1. What is Stress?
Stressors
Catastrophes
Life changes
Hassles
Intervening
factors
Appraisal
Perceived control
Personality
Social support
Coping behaviors
Stress
reactions
Physiological
Emotional
Behavioral
Stress
the process by which we perceive and respond to certain events, called stressors, that we appraise as threatening or challenging

2. Stress Appraisal Appraisal Response Stressful event (tough math test)
Threat
(“Yikes! This is
beyond me!”)
Challenge
(“I’ve got to apply
all I know”)
Panic, freeze up
Aroused, focused
Appraisal
Response

3. Seyle’s General Adaptation Syndrome
Describes our response to a stressful event.
Three stages
Alarm
Resistance
Exhaustion

4. Stressful Life Events Catastrophic Events Life Changes Daily Hassles
earthquakes, combat stress, floods
Life Changes
death of a loved one, divorce, loss of job, promotion
Daily Hassles
rush hour traffic, long lines, job stress, burnout

5. What is Stress? Burnout Coronary Heart Disease
physical, emotional and mental exhaustion brought on by persistent job-related stress
Coronary Heart Disease
clogging of the vessels that nourish the heart muscle
leading cause of death in the United States