Chapter 14
● The term stress as it relates to the human condition first emerged in scientific
literature in the 1930s, but it did not enter the popular vernacular until the 1970s
● A useful way to conceptualize stress is to view it as a process whereby an
individual perceives and responds to events that they appraise as overwhelming
or threatening to their well-being
● A critical element of this definition is that it emphasizes the importance of how we
appraise—that is, judge—demanding or threatening events (often referred to as
stressors); these appraisals, in turn, influence our reactions to such events.
-Two kinds of appraisals of a stressor are especially important in this regard: primary
and secondary appraisals. A primary appraisal involves judgment about the degree of
potential harm or threat to well-being that a stressor might entail. A stressor would likely
be appraised as a threat if one anticipates that it could lead to some kind of harm, loss,
or other negative consequence; conversely, a stressor would likely be appraised as a
challenge if one believes that it carries the potential for gain or personal growth.
● The perception of a threat triggers a secondary appraisal: judgment of the
options available to cope with a stressor, as well as perceptions of how effective
such options will be
,
,Good Stress?
● Stress can motivate us to do things in our best interests, such as study for
exams, visit the doctor regularly, exercise, and perform to the best of our ability at
work
● This kind of stress, which Selye called eustress(from the Greek eu = “good”), is
a good kind of stress associated with positive feelings, optimal health, and
performance. A moderate amount of stress can be beneficial in challenging
situations.
● Increasing one’s level of stress will cause performance to change in a predictable
way. As stress increases, so do performance and general well-being (eustress);
when stress levels reach an optimal level (the highest point of the curve),
performance reaches its peak. A person at this stress level is colloquially at the
top of their game, meaning they feel fully energized, focused, and can work with
minimal effort and maximum efficiency.
-But when stress exceeds this optimal level, it is no longer a positive force—it becomes
excessive and debilitating, or what Selye termed distress (from the Latin dis = “bad”).
People who reach this level of stress feel burned out; they are fatigued, exhausted, and
their performance begins to decline.
, The prevalence of Stress
● The term stress as it relates to the human condition first emerged in scientific
literature in the 1930s, but it did not enter the popular vernacular until the 1970s
● A useful way to conceptualize stress is to view it as a process whereby an
individual perceives and responds to events that they appraise as overwhelming
or threatening to their well-being
● A critical element of this definition is that it emphasizes the importance of how we
appraise—that is, judge—demanding or threatening events (often referred to as
stressors); these appraisals, in turn, influence our reactions to such events.
-Two kinds of appraisals of a stressor are especially important in this regard: primary
and secondary appraisals. A primary appraisal involves judgment about the degree of
potential harm or threat to well-being that a stressor might entail. A stressor would likely
be appraised as a threat if one anticipates that it could lead to some kind of harm, loss,
or other negative consequence; conversely, a stressor would likely be appraised as a
challenge if one believes that it carries the potential for gain or personal growth.
● The perception of a threat triggers a secondary appraisal: judgment of the
options available to cope with a stressor, as well as perceptions of how effective
such options will be
,
,Good Stress?
● Stress can motivate us to do things in our best interests, such as study for
exams, visit the doctor regularly, exercise, and perform to the best of our ability at
work
● This kind of stress, which Selye called eustress(from the Greek eu = “good”), is
a good kind of stress associated with positive feelings, optimal health, and
performance. A moderate amount of stress can be beneficial in challenging
situations.
● Increasing one’s level of stress will cause performance to change in a predictable
way. As stress increases, so do performance and general well-being (eustress);
when stress levels reach an optimal level (the highest point of the curve),
performance reaches its peak. A person at this stress level is colloquially at the
top of their game, meaning they feel fully energized, focused, and can work with
minimal effort and maximum efficiency.
-But when stress exceeds this optimal level, it is no longer a positive force—it becomes
excessive and debilitating, or what Selye termed distress (from the Latin dis = “bad”).
People who reach this level of stress feel burned out; they are fatigued, exhausted, and
their performance begins to decline.
, The prevalence of Stress
