Final answer:
Lazarus's Cognitive Transactional Model of Stress is a psychological theory that explains stress as a product of a cognitive appraisal process, where emotions result from the appraisal of a stimulus, leading to the emotional response. This appraisal process consists of a primary and secondary appraisal to evaluate threat and coping resources.
Step-by-step explanation:
Lazarus's Cognitive Transactional Model of Stress
The Cognitive Transactional Model of Stress, developed by psychologist Richard Lazarus in 1991, posits that the experience of stress is a result of a cognitive appraisal process. This theory suggests that individuals evaluate potential stressors in their environment in a two-step process that involves a primary appraisal and a secondary appraisal.
The primary appraisal assesses whether the event is harmful, threatening, or challenging, whereas the secondary appraisal considers the individual's coping resources and options for dealing with the stressor.
Lazarus's model emphasizes the role of cognitive processes, suggesting that emotions are determined by the individual's appraisal of a situation. This appraisal mediates between the stimulus and the emotional response and occurs immediately, often unconsciously.
It differs from the Schachter-Singer model by asserting that the appraisal precedes any cognitive labeling of the emotion.
The significance of Lazarus's work lies in its application to understanding the relationship between stress, health, and lifestyle. It highlights how personal interpretations of events, as well as the perceived ability to cope with them, are crucial in determining emotional and physiological responses to stress.
The model has implications for stress management interventions that focus on altering cognitions to reduce stress.