Stress
The psychological response to demands when there is something at stake for the individual, and where coping with these demands would tax or exceed the individual’s capacity or resources
Stressors
Demands that cause the stress response
Strains
Negative consequences of the stress response
Transactional theory of stress
A theory that explains how stressful demands are perceived and appraised, as well as how people respond to the perceptions and appraisals
Primary appraisal
Evaluation of whether a demand is stressful and, if it is, the implications of the stressor in terms of personal goals and well-being
Benign job demands
Job demands that are not appraised as being stressful
Hindrance stressors
Stressors that tend to be appraised as thwarting progress toward growth and achievement
Challenge stressors
Stressors that tend to be appraised as opportunities for growth and achievement
Role conflict
When others have conflicting expectations of what an individual needs to do
Role ambiguity
When an individual has a lack of direction and information about what needs to be done
Role overload
When an employee has too many demands to work effectively
Daily hassles
Minor day-to-day demands that interfere with work accomplishment
Time pressure
The sense that the amount of time allotted to do a job is not quite enough
Work complexity
The degree to which job requirements tax or just exceed employee capabilities
Work responsibility
The number and importance of the obligations that an employee has to others
Work-family conflict
A form of role conflict in which the demands of a work role hinder the fulfillment of the demands in a family role (or vice verse)
Negative life events
Events such as a divorce or death of a family member that tend to be appraised as a hindrance
Financial uncertainty
Uncertainties with regard to the potential for loss of livelihood, savings, or the ability to pay expenses
Family time demands
The amount of time committed to fulfilling family responsibilities
Personal development
Participation in activities outside of work that foster growth and learning
Positive life events
Events such as marriage or the birth of a child that tend to be appraised as a challenge
Secondary appraisal
When people determine how to cope with the various stressors they face
Coping
Behaviors and thoughts used to manage stressful demands and the emotions associated with the stressful demands
Behavioral coping
Physical activities used to deal with a stressful situation
Cognitive coping
Thoughts used to deal with a stressful situation
Problem-focused coping
Behaviors and cognitions of an individual intended to manage the stressful situation itself
Emotion-focused coping
Behaviors and cognitions of an individual intended to help manage emotional reactions to stressful demands
Burnout
The emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion from coping with stressful demands on a continuing basis
Type A Behavior Pattern
People who tend to experience more stressors, appraise more demands as stressful, and be prone to experiencing more strains
Recovery
The degree to which energies used for coping with work demands are restored from a period of rest or relief from work
Social support
The help people receive from others when they are confronted with stressful demands
Instrumental support
The help people receive from others that can be used to address a stressful demand directly
Emotional support
The empathy and understanding that people receive from others that can be used to alleviate emotional distress from stressful demands