Stress as a psychological phenomenon

Abstract

This article provides a theoretical analysis of the problem of stress as a psychological phenomenon. The different meaning of stress for different people in different conditions is considered. The first attempts and isolation of the concept by the author Hans Selye are studied: «Stress is a non—specific reaction of the body to any requirement.» The definitions of a number of outstanding psychologists who gave their definitions of stress as a psychological phenomenon and their vision of the problem are highlighted. The sources of stress, its biological and psychological components are highlighted. Psychological areas of stress have been identified. The authors provide a brief overview of the history of stress by date, highlight the main terms, symptoms and phases of stress. To fully understand the phenomenon of stress, various approaches are considered: biological, psychological and social in the study of stress. The article presents various stress models that represent and define concepts related to stress processes and combine situational requirements, individual and social resources. The considered models allow us to show the connections that exist between stimuli and the response to stress. The transactional model of stress describes its occurrence when a person perceives a situation he has encountered as difficult and does not immediately understand how to cope with it, that is, any situation can be a stressor. Selye’s model, according to which stress is an interaction between an external change and the body’s response to this change. Sociological models that focus on the development of stress in a social context, a model of crises of professional satisfaction, models of health and illness. Lazarus and Folkman stress model emphasizes the importance of cognitive assessment, in which stress does not exist by itself, but reflects a person’s perception.