Social explanation 1 - Life Events Flashcards
(15 cards)
What is the A01 content?
- Life events
- Evidence Rache et al
- Application
- What are life events?
Very important things that happen to us from time to time e.g, divorce, bereavement, marriage etc
- How can life events be stressful?
They often have high psychological strain, they take large amounts of adjustment and adaption which can be stressful for individuals
- How have researchers developed measurement of life changes?
They have created a Social Readjustment rating scale (SRSS) it measures life events through Life Change Units (LCU) The higher the LCU the more stressful the event is.
- Example of Life Units score and meaning?
50% of those who scored between 150-300 LU experienced illness within the next year.
- What did Rahe et al do and find?
He did research on military workers who were about to go on a 6 month trip on duty, he asked them to complete the SRSS prior to the trip. During the trip any health issues or illness was reported and after analysis a positive correlation was found between those who had high LU and illness.
- Application
Social support has been used as application as there was an epidemic of loneliness was found in the elderly who had no children. (Ageing charity)
- What is the Mens Shed Association
An organisation that was created so that men can meet up and share their skills and interact with one another.
- How does Social Support help against stress and life events?
It aims to allow people to cope with the life adjustments after a life event e.g., divorce, bereavement etc. It should act as a buffer against stress and gives us space outside our problems to feel better.
- Different types of social support and what they include.
- Emotional - involves listening, allowing the individual to share their struggles and seek reassurance.
- Esteem support - someone who can help the others situation by boosting their esteem
- Informational - somoeno who can provide information about the stressor e.g., doctor etc.
Evaluation - Research Support
Cohen et al conducted research by asking ppts to answer a life events questionnaire, he then exposed them to the ‘cold’ virus. He found that those who were exposed to larger amounts of stress were more susceptible to the illness. Variables such as age were controlled.
Evaluation - Issue of causation
Most of the research is correlational and does not prove causation. They do not account for other variables. Research found that there was a correlation between social support during stress and illness not the stress itself.
Evaluation - Issue of recall
Relying on recall for the SRRS comes with complications, it may lack accuracy as someone could not recall every thing that’s happened to them within the last year. Research has shown that this can cause inaccuracy and at risk of social desirability bias. A detailed interview was suggested otherwise.
Evaluation - Individual Differences
It could be argued that not everyone experiences life events in the same way. It is down to the circumstances of the event that would affect stress levels. For example, if someone is moving house to be better or worse off financially. It lacks validity as not every circumstance is the same.
Evaluation - Cultural Bias
The scale was developed in China, different cultures may consider different life events to be more/less significant than others. E.g., in China the death of a loved one is rated at a higher LU than divorce but this was not the same in the original SRRS.
