PSYCH 202 Lecture 2: From Personality to Stress
From Personality to Stress
“Stress-reactivity” is an individual difference factor, a predisposing “Trait”
some people may be more disposed to perceive events as hassles
some people are more disposed to experience major stressful events
Three examples: 1) optimism
the trait of “optimism” is associated with the following empirical findings:
-less illness symptoms in college and beyond
-more active approach to stress and problem solving
-higher levels of academic success and performance
-more likely to complete treatment programs for alcoholism
-more likely to make quick, full recovery from coronary bypass surgery
-Immune system functioning of optimists is higher
-Optimists respond to stressors with smaller increases in blood pressure
-Cardiac patients with minimal optimism (higher “hopelessness”) have higher rates
of new heart attacks and are twice as likely to die than persons with low
hopelessness (as seen in next figure). Optimistic individuals are overall healthier
2) Self-Efficacy (Albert Bandura)
Definition: Have control over things that happen. Controls over reinforcement in
their lives. Measure over how much you believe you control your life
You completed the “Generalized Self Efficacy Scale”: 10 items with Response
Format:
1 = Not at all true 2 = Hardly true 3 = Moderately true 4 = Exactly true
3) Hardiness
e.g., “hardiness” is a trait of people who demonstrate:
-commitment (sense of purpose/involvement with work and family)
-challenge (openness to new experiences and desire to embrace them)
-control (belief that one has power to influence important future outcomes—high
“self-efficacy” and low “learned helplessness”)
Appraisal of Challenge and Control: Cognitive process. Evaluating what’s
happening. Not aware of it happening. Ex: math exam. You could be threatened by
difficult question(called appraisal)- freeze up. OR you could see this as a positive
challenge. These people are more hardy, more aroused, focused.
-hardy people experience less stressful hassles
-hardy people also respond to threat and challenge with less physiological stress.
Optimism, Self-Efficacy, and Hardiness reflect Low Stress-Reactivity
Pessimistic, Low Self-Efficacy, Low Hardiness, and Highly Neurotic and
Disagreeable persons have higher Stress-Reactivity
High Stress-reactivity is correlated with diverse symptoms of psychopathology,
mental disorder, personal distress, and reduced physical health
What is “Stress”? A good indicator that you’re not dead. Healthy.
Hans Selye distinguished “Stressors” From “Stress”
Selye Pioneered Stress Research in the 1950’s, examining its role in health and
disease
Selye Video: More stress= more illness. One person’s stress is someone else’s
challenge.
Selye’s Distinctions:
A Stressor is: “a stimulus-event that produces a stress response”
Where are our “stressors”?
External stressors: e.g., loss of job, relationship problems, classes not going
well… shit’s going downhill
Internal stressors: e.g., chronic self criticism/depressive thinking/social
anxiety/hostility etc (i.e., unstable emotionality or “neuroticism”), chronic
circulating stress-hormones (dysregulated HPA Axis) From personality.
Stress is: “the nonspecific response of the organism to any pressure or demand”
Selye’s “General Adaptation Syndrome” (GAS):
3 phases of physiological stress-response (note that multiple neurobiologic and
hormonal response processes are mobilized, activated, and engaged for various
lengths of time):
Alarm: 1st stage. Sympathy Nervous System is what activates stress. Adrenaline-
moment of alarm reactivity. Hypothalamus
Resistance: Body prepares for prolonged stress. Immune system kicks up. Ready to
fight disease/infection
Exhaustion: Body is tired from being constantly stressed. Body systems begin
failing. Taking a major L
So, in Selye’s view stress is the total response of your organism (mind and body)
to whatever stressors you experience
Document Summary
Stress-reactivity is an individual difference factor, a predisposing trait some people may be more disposed to perceive events as hassles some people are more disposed to experience major stressful events. Three examples: 1) optimism the trait of optimism is associated with the following empirical findings: More active approach to stress and problem solving. More likely to complete treatment programs for alcoholism. More likely to make quick, full recovery from coronary bypass surgery. Optimists respond to stressors with smaller increases in blood pressure. Cardiac patients with minimal optimism (higher hopelessness ) have higher rates of new heart attacks and are twice as likely to die than persons with low hopelessness (as seen in next figure). Optimistic individuals are overall healthier: self-efficacy (albert bandura) Measure over how much you believe you control your life. You completed the generalized self efficacy scale : 10 items with response.
