Selye's Stress Theory
1. Scope of the topic
During the last decades one major health issue has become more and more important in society: stress. There is nearly no newspaper that does not contain at least a short article blaming stress to be the cause of managers or athletes breaking down.1 But also students are being put under pressure as the school system consists in one year less time to deal with the same amount of studies. Also employees requirements for graduates contain a wide range of skills and knowledge as well as excellent grades in university.2 All this sets high pressure to perform on students.3
That is the reason why this academic piece of work will deal with the question of what stress in the theory of Hans Selye really is and to which extent it can be contrary to expectations beneficial for students.
As every individual can understand something completely different under the term4 in the first chapter stress is being defined. Building upon this in the second chapter Selye’s theory of the general adaptation syndrome is explained.
The third chapter then focuses on what skills are necessary for successful studies and what sources of stress can arise during the time at university. Finally the biological effects of stress as well as effects of Eustress on studies are laid down.
1
Cf. H. Selye (1976): p. 18-19
Cf. Cameron, S. (2008): p. 7
3
Cf. Middendorff, E. et al (2012): p. 52
4
Cf C.M. Aldwin (2007): p. 23
2
3
2. Stress according to Selye
Nowadays individuals greatest enemy seems to be stress. Everybody talks about it and everybody seems to have it.5 However according to Hans Selye stress is nothing that needs to be avoided but rather something that is unavoidable. It is a permanent companion in life that benefits not only personal development but also every kind of physical and mental enhancement.6 Even while sleeping the human body is under stress which is why Selye points out that the only possible moment where stress is not
During the last decades one major health issue has become more and more important in society: stress. There is nearly no newspaper that does not contain at least a short article blaming stress to be the cause of managers or athletes breaking down.1 But also students are being put under pressure as the school system consists in one year less time to deal with the same amount of studies. Also employees requirements for graduates contain a wide range of skills and knowledge as well as excellent grades in university.2 All this sets high pressure to perform on students.3
That is the reason why this academic piece of work will deal with the question of what stress in the theory of Hans Selye really is and to which extent it can be contrary to expectations beneficial for students.
As every individual can understand something completely different under the term4 in the first chapter stress is being defined. Building upon this in the second chapter Selye’s theory of the general adaptation syndrome is explained.
The third chapter then focuses on what skills are necessary for successful studies and what sources of stress can arise during the time at university. Finally the biological effects of stress as well as effects of Eustress on studies are laid down.
1
Cf. H. Selye (1976): p. 18-19
Cf. Cameron, S. (2008): p. 7
3
Cf. Middendorff, E. et al (2012): p. 52
4
Cf C.M. Aldwin (2007): p. 23
2
3
2. Stress according to Selye
Nowadays individuals greatest enemy seems to be stress. Everybody talks about it and everybody seems to have it.5 However according to Hans Selye stress is nothing that needs to be avoided but rather something that is unavoidable. It is a permanent companion in life that benefits not only personal development but also every kind of physical and mental enhancement.6 Even while sleeping the human body is under stress which is why Selye points out that the only possible moment where stress is not
Bibliography: Aldwin, C. M. (2007): Stress, Coping, and Development, The Guilford Press Bangasser, D Buchanan, T. W. and Lovallo, William R. (2000): Enhanced memory for emotional material following stress-level cortisol treatment in humans, elsevier Cameron, S. (2008): The Business Student’s Handbook, Prentice Hall Financial Times an imprint of Pearson Education Cottrell, S. (2010): Studieren Das Handbuch, Spektrum Akademischer Verlag Heidelberg Duncko, R Hildenbrand, A. (2005): Stress und Coping, Verlag Hans Huber Joëls, M Studierenden, HIS Hochschul-Informations-Systhem Gmbh Moshe Zeidner (1992): Sources of academic stress: the case of first year Jewish and Arab Satisfaction Among Undergraduates, Springer Sience+Business Media B.V. p 155-172 Professor Carswell, Mary et al (2007): General Business and Management, Online on the Selye, H. (1974): Stress, R. Piper & Co. Verlag, München Taverniers, J