preview

Environmental Stressors Essay

Best Essays

Environmental Stressors
When people are not content with their circumstances, they can adapt by either adjusting to or altering their living environment to make it more pleasant. However, this trait of flexibility meets daily challenges involving external forces, such as crime, war, natural catastrophes, or developments in technology, in addition to internal forces, such as seeking greater material goods. When these forces combine to threaten adaptability in humans, it is commonly known as stress (Veitch & Arkkelin, 1995). To deal with stress, one must first understand what it entails. By understanding the concept of stress as well as the physiology and psychology of it, one may identify atmospheric environmental stressors and …show more content…

The problem with this response-based approach is that an increasing heart rate as well as other immediate responses can also be a response to completely different stimuli than stress, such as when a person is simply exercising (Veitch & Arkkelin, 1995).
Other theorists emphasize the impact of environmental events on human functioning. These events can include major changes in an individual’s life or simply the noise level and air quality surrounding one at a particular moment; in other words, anything that may have an influence on one’s responses after either prolonged exposure or immediately. According to these theorists, an example of a stressful environment may be one with a very high noise level. However, this approach does not consider individual preference; some people can study while listening to music whereas others prefer to be in complete silence. It also does not consider the context of the environmental event; loud noise levels, such as music, can be enjoyable at a party, but stressful while trying to watch television (Veitch & Arkkelin, 1995).
Although the exact definition of stress has yet to be articulated, stress unmistakably exists and appears to include responses that can help individuals meet the demands of their changing environment and in some cases even alter that environment. These responses can be behavioral, psychological, and physiological (Veitch & Arkkelin, 1995).
Physiology and psychology of stress refers to how the body

Get Access