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Researchers in this area differ in the criteria by which they measure
successful coping. However, we can say that coping efforts are deemed successful if they:
. Reduce physiological arousal and its indicators such as heart rate
. Permit a quick return to previous life patterns
. Reduce psychological distress, such as anxiety and depression
COPING STYLES
Coping style is an internal coping resource, consisting of a general tendency for a person to deal with a
stressful event in a particular way. Examples of coping styles include:
Avoidance versus Confrontation
Some people meet events head-on, tackling problems directly. Others attempt to minimize the
significance or withdraw from such events, often through alcohol and drugs. Avoiders may not be able
to deal with the possibility of future threats and may fail in their attempts at making efforts to anticipate
and manage subsequent problems. On the other hand, confronters may deal effectively with long-term
threats, although in the short-run they may be more anxious as they deal directly with the stressor.
Type A Behavior
There are coping styles that successfully deal with stress, but that also have an adverse impact on
health. One of them, Type A Behavior, has been associated with heart disease for several years. The
Type A individual was first identified in 1978 and is characterized by aggression, competition,
achievement, time urgency, and hostility. Type A individuals lead fast-track lives. Many of your
students are probably junior Type A’s. They work long hours, are impatient with what they perceive as
slow behavior in others, and often finish other people’s sentences for them. The Type A behavior
syndrome is important because it has been reliably related to the development of coronary artery
disease, as a function of excessive physiological arousal in response to stressful events. Recently,
researchers have identified the hostility component of Type A behavior as more damaging than time
urgency or competitiveness to the circulatory system.
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CHAPTER 13: EMOTION, STRESS, AND HEALTH
SOCIAL SUPPORT FOR STRESS
Socially supportive relationships may mitigate the effects of stress by helping people cope with and resolve
problems. Social relationships promote health. Social support is an interpersonal exchange in which one
person gives help to another. It may be provided in numerous ways, including:
. Emotional concern, as expressed through liking, love, sympathy, and empathy
. Instrumental aid through the provision of goods or services during someone’s time of need
. Providing information about a stressful situation, perhaps a similar one experienced by them
. Reassurance by others that you are acting in a reasonable, responsible manner
We have a great deal of data to indicate that social support during times of stress can effectively reduce
psychological distress. People who had families who stayed in the Middle East with them during the Gulf
War did much better psychologically than those who had no family there and those whose families
returned to their native country. Social support also seems both to decrease the likelihood of physical illness
and to speed recovery. Research has been attempting to identify precisely how social support mitigates
stress and has arrived at two hypotheses:
. The Direct Effects Hypothesis suggests that social support is always beneficial, during both stressful
and nonstressful times.
. The Buffering Hypothesis suggests that the physical and mental health benefits of social support occur
mainly during periods of high stress and not during periods of low stress.
Extensive research suggests that both hypotheses are at least partially correct.
STRESS MANAGEMENT
Some of us have a tough time managing and coping with stress on our own. In such cases, stress
management programs are helpful. As an example, college can be an appallingly stressful experience for
students. Being away from home, living with strangers, sharing living space, taking demanding courses,
and increased competition for grades can be very stressful. Many colleges offer programs to help students
adjust to and cope with the stresses of university life by teaching them stress management techniques. One
important lesson of these courses is that stress is subjective and self-reinforcing. The more stressful you
perceive an event to be, the more stressful it will become. These programs also teach students to recognize
and record things that stress them out and to write down their reactions to these events. Sharing
experiences and learning relaxation techniques are also useful components of many courses. The goal of
these courses is not to eliminate stress, but rather to recognize its causes, to cope with them effectively, and
to keep stress to a manageable level.
Gender Differences in Expressed Emotion
You might discuss with your class gender differences in the expression of emotion. In our culture, men have
traditionally been taught to “bottle-up” their emotions and “tough things out.” To be seen as “strong” for
males often has meant not allowing themselves to cry or show any sign of emotional “weakness.” Even
today, many males are embarrassed to cry in public, no matter how justified they may be in expressing
sadness. On the other hand, the one emotion that males in our culture have been allowed to express is
anger. In certain situations, expressions of anger and aggression are seen as “macho” whereas passive
failure to express anger or be aggressive is seen as a sign of weakness. What impact do these social norms
and expectations have on young boys growing up?