1. Chapter 7 Stress and Well-Being at Work
Define stress, distress, and strain.
Compare four different approaches to stress.
Explain the psychophysiology of the stress response.
Identify work and nonwork causes of stress.
Describe the consequences of stress.
Discuss individual factors that influence a person’s response to stress and strain.
Identify the stages and elements of preventive stress management for individuals and organizations.
Learning Outcomes
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Learning Outcome 1
Define stress, distress, and strain.
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What Is Stress?
[Stress] – the unconscious preparation to fight or flee that a person experiences when faced with any demand
[Stressor ] – the person or event that triggers the stress response
[Distress (or strain)] – the adverse psychological, physical, behavioral, and organizational consequences that may arise as a result of stressful events
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Learning Outcome 2
Compare four different approaches to stress.
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5. 4 APPROACHES TO STRESS Homeostatic/Medical
Stress occurs when an external demand upsets an individual’s natural, steady-state balance.
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COGNITIVE APPRAISAL
Individuals differ in their appraisal of events and people
What is stressful for one person is not for another
Perception and cognitive appraisal determines what is stressful
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COGNITIVE APPRAISAL
Problem-focused coping
emphasizes managing the stressor
Emotion-focused coping
emphasizes managing your response
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8. PERSON-ENVIRONMENT FIT
Confusing and conflicting expectations in a social role create stress.
Good person-environment fit occurs when one’s skills and abilities match a clearly defined set of role expectations.
Stress occurs when expectations are confusing or when they conflict with one’s skills.
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9. Discrepancy between the idealized self and the real self-image
PSYCHOANALYTIC
STRESS
Discrepancy between the idealized self and the real self-image
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Learning Outcome 3
Explain the psychophysiology of the stress response.
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11. Activation of sympathetic
The Stress Response
Activation of sympathetic
nervous and
endocrine systems
Release of chemical
messengers
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12. Beyond the Book: Stress Check
How often do the following happen to you? Always (3), often (2), sometimes (1), or never (0)? Rate each statement on a scale from 0 to 3, as honestly as you can and without spending too much time on any one statement.
Am I Overstressed?
1. I have to make important snap judgments and decisions.
2. I am not consulted about what happens on my job or in my classes.
3. I feel I am underpaid.
4. I feel that no matter how hard I work, the system will mess it up.
5. I do not get along with some of my coworkers or fellow students.
6. I do not trust my superiors at work or my professors at school.
7. The paperwork burden on my job or at school is getting to me.
8. I feel people outside the job or the university do not respect what I do.
Record your score as the sum of your responses.
Stress Check
Read each of the following statements and rate yourself on a scale of 0 to 3, giving the answer that best describes how you generally feel (3 points for always, 2 points for often, 1 point for sometimes, and 0 points for never). Answer as honestly as you can, and do not spend too much time on any one statement.
Am I Overstressed?
____ 1. I have to make important snap judgments and decisions.
____ 2. I am not consulted about what happens on my job or in my classes.
____ 3. I feel I am underpaid.
____ 4. I feel that no matter how hard I work, the system will mess it up.
____ 5. I do not get along with some of my coworkers or fellow students.
____ 6. I do not trust my superiors at work or my professors at school.
____ 7. The paperwork burden on my job or at school is getting to me.
____ 8. I feel people outside the job or the university do not respect what I do.
Am I Angry?
____ 1. I feel that people around me make too many irritating mistakes.
____ 2. I feel annoyed because I do good work or perform well in school, but no one appreciates it.
____ 3. When people make me angry, I tell them off.
____ 4. When I am angry, I say things I know will hurt people.
____ 5. I lose my temper easily.
____ 6. I feel like striking out at someone who angers me.
____ 7. When a coworker or fellow student makes a mistake, I tell him or her about it.
____ 8. I cannot stand being criticized in public.
SCORING
To find your level of anger and potential for aggressive behavior, add your scores from both quiz parts.
40–48: The red flag is waving, and you had better pay attention. You are in the danger zone. You need guidance from a counselor or mental health professional, and you should be getting it now.
30–39: The yellow flag is up. Your stress and anger levels are too high, and you are feeling increasingly hostile. You are still in control, but it would not take much to trigger a violent flare of temper.
10–29: Relax, you are in the broad normal range. Like most people, you get angry occasionally, but usually with some justification. Sometimes you take overt action, but you are not likely to be unreasonably or excessively aggressive.
  0–9: Congratulations! You are in great shape. Your stress and anger are well under control, giving you a laid-back personality not prone to violence.
SOURCE: Questionnaire developed by C. D. Spielberger. Appeared in W. Barnhill, “Early Warning,” The Washington Post (August 11, 1992): B5.
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13. Beyond the Book: Stress Check
How often do the following happen to you? Always (3), often (2), sometimes (1), or never (0)? Rate each statement on a scale from 0 to 3, as honestly as you can and without spending too much time on any one statement.
Am I Angry?
1. I feel that people around me make too many irritating mistakes.
2. I feel annoyed because I do good work or perform well in school, but no one appreciates it.
3. When people make me angry, I tell them off.
4. When I am angry, I say things I know will hurt people.
5. I lose my temper easily.
6. I feel like striking out at someone who angers me.
7. When a coworker or fellow student makes a mistake, I tell him or her about it.
8. I cannot stand being criticized in public.
Record your score as the sum of your responses, and add it to your score from the previous section.
Stress Check
Read each of the following statements and rate yourself on a scale of 0 to 3, giving the answer that best describes how you generally feel (3 points for always, 2 points for often, 1 point for sometimes, and 0 points for never). Answer as honestly as you can, and do not spend too much time on any one statement.
Am I Overstressed?
____ 1. I have to make important snap judgments and decisions.
____ 2. I am not consulted about what happens on my job or in my classes.
____ 3. I feel I am underpaid.
____ 4. I feel that no matter how hard I work, the system will mess it up.
____ 5. I do not get along with some of my coworkers or fellow students.
____ 6. I do not trust my superiors at work or my professors at school.
____ 7. The paperwork burden on my job or at school is getting to me.
____ 8. I feel people outside the job or the university do not respect what I do.
Am I Angry?
____ 1. I feel that people around me make too many irritating mistakes.
____ 2. I feel annoyed because I do good work or perform well in school, but no one appreciates it.
____ 3. When people make me angry, I tell them off.
____ 4. When I am angry, I say things I know will hurt people.
____ 5. I lose my temper easily.
____ 6. I feel like striking out at someone who angers me.
____ 7. When a coworker or fellow student makes a mistake, I tell him or her about it.
____ 8. I cannot stand being criticized in public.
SCORING
To find your level of anger and potential for aggressive behavior, add your scores from both quiz parts.
40–48: The red flag is waving, and you had better pay attention. You are in the danger zone. You need guidance from a counselor or mental health professional, and you should be getting it now.
30–39: The yellow flag is up. Your stress and anger levels are too high, and you are feeling increasingly hostile. You are still in control, but it would not take much to trigger a violent flare of temper.
10–29: Relax, you are in the broad normal range. Like most people, you get angry occasionally, but usually with some justification. Sometimes you take overt action, but you are not likely to be unreasonably or excessively aggressive.
  0–9: Congratulations! You are in great shape. Your stress and anger are well under control, giving you a laid-back personality not prone to violence.
SOURCE: Questionnaire developed by C. D. Spielberger. Appeared in W. Barnhill, “Early Warning,” The Washington Post (August 11, 1992): B5.
© 2011 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

14. Beyond the Book: Stress Check
To find your level of anger and potential for aggressive behavior, add your scores from both quiz parts.
40–48: The red flag is waving, and you had better pay attention. You are in the danger zone. You need guidance from a counselor or mental health professional, and you should be getting it now.
30–39: The yellow flag is up. Your stress and anger levels are too high, and you are feeling increasingly hostile. You are still in control, but it would not take much to trigger a violent flare of temper.
10–29: Relax, you are in the broad normal range. Like most people, you get angry occasionally, but usually with some justification. Sometimes you take overt action, but you are not likely to be unreasonably or excessively aggressive.
  0–9: Congratulations! You are in great shape. Your stress and anger are well under control, giving you a laid-back personality not prone to violence.
Stress Check
Read each of the following statements and rate yourself on a scale of 0 to 3, giving the answer that best describes how you generally feel (3 points for always, 2 points for often, 1 point for sometimes, and 0 points for never). Answer as honestly as you can, and do not spend too much time on any one statement.
Am I Overstressed?
____ 1. I have to make important snap judgments and decisions.
____ 2. I am not consulted about what happens on my job or in my classes.
____ 3. I feel I am underpaid.
____ 4. I feel that no matter how hard I work, the system will mess it up.
____ 5. I do not get along with some of my coworkers or fellow students.
____ 6. I do not trust my superiors at work or my professors at school.
____ 7. The paperwork burden on my job or at school is getting to me.
____ 8. I feel people outside the job or the university do not respect what I do.
Am I Angry?
____ 1. I feel that people around me make too many irritating mistakes.
____ 2. I feel annoyed because I do good work or perform well in school, but no one appreciates it.
____ 3. When people make me angry, I tell them off.
____ 4. When I am angry, I say things I know will hurt people.
____ 5. I lose my temper easily.
____ 6. I feel like striking out at someone who angers me.
____ 7. When a coworker or fellow student makes a mistake, I tell him or her about it.
____ 8. I cannot stand being criticized in public.
SCORING
To find your level of anger and potential for aggressive behavior, add your scores from both quiz parts.
40–48: The red flag is waving, and you had better pay attention. You are in the danger zone. You need guidance from a counselor or mental health professional, and you should be getting it now.
30–39: The yellow flag is up. Your stress and anger levels are too high, and you are feeling increasingly hostile. You are still in control, but it would not take much to trigger a violent flare of temper.
10–29: Relax, you are in the broad normal range. Like most people, you get angry occasionally, but usually with some justification. Sometimes you take overt action, but you are not likely to be unreasonably or excessively aggressive.
  0–9: Congratulations! You are in great shape. Your stress and anger are well under control, giving you a laid-back personality not prone to violence.
SOURCE: Questionnaire developed by C. D. Spielberger. Appeared in W. Barnhill, “Early Warning,” The Washington Post (August 11, 1992): B5.
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Learning Outcome 4
Identify work and nonwork causes of stress.
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16. Sources of Stress: Work Demands
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17. Stress Source: Nonwork Demands
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Learning Outcome 5
Describe the consequences of stress.
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Positive Stress
Stress response itself is neutral
Some stressful activities (aerobic exercise, etc.) can enhance a person’s ability to manage stressful demands or situations
Stress can provide a needed energy boost
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20. Yerkes-Dodson Law
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21. Individual Distress Behavioral problems Medical illness
(substance abuse,
violence, accidents)
Medical illness
(heart disease, strokes,
headaches, backaches)
Work-related psychological disorders
(depression, burnout,
psychosomatic disorders)
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22. Organizational Distress
Participative Problems –absenteeism, tardiness, strikes, and turnover
Performance Decrement –poor quality or low quantity of production, grievances, and unscheduled machine downtime and repair
Compensation Award –court awards for job distress
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23. Beyond the Book: Stressed-out in Europe
Recent European studies on worker stress show disturbing trends:
Companies in the United Kingdom lose 13.7 million working days per year due to stress, causing £28.3 billion ($47.4 billion) in productivity losses.
More than 25% of workers in the UK describe their mental health as moderate or poor.
So far in 2009, 25 employees of France Telecom have committed suicide.
Companies cannot ignore the reality of the dangers of stress. As indicated by separate studies by the European Union, the U.K.’s National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, and the Centre for High Performance Development, stress has debilitating effects on workers. In the European Union, stress-related absenteeism is estimaed to cost firms $30 billion per year. Most managers and firms, however, are paying little attention to the problem. As Eusebio Rial Gonzalez, a researcher with the EU argues, European companies are not providing their employees means to deal with workplace stress. This not only harms the individuals’ health, but the bottom line of the organization, as well. Recently, the global economic recession has caused much of the stress, as employees face the threat of contraction and elimination. But even for those individuals who manage to keep their jobs, stress is on the rise, since they are being asked to work longer hours at jobs they many not be trained for. Clearly, stress poses a significant threat to the well-being of the employee, and the overall success of the organization.
SOURCE:
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Learning Outcome 6
Discuss individual factors that influence a person’s response to stress and strain.
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25. Individual Differences
Achilles’ heel phenomenon – a person breaks down at his or her weakest point
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26. Gender Effects Sexual Harassment Vulnerabilities
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27. Type A Behavior Patterns
Competitiveness
Time urgency
Social Status Insecurity
Aggression
Hostility
Quest for achievements
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28. Personality Hardiness
challenge (versus threat)
commitment (versus alienation)
control (versus powerlessness)
[Transformational Coping]
active process of modifying one’s perception of an event in order to reduce stress.
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Self-Reliance
Self-Reliance – a healthy, secure, interdependent pattern of behavior related to how people form and maintain supportive attachments with others
Counterdependence – an unhealthy, insecure pattern of behavior that leads to separation in relationships with other people
Overdependence – an unhealthy, insecure pattern of behavior that leads to preoccupied attempts to achieve security through relationships.
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Learning Outcome 7
Identify the stages and elements of preventive stress management for individuals and organizations.
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31. Preventative Stress Management
an organizational philosophy that holds that people & organizations should take joint responsibility for promoting health and preventing distress and strain
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32. Preventative Stress Management
Organizational philosophy according to which people and organizations should take joint responsibility for promoting health and preventing distress.
Primary Prevention – designed to reduce, modify, or eliminate the demand or stressor
Secondary Prevention – designed to alter or modify the response to a demand or stressor
Tertiary Prevention – designed to heal symptoms of distress and strain
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33. Preventative Stress Maintenance
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34. Beyond the Book: Non-effective Stress Relief Techniques
Staff at a Nova Scotia prison tried to relieve their work stress by taunting and abusing inmates.
Various companies sell “relaxation” drinks that promise to help consumers unwind. One of them appears to evoke the effects of marijuana.
Some employees gossip about a co-worker to express their negative attitudes about them.
SOURCES:
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35. Organizational Stress Prevention
Job redesign
Goal setting
Role negotiation
Social support systems
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36. Job Strain Model
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37. Social Support at Work and Home
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38. Individual Preventive Stress Management
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What Can Managers Do?
Learn how to create healthy stress without distress
Help employees adjust to new technologies
Be sensitive to early signs of distress
Be aware of gender, personality, and behavioral differences
Use principles and methods of preventive stress management
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40. Separately assess the stressors affecting Terry and Denny
Separately assess the stressors affecting Terry and Denny. View Part I for Terry and Part II for Denny.
Are Terry and Denny having a distress or eustress response? Give examples of behavior in the film sequences to support your observations.
Review the section, “The Consequences of Stress.” What consequences do you observe or predict for Terry and Denny?
The Upside of Anger
Terry Ann Wolfmeyer (Joan Allen) turns to ferocious anger and alcohol
after her husband leaves her for his secretary. Neighbor Denny Davies
(Kevin Costner), a former Detroit Tigers pitcher and host of a radio talk
show, tries to befriend Terry and help her cope as a drinking buddy.
This sequence has two parts. Part I follows the family dinner with
Denny as a guest. Part II follows the bungee jumping scene and Denny
driving Lavender “Popeye” Wolfmeyer (Evan Rachel Wood) home.
Ask your students:
1. Separately assess the stressors affecting Terry and Denny. View Part
I for Terry and Part II for Denny.
2. Are Terry and Denny having a distress or eustress response? Give examples
of behavior in the film sequences to support your observations.
3. Review the section, “The Consequences of Stress.” What consequences
do you observe or predict for Terry and Denny?