Put your knowledge to the test

Response:

1. This answer is incorrect. Although time pressure and limited resources contribute to one’s experience of stress, they do not define nor cause stress. After all, some people perform best when under extreme time pressure while others crack under it. In biological and psychological terms, stress is the end result or a state brought on by events or circumstances an individual interprets as stressful. Because individual’s perceptions differ, stress is therefore a highly personal and individual phenomenon. You will see as you go along why it is impossible to describe stress in a nutshell.
2. This definition best approximates what stress is but you will see as you go along why it is impossible to describe stress in a nutshell.

Response:

Although stress is an individual experience, the factors that render something stressful are universal. In other words, they will reliably induce a stress response in everyone. In fact, don’t go N.U.T.S trying to figure them out! They are Novelty, Unpredictability, Threat to your self-image or EGO, and poor Sense of control.

If you have selected any of the other choices, take a minute and see how each of them likely involved NUTS. For instance, work overload can be caused by having too many new (novelty) things thrown at you, an unexpected deadline (unpredictability), cutbacks resulting in you having to do things that are outside of your usual area of expertise that make you doubt your ability to complete them (threat to the ego), all of the above can decrease your sense of control over your work situation.

Response:

• True : This answer is partially correct, Stress can be good, in fact, a certain amount of stress is required for the optimal functioning of all of our bodily systems and our brain in particular. Problems can arise when too much stress over extended periods of time is experienced. Therefore learning to keep a healthy balance is the key.
• False : Correct! Stress can be good; in fact, a certain amount of stress is required for the optimal functioning of all of our bodily systems and our brain in particular. Problems arise when too much stress over extended periods of time is experienced. Therefore learning to keep a healthy balance is the key.

Response:

CHILDREN: Your answer is partially correct. If common definitions of stress were correct, then children should not be stressed. After all, they do not experience time pressure, work overload, and a lack of balance between resources and demands as do adults. But, children are also vulnerable to stress, in fact studies have shown that children living in lower income households and as young a 6 years of age have elevated stress hormone levels when compared to other children of the same age living in more financially comfortable homes.

Response:

ADULTS: Your answer is partially correct. If common definitions of stress were correct, then the elderly should not be stressed. After all, they do not experience time pressure, work overload and a lack of balance between resources and demands as do younger adults. Studies have shown however, that the elderly are particularly vulnerable to the effects of stress. One study followed a group of older adults over a period of 4 years and found that for 30% of the participants stress hormone levels increased every year. This same 30% of the sample performed poorly on memory tests and also had a smaller hippocampus, an important brain region in learning and memory that is the first to be affected in Alzheimer's disease.

Response:

This answer is true! High levels of stress hormones have been linked to depression. Numerous studies have shown that women are twice as likely to develop depression as are men. Scientists do not yet know exactly why this might be the case but they are getting closer everyday to finding out. For instance, we know that stress hormones interact with the hormone estrogen such that when estrogen levels are low stress hormone levels are high. Studies have also shown that life experiences, especially early life events, play a very large role in the development of depression.

Response:

No! We need a certain amount of stress to survive and to function normally. Take memory for instance, low levels of the stress hormone cortisol results in poor memory performance. In fact, years of research have shown that having too little stress can be just as bad as having too much stress.

Response:

Stress does not directly cause any of the above, but stress and stress hormones certainly affect the development, the progression, or the outcome of each and every one.