Laurika du Preez
Student number: 36019879
PYC4805
Developmental Psychology: Adult Development
January/February 2021
1
, SECTION A
QUESTION A1
HOW ADULTS COPE WITH INCREASED RISK OF DYING FROM COVID-19 AND
OTHER STRESSORS ACCORDING TO RICHARD LAZARUS AND SUSAN FOLKMAN
1. Stress as a Physiological Response
There is currently no formal definition of what stress is, but we know it involves
psychological and physiological responses. There are two approaches which are applied
to stress, a.) focus is on physiological response in the body and b.) People define
something as stressful.
Physiological responses differ from person to person and even gender differences have
been recorded. Further, scientific research has also shown that the prolonged exposure to
stress can cause damage to organs regulated by the sympathetic nervous system and can
also weaken the immune system. In the long run, stress can make people more
susceptible to anything from colds, to heart disease and even cancer. Right now, it may
even make them more susceptible to COVID-19 infection.
2. The Stress and Coping Paradigm
The Stress and Coping Paradigm as identified by Lazarus & Folkman (1984) does not
view stress as an environmental stimuli. According to them, it is an interaction between a
contemplating person and the environment. When a person encounters an event, how the
person thinks about it, or in better words, appraise the situation, depends whether they will
experience stress or not. Therefore, in he face of COVID-19, a global pandemic, killing
millions of people around the world is a stressor that all of us need to cope with, from the
lockdown restrictions it imposes on us to the threat of severe illness and even the
possibility of death. The question is, how will adults cope and how will individual
differences influence the coping ability of people.
3. Appraisal
There are three phases of appraisal. Primary, Secondary and Reappraisal.
3.1. Primary appraisal
During this phase, the person filters the event as either irrelevant or benign or positive, or
stressful.
Should the event be benign, irrelevant or stressful, it will not cause stress, but if the event
is perceived as stressful, it will cause negative effect. This is important, because we can
effectively filter situations and decide which events are going to cause stress. This
2
Student number: 36019879
PYC4805
Developmental Psychology: Adult Development
January/February 2021
1
, SECTION A
QUESTION A1
HOW ADULTS COPE WITH INCREASED RISK OF DYING FROM COVID-19 AND
OTHER STRESSORS ACCORDING TO RICHARD LAZARUS AND SUSAN FOLKMAN
1. Stress as a Physiological Response
There is currently no formal definition of what stress is, but we know it involves
psychological and physiological responses. There are two approaches which are applied
to stress, a.) focus is on physiological response in the body and b.) People define
something as stressful.
Physiological responses differ from person to person and even gender differences have
been recorded. Further, scientific research has also shown that the prolonged exposure to
stress can cause damage to organs regulated by the sympathetic nervous system and can
also weaken the immune system. In the long run, stress can make people more
susceptible to anything from colds, to heart disease and even cancer. Right now, it may
even make them more susceptible to COVID-19 infection.
2. The Stress and Coping Paradigm
The Stress and Coping Paradigm as identified by Lazarus & Folkman (1984) does not
view stress as an environmental stimuli. According to them, it is an interaction between a
contemplating person and the environment. When a person encounters an event, how the
person thinks about it, or in better words, appraise the situation, depends whether they will
experience stress or not. Therefore, in he face of COVID-19, a global pandemic, killing
millions of people around the world is a stressor that all of us need to cope with, from the
lockdown restrictions it imposes on us to the threat of severe illness and even the
possibility of death. The question is, how will adults cope and how will individual
differences influence the coping ability of people.
3. Appraisal
There are three phases of appraisal. Primary, Secondary and Reappraisal.
3.1. Primary appraisal
During this phase, the person filters the event as either irrelevant or benign or positive, or
stressful.
Should the event be benign, irrelevant or stressful, it will not cause stress, but if the event
is perceived as stressful, it will cause negative effect. This is important, because we can
effectively filter situations and decide which events are going to cause stress. This
2
