Question

One study participant described overeating in response to a sense of anxiety about the state of the world, especially in relation to global climate change and the poor economy. This anxiety most closely reflects the effect of which kind of stressor?

1) Acute
2) Microstressor
3) Crisis
4) Ambient

Answer 1

The study participant's anxiety about global climate change and the poor economy reflects the effect of an ambient stressor, which is persistent and part of the environment, leading to long-term stress due to difficulties in control and pervasiveness.

Step-by-step explanation:

The kind of stressor that the study participant is experiencing in response to anxiety about global climate change and the poor economy is an ambient stressor. Ambient stressors are persistent and pervasive stimuli in the environment, such as noise or pollution, that are not acute but can still lead to long-term stress because they are part of the background environment and not easily controllable. The participant's anxiety over global issues can be seen as a form of ambient stress given how pervasive and persistent these worries are, as well as how they are related to the context in which one lives. The sense of overwhelm and inability to control such global concerns is typical of an ambient stressor's impact on an individual's well-being.

Stress can be chronic or acute, and the interpretation or appraisal of stressors can significantly affect one's experience of stress. Stressors such as those described by the study participant are viewed as a consistent source of threat or challenge, triggering stress responses that can have negative health consequences when they are persistent.