What is stress and how do people cope with it?
Explain the physiological and psychological responses to stress and evaluate strategies for coping
Stress is the response to demands that tax our resources. Selye's GAS describes the physiological response, Lazarus and Folkman explain appraisal, and coping can be problem- or emotion-focused.
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What this dot point is asking
You need to define stress, explain the physiological and psychological responses, and evaluate strategies people use to cope.
Defining stress
Stress is the state that arises when a person perceives that the demands of a situation (a stressor) exceed their resources to cope. Stressors can be acute (a sudden event) or chronic (ongoing). Not all stress is harmful: moderate eustress can improve performance, while excessive distress harms wellbeing.
The physiological response
The immediate reaction is the fight-or-flight response, coordinated by the sympathetic nervous system and the release of adrenaline, producing a raised heart rate, faster breathing and increased blood flow to muscles to prepare for action.
Hans Selye described the longer-term pattern as the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), with three stages:
- Alarm - the body recognises the stressor and the fight-or-flight response activates.
- Resistance - the body adapts and tries to cope while arousal stays high; the stress hormone cortisol remains elevated.
- Exhaustion - if the stressor continues, the body's resources are depleted, leaving the person vulnerable to illness, fatigue and burnout.
Prolonged stress can suppress the immune system and contribute to physical health problems.
The psychological response: appraisal
Richard Lazarus and Susan Folkman argued that the experience of stress depends on cognitive appraisal:
- Primary appraisal - is this situation a threat, a challenge or harmless?
- Secondary appraisal - do I have the resources and ability to cope?
This explains why the same event (an exam) can stress one person and energise another.
Coping strategies
Lazarus and Folkman distinguished two broad styles:
- Problem-focused coping - tackling the stressor itself, for example planning, time management or seeking information. Effective when the situation is controllable.
- Emotion-focused coping - managing the emotional response, for example relaxation, reframing or seeking emotional support. Useful when the stressor cannot be changed.
Other healthy strategies include exercise, social support, adequate sleep and relaxation techniques. Maladaptive strategies such as avoidance, denial or substance use may reduce distress briefly but worsen outcomes.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of SACE Board exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
2019 SACE Stage 24 marksA motorist braked suddenly to avoid a dog. Immediately after braking his pulse rate increased, his mouth went dry and he had a churning stomach. After a few minutes these physical changes disappeared. Using your knowledge of the body's response to stress, explain why the motorist experienced (i) the physical changes that occurred immediately, and (ii) the physical changes that occurred after a few minutes.Show worked answer →
Four marks: two for the immediate response, two for the return to baseline.
(i) Immediate changes. The sudden threat triggers the fight-or-flight response. The sympathetic nervous system activates and the adrenal medulla releases adrenaline (and noradrenaline). This raises heart rate and pulse, redirects blood from non-essential systems (reducing saliva, so the mouth goes dry) and diverts resources from digestion (the churning stomach), preparing the body for rapid action.
(ii) Changes after a few minutes. Once the danger passes, the parasympathetic nervous system takes over and restores the body to homeostasis. Adrenaline levels fall, heart rate slows, saliva returns and digestion resumes, so the physical symptoms subside. Naming the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions and adrenaline secures full marks.
2019 SACE Stage 22 marksDescribe why a biological approach to coping with chronic stress (e.g. increasing relaxation, improving sleep, and starting regular exercise) is likely to be effective in the long term.Show worked answer →
Two marks: link the biological strategies to a physiological mechanism that reduces chronic arousal.
Chronic stress keeps the body in prolonged sympathetic arousal with sustained cortisol release, which over time damages physical health (raised blood pressure, weakened immune function). Biological coping strategies work by lowering this physiological arousal directly. Relaxation and improved sleep activate the parasympathetic nervous system and allow the body to recover and repair, while regular exercise metabolises stress hormones, releases endorphins and improves cardiovascular fitness. Because they target the underlying physical stress response rather than just the situation, these strategies build lasting resilience and are effective in the long term.