress causes long-term chemical changes” within the body (Essence of Stress Relief, 2014). He noted that the condition probably represented a manifestation of a widespread “call to arms of the body’s defensive forces in reaction to excessive demands” (Hill Rice, n.d.). He called the excessive demands stressors and the body’s response stress. He believed that our bodies must adapt in some way and “there is a limited supply of adaptive energy to deal with stress” which declines with continuous exposure (Essence of Stress Relief, 2014). He found that our reactions to stress always go in three phases; alarm (“fight or flight” response), resistance (adaptation) and, exhaustion.
Many people think of stress as a simple problem. In reality however, stress is complex and often misunderstood. We all know that stress is the body’s reaction to any demand on it. Perceptions of events, whether positive or negative, activate stress. It is, therefore, a highly individual affair. What is stressful to ‘X’ may not be so to another. But it is fairly easy to conclude that everyone lives under a certain amount of stress. In fact, the only people without stress are dead. At the same time it is certainly wrong to conclude that stress is always bad. Mild stress may improve the productivity. It may force people to focus more sharply on the problem and produce solutions. But if stress is severe and persist for long periods of time, it can be harmful. Stress can be disruptive to an individual as any
This paper will focus on stimulus response theories to stress, it will touch upon the controversy surrounding this theory and will look at other explanations to stress in comparison.
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Some people might doubt that sun exposure can affect someone on a psychological, but the facts cannot be denied. All data aside, you probably experience this on a daily basis. I conducted a survey to see how local weather affected peoples’ moods. 53 people, whose ages ranged from early teens to elderly, responded with very telling results. 69.8% of the people surveyed answered that sunny weather initially made them feel happy. On the other hand, only 21% answered that they felt happy when the weather outside was cloudy or rainy.
Stress is defined as “any circumstances that threaten or are perceived to threaten one’s well-being and thereby tax one’s coping abilities” (Weiten & Lloyd, 2006, p. 72). Stress is a natural event that exists literally in all areas of one’s life. It can be embedded in the environment, culture, or perception of an event or idea. Stress is a constant burden, and can be detrimental to one’s physical and mental health. However stress can also provide beneficial effects; it can satisfy one’s need for stimulation and challenge, promote personal growth, and can provide an individual with the tools to cope with, and be less affected by tomorrow’s stress (Weiten & Lloyd, 2006, p. 93).
“Besides taking a hit on our ability to spend time outside, both in extreme and everyday cases, weather can have a real impact on our health and well-being” (Gregoire). The impact of weather upon a person goes beyond their choice of apparel or their plans for the day; it can directly affect a person’s mood, for better or for worse. Do the dark, gray skies on a rainy day actually cause someone to feel gloomy? Would someone be more prone to smiling if they were feeling the warmth of the sun against their skin? If the general public was surveyed, the majority of people would say that weather has little to no impact on a person’s mood (Grohol). However, with more in depth research and a wider spectrum of people studied, it has been found that there is a strong correlation between weather and one’s mood. Similar to the weather, peoples’ moods are constantly changing. A person’s mood can be affected in various ways, but one of the most common is by the weather. The affects can be severe; ranging from chronic depression to excessive happiness. Although these two phenomena appear to be unrelated, the fact that they are simultaneously changing in relation to each other is an indication that they are indeed associated.
Stress is an ongoing dilemma that occurs in each and everyone’s life. It is a factor that is undoubtedly a part of daily living. Due to the trivial problems that occur in people’s daily lives massive amounts of stress can arise. People perceive and manage stress in many different ways. The causes and effects of stress are numerous and one’s ability to manage stress is vital in maintaining healthy living.
With the prevalence of society, the rhythms of modern life is becoming faster and faster. Many people suffer a lot of pressure from work, study, family, and society, all of which lead to stress and strain of life. Therefore, stress is everywhere and it has become