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.