Stressor

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As stressors (also stress factors ) are all internal and external stimuli indicated, the stress cause and thereby the individual concerned to a reaction of the active adaptation cause. The organism interprets the stimuli acting on it and their effects for the respective situation and evaluates them either positively or negatively.

According to a concept by Hans Selye , one differentiates between two types of stress: positive stress (also called eustress) and negative stress (also called distress or dysstress ). The Greek prefix εὖ ( eu ) means “well, good, right, easy”, the Greek prefix δύς ( dys ) means “bad, bad”.

Eustress

Eustress refers to those stressors that have a positive effect on the organism. A basic potential for stress or excitement is essential for the survival of an organism. Positive stress increases alertness and promotes maximum performance of the body without harming it. In contrast to distress, eustress has a positive effect on the psychological or physical functionality of an organism even with frequent, long-term occurrences. Eustress occurs, for example, when a person is motivated to perform certain tasks or experiences moments of happiness.

Distress

Negative stressors are stimuli that are perceived as uncomfortable, threatening or overwhelming . Stress is only interpreted negatively if it occurs frequently and there is no physical compensation. Likewise, negative effects can occur if the person suffering from stress does not see an opportunity to cope with the situation through their interpretation of the stimuli (retreat, competition, etc.). In this case, distress can be prevented by teaching appropriate strategies for coping with stress ( coping ).

Distress leads to a greatly increased tension in the body (release of certain neurotransmitters and hormones , e.g. adrenaline and noradrenaline ). In the long run this leads to a decrease in attention and efficiency. A long-term effect of distress and a lack of coping strategies can lead to burnout syndrome .

In economic life, people are exposed to a variety of stressors. This becomes particularly clear in the example of the large retail operations , which traditionally have mastered the instruments of psychological management . Here, stressors not only play a role for the employees (for example from the areas of work environment, work task, social environment, organizational structure and personal conditions), but also for the customers (for example shop size, range of products, goods arrangement, customer masses, personnel behavior, background music, announcements and noise). In doing so, however, employees must be protected from constant stressors that lead to distress and negative reactions of a physiological, cognitive and / or emotional nature. Since the short-term influence of excessive stimuli after the purchase or after leaving the store usually disappears for customers again, they are typically exposed to eustress.

Psychiatrists Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe developed a 43-event scale, The Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS), to measure the level of stress. Stress values ​​from 0 to 100 are assigned to negative or positive life events . Accordingly, the more areas of life that have to be adapted to the new circumstances, the greater the stress. Further research supports the relationship between stress and illness.

rank event Stress level
1 Death of spouse 100
2 divorce 73
3 Separation from spouse 65
4th prison sentence 63
5 Death of a family member 63
6th Personal injury or illness 53
7th marriage 50
8th Loss of job 47
9 Reconciliation with the spouse 45
10 retirement 45
11 Change in the state of health of a family member 44
12 pregnancy 40
13 Sexual difficulties 39
14th Addition to the family 39
15th Business change 39
16 Substantial change in income 38
17th Death of a close friend 37
18th Career change 36
19th Change in the accumulation of arguments with the spouse 35
20th Taking out a $ 10,000 loan 31
21st Termination of a loan 30th
22nd Change in professional area of ​​responsibility 29
23 Children leave home 29
24 Trouble with the relatives by marriage 29
25th Great personal success 28
26th Beginning or end of the employment of the wife 26th
27 Start or finish school 26th
28 Change in standard of living 25th
29 Change of personal habits 24
30th Trouble with the manager 23
31 Change of working hours and conditions 20th
32 Change of residence 20th
33 Change of school 20th
34 Change of leisure habits 19th
35 Change of church customs 19th
36 Change of social habits 18th
37 Taking out a loan under $ 10,000 17th
38 Change in sleeping habits 16
39 Change in the frequency of family contacts 15th
40 Change in eating habits 15th
41 vacation 13
42 Christmas 13
43 Minor violations of the law 11

See also

literature

  • H. Selye (1956). The stress of life . New York: McGraw-Hill
  • H. Selye (1976). Stress in Health and Disease . Woburn (MA): Butterworth

Web links

Wiktionary: Stressor  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ H.-O. Schenk (2007). Psychology in Commerce. Decision-making bases for retail marketing , 2nd edition, Munich-Vienna: Oldenbourg, ISBN 978-3-486-58379-3 .
  2. ↑ Holmes TH, Rahe RH: The Social Readjustment Rating Scale . In: Journal of Psychosomatic Research . Vol. 11, No. 2 , 1967, p. 213-218 , doi : 10.1016 / 0022-3999 (67) 90010-4 , PMID 6059863 .
  3. ^ Rahe RH, Arthur RJ: Life change and illness studies: past history and future directions . In: J Human Stress . Vol. 4, No. 1 , 1978, p. 3-15 , doi : 10.1080 / 0097840X.1978.9934972 , PMID 346993 .