Key Studies of Explanations of Stress

Introduction: Why do some events feel overwhelming? 😟

students, have you ever seen two people go through the same event and react in very different ways? For example, one student might feel calm before an exam, while another feels panicked and unable to focus. In Health Psychology, this is a major question: why does stress affect people differently? The answer is not just about the event itself. It also depends on how the person sees the event, what support they have, and how their body and mind respond.

In this lesson, you will learn the key studies that explain stress in psychology. These studies help us understand stress as more than just “pressure.” They show that stress is linked to how people interpret situations, how much control they believe they have, and how their body reacts over time. By the end of this lesson, you should be able to explain the main ideas, use important terms, and connect these studies to real life and to the wider Health Psychology topic.

Lazarus and Folkman: Stress depends on appraisal

One of the most important explanations of stress is the cognitive appraisal model by Richard Lazarus and Susan Folkman. Their central idea is that stress is not caused only by the event itself, but by the person’s interpretation of the event. This means the same situation can feel stressful to one person and manageable to another.

They described two stages of appraisal. First is the primary appraisal, where a person asks, “Is this event irrelevant, positive, or stressful?” If it is stressful, the person may see it as a threat, a loss, or a challenge. A challenge can still feel difficult, but it may also feel possible to overcome. Second is the secondary appraisal, where the person asks, “Do I have the resources to cope?” Resources can include time, skills, money, social support, or confidence.

For example, if students has a big presentation tomorrow, primary appraisal is the judgment that the presentation matters and could lead to embarrassment or success. Secondary appraisal is the judgment about whether students has enough preparation and support to handle it. If the answer is “yes,” stress may be lower. If the answer is “no,” stress may rise.

This model is useful because it explains why stress is personal. It also links directly to coping. Lazarus and Folkman argued that people use problem-focused coping when they try to change the situation, and emotion-focused coping when they try to manage feelings. For example, studying earlier is problem-focused coping, while deep breathing before the presentation is emotion-focused coping.

The Transactional Model: Stress as a relationship between person and environment

Lazarus and Folkman’s work is often called the transactional model of stress. The word “transactional” means stress is created through an interaction between the person and the environment. In other words, stress is not just inside the person and not just in the outside world. It happens in the relationship between them.

This is an important shift from older views that treated stress as a simple stimulus or response. Instead, the transactional model says the environment only becomes stressful after the person appraises it. Two people can face the same traffic jam, deadline, or family problem, but the stress response may differ because of appraisal and coping.

A real-world example is moving to a new school. One student might appraise it as a threat because they fear making friends. Another might appraise it as a challenge and an opportunity to start fresh. The event is the same, but the stress experience is different. This shows why Health Psychology focuses on both thought processes and biological outcomes.

Holmes and Rahe: Major life changes can predict stress

Another key study is Holmes and Rahe’s Social Readjustment Rating Scale, often called the SRRS. Holmes and Rahe believed that major life changes contribute to stress because they require adjustment. They created a list of life events and gave each event a score based on the amount of readjustment needed. Examples include death of a spouse, divorce, moving house, or starting a new job.

The scale suggested that the more life change a person experiences, the greater the chance of illness. This was a major step in stress research because it linked stress with physical health outcomes. It also showed that even positive events, like marriage or getting a new job, can be stressful because they require adaptation.

However, the SRRS has limits. It assumes that all people experience life events in similar ways, but in reality, the meaning of an event depends on culture, personality, age, and support. For example, moving house may be exciting for one person and deeply upsetting for another. Still, the SRRS is important because it introduced the idea that cumulative life stress can affect health.

Social support: People cope better when they are not alone 🤝

Stress research also shows that social support can reduce the harmful effects of stress. Social support means having emotional care, practical help, or advice from other people. It can come from family, friends, teachers, or a community. Support does not remove the stressful event, but it can change how the person appraises and copes with it.

In psychological terms, social support can act as a buffer. This means it protects people from the negative effects of stress. A student who feels supported by friends and parents may see a difficult exam as more manageable. Support can improve secondary appraisal because the person feels they have more resources.

A simple example is preparing for a sports competition. An athlete who trains alone may feel intense pressure, while an athlete with a coach and teammates may feel more confident. The stressful event is the same, but support changes the experience.

Social support is especially important in Health Psychology because it is linked to better mental and physical health outcomes. People with strong support networks are often better able to recover from stress, follow treatment plans, and maintain healthy habits.

Daily hassles: Small problems can add up 📚

Another useful explanation of stress comes from research on daily hassles. Daily hassles are minor annoyances and everyday pressures, such as losing keys, arguing with a friend, being late, or having too much homework. These may seem small, but they can build up and affect health over time.

This idea is important because people often focus only on major life events. However, daily stress can be more frequent and therefore more damaging in the long run. A person may not experience a huge crisis, but repeated small problems can still create constant tension.

For example, students may not be dealing with one major disaster, but if there are repeated school deadlines, family arguments, and lack of sleep, the body may still stay under stress. This matters because ongoing stress can affect concentration, mood, and immune functioning.

Daily hassles help explain why stress is not only about dramatic events. It also includes ordinary life pressure, which is relevant to students, workers, and families.

The body’s stress response: Why stress affects health

To understand why these studies matter, it helps to know how stress affects the body. When a person sees something as threatening, the body prepares for action. The sympathetic nervous system becomes active, and stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol are released. This can help in the short term by increasing alertness and energy.

But if stress continues for too long, the body may remain activated. Chronic stress can affect sleep, memory, mood, digestion, and immune functioning. This is why Health Psychology studies stress not only as a feeling but also as a factor in illness.

The key studies explain different parts of this process. Lazarus and Folkman explain how stress begins with appraisal. Holmes and Rahe explain how major life events can increase stress load. Research on social support shows how coping resources can reduce impact. Studies on daily hassles show that small repeated stressors can also matter.

How to apply these studies in IB Psychology HL ✍️

For IB Psychology HL, you should not just memorize names. You need to apply the ideas to scenarios and compare them. If a question asks why one student is stressed by exams while another is not, you can use Lazarus and Folkman to explain primary and secondary appraisal. If a question asks how life changes may affect health, you can use Holmes and Rahe. If a question asks why friends can reduce stress, you can explain social support as a buffer.

A strong answer usually includes:

the key concept or study
the main explanation
a real example
a link to stress or health

For example, you could write: “According to Lazarus and Folkman, stress depends on appraisal. A student who believes they have prepared well for an exam may appraise it as a challenge rather than a threat, reducing stress.” This shows understanding and application.

You can also compare studies. Holmes and Rahe focus on external life events, while Lazarus and Folkman focus on cognitive interpretation. Daily hassles research shows that stress can be created by frequent small events rather than only major crises. Social support adds the idea that other people can reduce the stress response.

Conclusion: What these studies teach us about stress

students, the key studies of explanations of stress show that stress is complex and personal. It is not just the event that matters, but how the event is appraised, how much support a person has, and how many stressors they face over time. Lazarus and Folkman help us understand the role of thinking and coping. Holmes and Rahe show that life changes can predict stress. Social support research shows that other people can protect health. Daily hassles research shows that small problems can also build up.

Together, these studies fit into Health Psychology because they explain how stress affects both mind and body. They also help psychologists design better interventions, from coping skills training to support systems that reduce stress in schools, workplaces, and families.

Study Notes

Stress is not caused only by an event; it also depends on appraisal.
Lazarus and Folkman proposed primary appraisal and secondary appraisal.
Primary appraisal asks whether an event is irrelevant, positive, a threat, a loss, or a challenge.
Secondary appraisal asks whether a person has enough resources to cope.
Problem-focused coping tries to change the stressor.
Emotion-focused coping tries to manage feelings.
Holmes and Rahe’s SRRS links major life events with stress and possible illness.
The SRRS shows that even positive changes can be stressful.
Social support can buffer the effects of stress and improve coping.
Daily hassles are small stressors that can build up over time.
Chronic stress can affect sleep, memory, mood, and immune functioning.
In IB Psychology HL, use studies to explain, apply, and compare stress theories in real-life scenarios.