Which theory explicitly describes stress as a transaction between the person and the environment, involving appraisal and coping?

Which theory explicitly describes stress as a transaction between the person and the environment, involving appraisal and coping?

• A. Stress as transaction (Lazarus)
• B. Stress as a process including internal and external demands and resources (Pearlin)
• C. Stress as stimulus (Holmes and Rahe)
• D. Stress as response (Selye)

Answer: (A)

This question tests the transactional model of stress and coping, which views stress as a dynamic transaction between the person and the environment. In Lazarus and Folkman’s framework, stress begins with appraisal: a primary appraisal determines if a situation is threatening or challenging, and a secondary appraisal assesses whether there are sufficient resources and options to cope. If demands exceed resources, coping processes are engaged, with strategies that can be problem-focused (addressing the challenge) or emotion-focused (managing emotional responses). The strength of this model lies in its emphasis on subjective evaluation and the ongoing interaction between person and environment, not just the external event or a physiological reaction. Other theories describe stress as a stimulus, a bodily response, or a broader process of demands and resources without centering the explicit transaction and appraisal that drives coping.

This question tests the transactional model of stress and coping, which views stress as a dynamic transaction between the person and the environment. In Lazarus and Folkman’s framework, stress begins with appraisal: a primary appraisal determines if a situation is threatening or challenging, and a secondary appraisal assesses whether there are sufficient resources and options to cope. If demands exceed resources, coping processes are engaged, with strategies that can be problem-focused (addressing the challenge) or emotion-focused (managing emotional responses). The strength of this model lies in its emphasis on subjective evaluation and the ongoing interaction between person and environment, not just the external event or a physiological reaction. Other theories describe stress as a stimulus, a bodily response, or a broader process of demands and resources without centering the explicit transaction and appraisal that drives coping.