1. STRESSORS IN THE ENVIRONMENT

Question 1

What is a stressor

Answer 1

Something that causes stress, due to it causing us to adopt our behaviour to cope with it

Question 2

Biological response to stress

Answer 2

Fight or flight:

1. experience a stressor
2. activates sympathetic nervous system
3. release adrenaline (increase blood pressure + HR, etc)
4. body returns to regular homeostasis

Question 3

Psychological responses to stress

Answer 3

Transaction model- Lazarus (1996):

1. when faced with a stressor, the person evaluates the potential threat (primary appraisal)
2. person asses the coping resources + options (secondary appraisal)
3. use of available coping strategies

Question 4

Aim of Johansson

Answer 4

Measure the psychological + physiological stress response in two types of employees

Question 5

Johansson method + variables + design

Answer 5

Quasi
IV- whether the employee was thought to be at a high risk of stress due to their job or not
Experimental group- 14 ‘finishers’- complex task + responsibilities
Control- 10 cleaners
DV- levels of stress related to chemicals in their urine + self report of mood
Independent measures design

Question 6

Johansson procedure

Answer 6

Daily urine sample when they arrived at work and 4 other times during the day
Taken so levels of adrenaline can be measured (high levels= physiological indication of stress)
Also completed self reports on moods, rating scales
Baseline measurements taken at the same times during the day in and out of work

Question 7

Johansson results

Answer 7

Urine sample- high risk= adrenaline levels up to twice as high as their baseline
Control= higher levels than baseline (x1.5), but decreased during the day

Self reports- high risk= felt more rushed + irritated, also rated their well-being lower than control, higher levels of absenteeism

Question 8

Black + Black aim

Answer 8

Affect of noise on stress level

Question 9

Black + Black method + variables

Answer 9

Natural experiment

IV- was naturally occurring- whether Ps lived in an aircraft noise location, or not

Question 10

Black + Black sample

Answer 10

Initially asked 1500, resulted in 750 Ps participating

Question 11

Procedure Black + Black

Answer 11

To assess their health, questionnaires were used- some about mental + general health, others asked about hypertension
Annoyance on a 10 point scale

Question 12

Black + Black results

Answer 12

Noisy location- significantly higher levels of reported noise stress + annoyance
Experimental group- lower scores mental health measures
Poorer mental health= noise environment

Question 13

Black + Black conclusions

Answer 13

Biological solutions= prescribing drugs (e.g. hyper-intensive drugs to help reduce blood pressure)

Question 14

Strengths of Black + Black

Answer 14

Useful applications (drugs)
Large sample- 750
Quasi- more ethical 
Natural exp= reduced DC
Reduced extraneous variables

Question 15

Weaknesses of B+B

Answer 15

Self reports- social desirability)
Ethnocentric
Natural exp= less control
Socially sensitive- where people live

Question 16

Application:

Strategies for managing enviro stressors

Answer 16

Mindfulness- Gans et al:
Mindfulness with a group of tinnitus Px
They found their perception of their condition + symptoms eased following treatment
Suggesting mindfulness may help those with environmental stressors

Question 17

Application:

Stress inoculation therapy

Answer 17

Form of cognitive behavioural therapy
Designed to help people manage stress
Focuses on changing the way Px think about stress

Question 18

Phases of stress inoculation therapy (Cameron 1973)

Answer 18

1. conceptualisation phase- understand the stressor
2. skills acquisition + rehearsals phase- lesson skills needed to cope
3. real-life application + follow through stage- therapist creates opportunities for client to practice their skills in a safe enviro