Question

Imagine that a friend has just lost his job, which was helping him to cover tuition costs. Apply Lazarus and Folkman's cognitive theory of stress and describe his potential reactions to this job loss. In your answer, be sure to describe the following: Stressful Event, Primary Appraisal, Secondary Appraisal, and Stress Response.

Answer 1

Lazarus and Folkman's cognitive theory of stress was proposed by them in the year 1984. The theory reasoned that stress is a two-way process, which takes into account the production of stressors by the environment and the reaction or response of an individual, who is subjected to these stressors.

STRESSFUL EVENT:

If a friend has just lost his job, obviously, he must be under tremendous stress and pressure, as the income from the job was enabling him to pay his tution costs. He also must be facing loss of confidence and self-esteem. Depression and a feeling of gloom is bound to set in. He must be experiencing vulnerability and future- threat. His ability to cope with the situation will appear more stressful than the event of losing his job itself. These feelings will affect his well-being.

Appraisal means assessment. An appraisal is very necessary in every stressful event. Here, we have to gauge the emotions faced by the friend and his coping mechanism.

PRIMARY APPRAISAL:

Primary Appraisal is what the friend feels in this situation, whether he is in a threatening or a challenging situation. If he feels that he is in a very difficult and threatening position, he will experience a myriad of emotions like anger, disappointment, worry, anxiety, depression, agitation. He will panic and may cause himself an injury. If he thinks in a positive manner and takes on this situation as a challenge, he can see that this loss of job might be a boon and he can seek more lucrative work to increase his monetary gain and which will also lead to his professional growth.

SECONDARY APPRAISAL:

In secondary appraisal, the friend can evaluate and ascertain whatever resources are available to him to deal and survive the situation. He may have the talent, educational qualifications and experience which can help him to secure another job. He can select between Internal options like his determination, drive, strength of will, tenacity and dedication, which are his inherent characteristics or External options like seeking guidance from his friends, peers or he can also opt for professional help like recruitment agencies or job sites, which will help him to find new employment. He can also go for counselling, which will help him to regain his composure and sanity.

STRESS RESPONSE:

According to Lazarus and Folkman's cognitive theory of stress, stress response is how an individual reacts to the pressure caused by a certain event or situation. Stress response stems from an individual's appraisal of resources available with him to deal with the situation. Here, if the friend is a person with a positive outlook and is confident enough that he has the ability to secure another employment, he can manage to come out of his shock of losing his job. Here the stress caused to him will be limited. But if he feels that he cannot get another work, maybe due to his lack of significant educational qualifications or low confidence, he will experience considerable amount of stress, agitation and will be apprehensive about his future prospects.