The Engineering Model Of Stress

The Engineering model of stress was one of the first models to be introduced. It looks at stress as a stimulus characteristic of the person’s environment, typically

Stress can be broadly defined as any stimulus that disrupts homeostasis, with the stress response referring to physiological and behavioral reactions to such a stimulus (Selye, 1950). It

Stress is a psychological term that occurs when an individual perceives that environmental demands exceed his or her adaptive capacity.

According to Janeway1, “stress is a physical or psychological stimulus which, when impinging upon an individual , produces strain or disequilibrium”.1 Stress is a biological, physiological and behavioural response to environmental demands. An appropriate amount of stress has protective and adaptive functions however a high amount of stress can cause pathological changes or even death.4 Exposure to stress can lead to painful emotions such as anxiety or depression, as well as physical illness.3 People under an overwhelming amount of stress may experience tachycardia, palpitations and rapid breathing.7

The modern-day definition of stress is a rather new concept that was “coined” by Hans Selye just over 50 years ago. He defined stress as a non-specific response by the body to any demand for change. He also stated that stress was a physiological response, of which are mainly automatic and via the nervous system and endocrine system. Alternatively, the engineering model believes external stresses cause the stress reaction/strain in the individual. Therefore, stress is what happens to the person rather than a reaction to a situation. The clearest difference between the two definitions is that Selye states stress is a response by the body whilst the engineering model believes stress is the situation the person is in.

Stress is defined as the “non specific response of the body to any demand for change”. It was coined by Hans Selye in 1936. A highly subjective phenomenon. There are many signs of having/getting stress; Physical, Psychological, Behavioural and Emotional.

Humans frequently turn on the stress response that was intended to assist our survival in reaction to the everyday challenges we face. Professor Michael Marmot conducted a study in England of 28,000 people’s health over a course of 40 years. Each person was a British

Stress is described as a psychological and psychological and physical strain or tension generated by physical, emotional, social, economical or occupation circumstances, events, or experience that are difficult to manage or endure (Andrew M. Colman, 2015). Stress can affect all aspects of your life, which include your emotional, behaviours thinking ability, and psychical health (webmd, 2016). More than one in five Australian have reported mental health issue as a source of stress (psychology, 2014).

The engineering model of stress in psychology terms is based on Hooke’s law of elasticity. Hooke’s law was discovered in 1660 by scientist Robert Hooke who discovered that when stress is applied to an object it causes strain. The object will flex and bend to within the limits of its elasticity until the stress is removed, without suffering any damage. Once the stress is removed from the object it will return to its normal shape, and remain undamaged. If

Stress cannot have detrimental effects not only to our mental health, but also our overall physical wellbeing as well, as discussed in “Mastering the World of Psychology: Fifth Edition” (Wood, Wood, & Boyd, 2014). This textbook defines stress as “the physiological and psychological response to a condition that threatens or challenges an individual and requires some form of adaptation or adjustment” (Wood, Wood, & Boyd, 2014). And so, anything that causes individuals to change to keep mental or physical balance in life, is defined as a stressor.

Stress is defined as an automatic physical response to any stimulus that requires you to adjust to change.¹

Stress is a physical, mental, or emotional stimuli that causes bodily or mental tension. People often associate stress as experiencing feelings of anxiety. People who go through stress often report feeling overwhelmed and edgy. Stress can be

Psychological and physical well-being and the overall quality of life are under a constant threat of stress and thus, psychological and medical sciences have long been concerned with studying stress response. Cox (1979) claimed that because of the poor understanding and defining it, the concept of stress tends to be rather elusive. The term, “stress”, commonly describes any physchological or physical alteration that deranges the organism’s homeostasis (or balance). This essay reviews some of the biological factors involved in stress and it has been organized in the following way. The paper begins by briefly introducing the concept of stress. It will then go on to discus and describe the automatic response (fight or flight reaction),

Scientific research has confirmed that the different types of stress leads to long-term health problems. There are two types of stress; acute and chronic. Acute stress is temporary and “in the moment”, it causes the fight or flight response in the body. For example, narrowly avoiding a car accident, being stuck in traffic,

So what is stress? Stress is a normal physical response that happens when you feel threatened or upset. When you feel that you are in danger whether it is real or imaged. Your body has a response when stress occurs and it is a way of actually protecting you. Many times, stress helps people stay more focussed and energetic.