Transactional Stress Theory

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Human beings survive by constantly adapting to the demands of an ever changing environment. Person encounters stimuli from environment that provoke stress. The stimulus is known as stressor. Stressor can be of many kinds, it can be any disorder, disaster, family conflict, weather change, death of love one, occupational stress. It can impair person’s physical as well as mental health. So there is need to cope with these stressors by confronting them rather than avoiding. Stress Stress is defined as a real or perceived imbalance between environmental demands required for survival and an individual’s capacity to adapt to these requirements (Lovallo, 1997; Pearlin, Lieberman, Zenaghan, and Mullen, 1981; Weiner, 1992). Stress is negative emotional experience accompanied by predictable biochemical, physiological, cognitive, and behavioral changes that are directed either toward altering stressful event and or…show more content…
Lazarus (1967) concluded that appraisal was the primary moderator of person environment transaction. Many factors affect the appraisal of stress i.e. person’s positive affect, optimistic attitude and availability of resources, self esteem, social support, coping skills and gender. What occurs during appraisal process determines coping behavior; it is not the pressure itself but the perception of that pressure that is an issue (Cox, 1978; Lazarus, 1966; McGrath, 1970). Positive thinker will appraise stressful situation as less threatening and cope with it effectively compared to negative

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