stress and coping
1. Do you think mimicking a genuine smile can help to reduce levels of stress? Why or why not?
Stress is a negative feeling induced by a wide range of stressors which brings forth changes to our body physically and mentally. Intense and prolonged pressure would make us stressful and lead to the warning signal of our body showing that we are more vulnerable to stress-related disorders such as heart disease and depression (Kemeny, 2003). Therefore, when human beings encounter stress, they would adopt various methods to cope with it trying to transform the stressful feeling into a more relaxed one. The method of mimicking a genuine smile suggested by Tara and Sarah can help to reduce levels of stress due to the recovery rate to a certain extent.
As discovered by the researchers, the participants who has mimicking a genuine smile showing that they are less stressful and resulted in a faster physiological recovery rate after participating in two stressful tasks namely mental challenge and pain task than those mimicking a fake or even no smile. The General Adaptation Syndrome indicated that our body would pass through the alarm stage by mobilizing the body to the stage of resistance by coping with the threats and restoring equilibrium (Selye, 1976). According to the theory of ‘Fight and Flight’, when we are coping with stress, our body would send physiological response to mobilize the organism to attack the possible threat or to flee. During the process, heartbeat, perspiration and respiration rate would increase. (Cannon, 1932). A faster recovery rate shows that a method is able to cope with stress and has resisted the attack of possible threats into equilibrium. The recovery rate of mimicking a genuine smile is measured by the level of heart rate and stress which is scientifically reliable. Therefore, the new method coping with stress is able to help reduce level of stress because of a faster recovery rate than mimicking a fake or no smile.
Moreover, the
Stress is a negative feeling induced by a wide range of stressors which brings forth changes to our body physically and mentally. Intense and prolonged pressure would make us stressful and lead to the warning signal of our body showing that we are more vulnerable to stress-related disorders such as heart disease and depression (Kemeny, 2003). Therefore, when human beings encounter stress, they would adopt various methods to cope with it trying to transform the stressful feeling into a more relaxed one. The method of mimicking a genuine smile suggested by Tara and Sarah can help to reduce levels of stress due to the recovery rate to a certain extent.
As discovered by the researchers, the participants who has mimicking a genuine smile showing that they are less stressful and resulted in a faster physiological recovery rate after participating in two stressful tasks namely mental challenge and pain task than those mimicking a fake or even no smile. The General Adaptation Syndrome indicated that our body would pass through the alarm stage by mobilizing the body to the stage of resistance by coping with the threats and restoring equilibrium (Selye, 1976). According to the theory of ‘Fight and Flight’, when we are coping with stress, our body would send physiological response to mobilize the organism to attack the possible threat or to flee. During the process, heartbeat, perspiration and respiration rate would increase. (Cannon, 1932). A faster recovery rate shows that a method is able to cope with stress and has resisted the attack of possible threats into equilibrium. The recovery rate of mimicking a genuine smile is measured by the level of heart rate and stress which is scientifically reliable. Therefore, the new method coping with stress is able to help reduce level of stress because of a faster recovery rate than mimicking a fake or no smile.
Moreover, the
References: if any: Jeffrey S. N., & Spencer A. R. (2010). Psychology and the challenges of life-Adjustment and growth. Kemeny, M. E. (2003). The psychobiology of stress. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 12, 124-129. Selye, H. (1976). The stress of life (rev.ed.).New York: McGraw-Hill. Appendices, if any: