2. Stress
• Mental and physical condition that occurs
any time we must adjust or adapt to the
environment
• Stressor – a condition or event in the
environment that challenges or threatens
a person; often unpredictable events
• Examples
3. Pressure
• Occurs when pace and volume of
unexpected and unpredictable events
increases
• If long-lasting and intense, can lead to
burnout – emotional exhaustion
4. Burnout
• Fatigue, tension, apathy “I don’t care anymore”
• Depersonalization – treat others as objects
• Reduced accomplishment – poor work, helpless,
hopeless, angry
• Often caused by disconnect between the work
and the reward
• Often occurs in careers where person lacks
control of daily routine.
5. How we assess events as
stressful?
• Primary appraisal – decision of situation
being relevant or not, positive or
threatening (Am I Ok or in trouble?)
• Secondary appraisal – Assess your
resources and choose a way to meet the
threat or challenge (What can I control in
this situation)
• More control = less stress
• Example
6. Coping
• Problem-focused coping – managing or
altering the distressing situation itself
• Emotion-focused coping – control
emotional reactions to the situation
• Often work together
7. Causes of Stress (Frustration and
Conflict)
• External frustrations – based on
conditions outside of the individual that
impede progress towards a goal
• Based on delays, failure, rejection, loss,
others blocking your motives
• Personal frustrations – based on
personal characteristics
8. Reactions to Frustration
• Persistence, vigorous effort and varied
responses
• Variability, circumvention
• Direct aggression – removal or destruction of the
barrier
• Displaced aggression – redirected to unrelated
object or person; scapegoating – blaming
something or someone for conditions not of their
making
• Withdrawal, escape – leaving a source of
frustration
9. Conflict
• When person must choose between
incompatible or contradictory needs,
desires, motives, wishes, or external
demands
11. Avoidance-Avoidance Conflicts
• Choice between two negative alternatives
• Often indecisive because we are
searching for a desirable option, usually
choose the best of bad alternatives
• Freezing is a common reaction, also
“leaving the field” to escape decision is
common
13. Multiple Conflicts
• Most of life’s conflicts that cause stress
contain multiple alternatives, each with
positive and negative features
• People often vacillate – waver between
the choices
• People will say they chose based on a gut
feeling, but consciously and
subconsciously they have effectively
analyzed the choices and made a decision
14. • Conflict Worksheet Label the type of conflict that each scenario represents.
• Approach/Approach Avoidance/Avoidance Approach/Avoidance Multiple Approach/Avoidance conflict
• 1. You have been accepted by two colleges; they are both equally ranked. One is close to your home so you
would not have to move, but it is extremely expensive. The other is far from your home but it is affordable.
• 2. There are two dresses that you want to buy, but you only have money for one.
• 3. Tim is going to school and he hates living with his parents, but, if he leaves home, he will have to get a job to
pay for his school and rent.
• 4. A 16- year-old girl is pregnant, although she knows she is not able to care for the baby, she is completely
against abortion, but her parents tell her that if she does have the baby she will be thrown out of the house.
• 5. You have just managed to rent your dream apartment, but your work has offered you a high paying job that will
move you to another country for six months. If you take the job, you will have to give up the apartment.
• 6. Mary and John have been friends for a while, and John wants the relationship to move to a more serious level,
but he's not sure how Mary feels and he's afraid of losing her friendship.
• 7. Cole plays both baseball and basketball. His last basketball game of the season is on the same day and time of
his opening day game of his baseball season.
• 8. Your room mate is driving you nuts. You like the apartment that you live in currently, but hate your room mate.
If you move out, you will loose your deposit. You could rent an apartment by yourself, but you would have to live
in a shabby place.
• 9. There are two classes that Mary wants to take; they are offered at 11:00 am on Mondays and Wednesdays.
• 10. Mary does not want to take Mr. Hughes for English, but there are no other times slots open this semester, so
if she does not take his class now, she will have to postpone graduation.
• 11. You were issued a ticket that you want to fight in court, but you would have to take off from work and lose a
days pay in order to do so.
• 12. You have the money to buy a new car, but the one that you want has high insurance rates.
