One's view of a situation determines whether an event is experienced as stressful or not. Stress is the consequence of an individual's appraisal of an event, which involves a two-part process - primary and secondary appraisal. During primary appraisal, an event is categorized as irrelevant, beneficial, or stressful. During secondary appraisal, the individual evaluates their coping resources and options. Stress only occurs when the transaction is appraised as relevant to one's well-being and there is a perceived mismatch between demands and ability to cope. The way an event is appraised influences the physiological and emotional response to stress.

1. Stress Diary Journal Guides Guide 8: Appraisal
Guide 8: Appraisal
Stress Diary Journal Your Appraisal of an
event
Your Guide
> Your Primary Appraisal
During primary appraisal,
What is an Appraisal? the event or situation can
be categorized as irrele-
Research by Lazarus and magnitude of the stress * A harm/loss refers to an
vant, beneficial, or
colleagues, have referred to the response, but also the kind of injury or damage that has
stressful.
individual and their interaction coping strategies that the already taken place.
with the environment as a individual may employ in efforts * A threat refers to something
transaction, and one that is to deal with the stress. that could produce harm or
ongoing. Their theory places the loss. > Your Secondary
emphasis on the meaning that This cognitive appraisal of * A challenge event refers to Appraisal
an event has for the individual stress is a two-part process the potential for growth,
and not on the physiological which involves a primary mastery, or some form of During secondary appraisal
responses. appraisal and a secondary gain. the individual now evaluates
appraisal. his or her coping resources
One's view of a situation Lazarus argues that we cannot
and options. Stress arises
determines whether an event is assess the origins of stress by
only when a particular
experienced as stressful or not, Primary appraisal involves the looking solely at the nature of
making stress the consequence determination of an event as the environmental event, transaction is appraised by
of your appraisal of it. stressful. During primary rather, stress is a process that the person as relevant to
appraisal, the event or situation involves the interaction of the his or her well-being
This has major consequences – can be categorized as individual with the environment.
as stress can thus be judged as irrelevant, beneficial, or These are based mostly on
how severe you judge it and stressful. If the event is one's own prior experiences
thus how severely you react to appraised as stressful, it is and learning. And also, each of
it. According to this theory, the then evaluated as either a these categories generates
way an individual appraises an harm/loss, a threat, or a different emotional responses.
event plays a fundamental role challenge.
in determining, not only the * Harm/loss stressors can
elicit anger, disgust, her coping resources and op- challenge, it lead to different
sadness, or disappointment. tions. Stress arises only when a physiological consequences
* Threatening stressors can particular transaction is than when it is appraised as a
produce anxiety and appraised by the person as harm/loss or threat. ‘One's view of a
challenging stressors can relevant to his or her A stressor evaluated as a situation determines
produce excitement. well-being. In order for an challenge should be viewed whether an event is
event to be appraised as a more positively than a harm/ experienced as stressful
stressor, it must be personally loss or threat event.
or not, making stress
Secondary appraisal occurs relevant and there must be a
after assessment of the event perceived mismatch between a Physiological reactions, or how the consequence of your
as a threat or a challenge. situation's demands and one's you react - to stressors depend appraisal of it.!”
During secondary appraisal the resources to cope with it. on two factors: effort and
individual now evaluates his or When an event is appraised as a distress.
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2. Page 2 Stress Diary Journal
Effort with distress: leads to increases of both catecholamine
and cortisol secretion and result from daily hassles.
These stressors are experienced as negative emotions.
Effort without distress: leads to an increase of catecholamine
and suppression of cortisol secretion. These stressors
are experienced as positive emotions.
There is thus a strong emotional consequence of appraising an
event as a threat or as a challenge.
“ Your
Appraisal,
could mean
being
stressed or
not stress
at all - Its
your
choice”
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3. Page 3
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