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Stress

University of Nebraska - Lincoln

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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Music And Perceived Stress: An Investigation Into The Effects Of Music On Chemistry Students' Perceived Stress Levels, Alice Young, Eric Malina Jan 2024

Music And Perceived Stress: An Investigation Into The Effects Of Music On Chemistry Students' Perceived Stress Levels, Alice Young, Eric Malina

Honors Theses

Music has long been a prevalent intervention when trying to lower stress in certain populations (Thoma et al., 2013). This study aimed to explore the possible usefulness of music as an intervention for students experiencing stress in the chemistry laboratory setting. Students in general chemistry laboratories were surveyed regarding their stress at the ends of periods in which music was or was not played in their laboratory classes. While the results were not statistically significant, mean stress scores did lower in those groups where music was played. Further research into this topic should focus on type of music, the effects …


Early Executive Control Buffers Risk For Adolescent Psychopathology During The Covid‐19 Pandemic, Lauren M. Laifer, Cara C. Tomaso, Olivia D. Chang, Eric Phillips, Tiffany D. James, Jennifer Nelson, Kimberly Andrews Espy, W. Alex Mason, Timothy D. Nelson May 2023

Early Executive Control Buffers Risk For Adolescent Psychopathology During The Covid‐19 Pandemic, Lauren M. Laifer, Cara C. Tomaso, Olivia D. Chang, Eric Phillips, Tiffany D. James, Jennifer Nelson, Kimberly Andrews Espy, W. Alex Mason, Timothy D. Nelson

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has had a global impact on youth mental health, and there is a critical need for research examining individual factors that contribute to increased psychopathology during the pandemic. The current study explored whether executive control (EC) abilities in early childhood interact with COVID‐related stress to attenuate risk for adolescent psychopathology during the first 6 months of the pandemic.

Methods: Participants were 337 youth (49% female) living in a small midwestern city in the United States. Participants completed EC tasks when they were approximately 4.5 years old as part of a longitudinal …


Developing An Ecological Model Of Turnover Intent: Associations Among Child Welfare Caseworkers’ Characteristics, Lived Experience, Professional Attitudes, Agency Culture, And Proclivity To Leave, Dana M. Hollinshead, Rebecca Orsi Jan 2023

Developing An Ecological Model Of Turnover Intent: Associations Among Child Welfare Caseworkers’ Characteristics, Lived Experience, Professional Attitudes, Agency Culture, And Proclivity To Leave, Dana M. Hollinshead, Rebecca Orsi

QIC-WD Journal Articles

Almost a quarter of the child welfare workforce leaves their job each year, and despite clarion calls over the decades, our insights into dynamics underlying turnover remain limited. Using survey data from 276 caseworkers in a Midwestern state, this analysis explores an array of personality, stress, attitudinal, and perception measures and their association with three measures of turnover intent: thinking about quitting, intending to search, and intent to leave. Findings indicate that controlling for demographic factors, burnout, and confidence in decision support from agency leadership had consistent and strong associations with all three outcomes (positive for burnout; negative for decision …


Role Stress, Sarah Stepanek, Megan Paul Jul 2022

Role Stress, Sarah Stepanek, Megan Paul

Umbrella Summaries

What is role stress? A work role consists of “a pattern of behaviors perceived by an employee as behaviors that are expected” (Tubre & Collins, 2000, p. 156). When perceived work role expectations are unclear, incompatible with other expected behaviors, or too much to handle, role stress is said to occur (Tubre & Collins, 2000). Role stress is typically broken down into three main types: role ambiguity, role conflict, and role overload. Role ambiguity refers to a situation in which employees are unsure about what their responsibilities are, what behaviors are expected of them, and what the standards are for …


Coping Matters: An Examination Of Coping Among Black Americans During Covid-19, Caitlin M. Mercier, Dena M. Abbott, Michael S. Ternes Jan 2022

Coping Matters: An Examination Of Coping Among Black Americans During Covid-19, Caitlin M. Mercier, Dena M. Abbott, Michael S. Ternes

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Using a critical race theory framework and a convergent mixed-method design, this study examined the relationship between coping with stress and psychological distress among Black U.S. Americans (N = 155) during the COVID-19 pandemic in the context of race-based stressors (e.g., anti-Black racism). Path analysis revealed mixed support for hypotheses; avoidant coping was positively related to all measured facets of psychological distress, whereas socially supported coping was associated with none. Self-sufficient coping was negatively associated with only depressive symptoms. Qualitative analysis revealed four salient themes: (a) Race and the COVID-19 Pandemic, (b) Complex Pandemic Related Changes to Life, (c) …


Partner Support And Connection Protect Couples During Pregnancy: A Daily Diary Investigation, Shaina A. Kumar, Rebecca L. Brock, David Dilillo Jan 2022

Partner Support And Connection Protect Couples During Pregnancy: A Daily Diary Investigation, Shaina A. Kumar, Rebecca L. Brock, David Dilillo

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Objective: The objective of the current study was to examine associations between daily subjective stress and relationship satisfaction as a function of two protective factors—partner support and connection (i.e., intimacy, passion, and commitment)—among couples during pregnancy. Background: Stress brought into the intimate relationship by each partner is often associated with relational dissatisfaction and discord, referred to as stress spillover. Although much research has focused on risk for poor relational outcomes associated with partner stress, it is equally important to focus on resilience. Method: We examined this phenomenon among 154 couples navigating pregnancy. Couples attended an initial laboratory session and then …


Workplace Incivility, Megan Paul Dec 2021

Workplace Incivility, Megan Paul

Umbrella Summaries

What is workplace incivility? Workplace incivility refers to “low-intensity deviant behavior with ambiguous intent to harm the target, in violation of workplace norms for mutual respect. Uncivil behaviors are characteristically rude and discourteous, displaying a lack of regard for others” (Anderson & Pearson, 1999, p. 457). Though there is some conceptual and empirical overlap between incivility and ostracism, bullying, and abusive supervision, incivility is considered distinct (Yao et al., 2021). Incivility has been examined from the perspective of both the victim and the instigator, exploring factors related to being the target of incivility and factors related to engaging in uncivil …


Supportive Supervision And Resilience Alliance To Address Secondary Trauma In Ohio: Preliminary Findings On Impact, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development Jul 2021

Supportive Supervision And Resilience Alliance To Address Secondary Trauma In Ohio: Preliminary Findings On Impact, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

Other QIC-WD Products

In early 2018, as part of a needs assessment process, the Quality Improvement Center for Workforce Development (QIC-WD) conducted surveys with 588 Ohio child welfare workers across nine counties to assess organizational culture and climate (OCC), and secondary traumatic stress (STS). The results found that the organizational culture and climate across all participating counties was above average in rigidity and resistance, and below average in engagement. In addition, 53% of respondents experienced elevated levels of STS symptoms. STS can mimic the symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (Bride, 2007) including nightmares, sleep disruption, avoidance, and irritability. STS in child welfare has …


Supporting The Child Welfare Workforce During The Coronavirus Pandemic: Addressing Worker Stress And Trauma, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development Apr 2021

Supporting The Child Welfare Workforce During The Coronavirus Pandemic: Addressing Worker Stress And Trauma, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

Other QIC-WD Products

Studies and our own assessment of secondary trauma in the eight QIC-WD study sites indicate that up to 75% of child welfare caseworkers, especially those with high caseloads and exposure to traumatized families and children, are at risk of experiencing secondary traumatic stress and PTSD. The Coronavirus pandemic exacerbated an already beleaguered workforce. Data from previous pandemics is alarming. Research from the SARS pandemic indicates that survivors often developed PTSD which could last for many years. Those most affected were health care workers who, similar to child welfare workers, were impacted by the social isolation imposed by authorities to contain …


Workaholism, Megan Paul Jan 2021

Workaholism, Megan Paul

Umbrella Summaries

What is workaholism? The term was coined 50 years ago and referred to the uncontrollable need to work incessantly (Oates, 1971). Since then, many different definitions have emerged, with variations related to what exactly workaholism looks like (e.g., degree of enjoyment and engagement), why it occurs (e.g., personality), and its outcomes (e.g., on health, work-life balance), among others (Clark, Smith, & Haynes, 2020). Because many of these approaches confuse workaholism with related but distinct concepts (e.g., causes and effects), the following definition has recently been suggested as a more pure description: 1) an inner pressure or compulsion to work, 2) …


Occupational Stressors And Their Influence On Social, Physical And Psychological Parameters Among The Lis Professionals In University Libraries Of Gujarat: A Study, Pradip Patel Phd, Mahesh Parmar Phd, Prayatkar Kanadiya Phd, Ranjan Makwana Phd Jan 2021

Occupational Stressors And Their Influence On Social, Physical And Psychological Parameters Among The Lis Professionals In University Libraries Of Gujarat: A Study, Pradip Patel Phd, Mahesh Parmar Phd, Prayatkar Kanadiya Phd, Ranjan Makwana Phd

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The pressure experienced by any working professional in their working surroundings called occupation stress is the reaction when characteristics and working conditions do not match with capacity, resources, environment, and needs of the professionals. LIS field is basically a core service sector and LIS professionals are also suffering with certain stressors. physical or psychological suffering caused by stress reduces the man-hours, indirectly reflects in productivity. library professionals experience constant changes in technology, fraction in the budgetary allotment, extensive workload, public dealing all above can make side effect of internal stress. The current study attempted to identify certain stressors and their …


Categories Of Stress Among Librarians In Public Universities: The Causes And Effects., Kwame Kodua-Ntim Phd, Emmanuel Adjei Phd, Harry Akussah Phd Jan 2021

Categories Of Stress Among Librarians In Public Universities: The Causes And Effects., Kwame Kodua-Ntim Phd, Emmanuel Adjei Phd, Harry Akussah Phd

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The study aimed at investigating the causes and effects of stress encountered by library staff of the University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and the University of Cape Coast and the various categories of stress. Using the purposive, simple random and convenience sampling techniques, the researcher sampled 153 respondents from UG, KNUST and UCC to respond to the questionnaire and interview questions. Descriptive statistics (Means and Standard Deviation), inferential statistics (Multiple Regression and ANOVA) were used for the quantitative analysis while content thematic analysis was used for the qualitative analysis. The study among other things found …


The Role Of Faculty In Fostering Psychosocial Wellbeing Among University Students, Kelley Wick Dec 2020

The Role Of Faculty In Fostering Psychosocial Wellbeing Among University Students, Kelley Wick

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The transition to college represents a major life event, and successfully navigating this shift has implications for students’ psychosocial wellbeing. While there is ample support for the idea that social relationships can facilitate student wellbeing during the transition to college, there is limited understanding of the unique role faculty may play in supporting students. The aim of this study was to determine the relation of faculty support to student wellbeing and self-efficacy, independent of peer support and student level of stress. Additionally, the primary questions were to examine whether self-efficacy mediated the relation of faculty support to student wellbeing, and …


Thriving, Megan Paul Nov 2020

Thriving, Megan Paul

Umbrella Summaries

What is thriving? Thriving is defined as “a positive psychological state in which individuals experience both a sense of vitality and a sense of learning at work” (Spreitzer, Sutcliffe, Dutton, Sonenshein, & Grant, 2005, p. 538). Vitality refers to feeling energized, and learning is about experiencing personal growth and development (Spreitzer et al., 2005). The most popular measure of thriving includes ten items, with instructions to think about the questions in relation to work (Porath, Spreitzer, Gibson, & Garnett, 2012). Examples of vitality items include, “I have energy and spirit” and “I feel alive and vital,” and examples of learning …


Assessment Of The Ways Stress Affects The Occupational Performance Of Librarians In Federal University Libraries In South East, Nigeria, Enweremadu Isaac Usuka Cln, Ebubechukwu Okonkwo Cln, Abu Umaru Isaac Cln, Collins Odili Cln Jul 2020

Assessment Of The Ways Stress Affects The Occupational Performance Of Librarians In Federal University Libraries In South East, Nigeria, Enweremadu Isaac Usuka Cln, Ebubechukwu Okonkwo Cln, Abu Umaru Isaac Cln, Collins Odili Cln

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Stress has been identified as one of the factors that affect the job performance level of employees. The paper investigated the effect of stress on the occupational performance of librarians in federal university libraries in South East, Nigeria. Three specific objectives and research questions that focused on causes of stress, effect of stress on the occupational performance of librarians and the strategies for encouraging stress management practices guided the study. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. The entire population of 191 librarians were studied; therefore, no sampling was made. A 43 items questionnaire was used for data collection. Cronbach …


Managing Stress While Working From Home During The Pandemic: Strategies For Self-Care, Andrew Winters Jun 2020

Managing Stress While Working From Home During The Pandemic: Strategies For Self-Care, Andrew Winters

Other QIC-WD Products

Stress is often driven by feeling a lack of control over things you once had control over. This lack of control can create feelings of anxiety, depression, and even anger. This blog post highlights some elements of self-care that can help you stay present and regain a sense of control where you can. Manage your newsfeed How much information are you consuming about the pandemic? Too much news can add to your stress. Try to minimize your consumption of news about the outbreak to once a day, preferably in print format (e.g. magazines, newspapers) and limit your exposure to media …


What We Know About Pandemics And The Stress They Cause, Anita Barbee Jun 2020

What We Know About Pandemics And The Stress They Cause, Anita Barbee

Other QIC-WD Products

Pandemics are not new, but they significantly impact how we work, socialize, and manage our health. This can be especially difficult for those in the helping professions for whom face-to-face contact and travel are part of their daily routine. This blog post explains what a pandemic is and the stress that it causes. What is a Pandemic? When the spread of a disease escalates, it can become a pandemic, affecting a wide geographical area and a significant portion of the population. Pandemics are marked by uncertainty, confusion, and a sense of urgency which may be exacerbated by the inundation of …


Mindfulness, Megan Paul Jun 2020

Mindfulness, Megan Paul

Umbrella Summaries

What is mindfulness? Mindfulness is described as “paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally” (Kabat-Zinn, 1994, p. 22). Instead of being on autopilot and reacting in reflexive and mindless ways, perhaps with a focus on the past or the future, it is about being fully aware of and present in the moments of our lives. The nonjudgmental aspect is about not leaping to “likes and dislikes, opinions and prejudices, projections and expectations” (Kabat-Zinn, 1994, p. 23) and instead observing without evaluating. Mindfulness is considered both a trait and a state. Trait mindfulness refers …


Application Of Bibliometric Laws And Literature Mapping On “Stress”, Asifa Ali, Afreen Niyaz Miss, Naheed Vaida Prof., Farhat Hassan Wani Dr. Jan 2020

Application Of Bibliometric Laws And Literature Mapping On “Stress”, Asifa Ali, Afreen Niyaz Miss, Naheed Vaida Prof., Farhat Hassan Wani Dr.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Today we are living in global ICT market, where technology, user perception, competition, International rivals, culture and social environment are increasingly changing day by day than our expectations. We have to prepare ourselves according to the rapid changes of ICT in fast changing environment. If we fail to face these challenges and demands, we would easily fall into the trap of stress. Stress is a negative consequence of modern living. People are stressed due to overwork, job insecurity, health related issues, multiple responsibilities and increase in pace of life. Pascal (1992) defined stress in terms of perceived environmental situation which …


The Protective Influence Of Self-Compassion Against Internalized Racism Among African Americans, Alexandra Emery Oct 2019

The Protective Influence Of Self-Compassion Against Internalized Racism Among African Americans, Alexandra Emery

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Racist experiences and internalized racism may lead to poorer mental health outcomes for African Americans born and socialized in the United States (Graham, West, Martinez & Roemer, 2016; Mouzon & McLean, 2017). Self-compassion has been shown to protect against poor mental health outcomes, but limited research exists with respect to African Americans specifically (Lockard, Hayes, Neff and Locke, 2014). The present study explored whether self-compassion could serve as a protective factor between the relations of internalized racism and racist experiences, and the negative mental health outcomes of anxiety, depression, and stress among (N = 230) African American adults. To …


Improving Librarians’ Occupational Performance Through Stress Management Strategies: An Overview, Usuka Enweremadu Isaac Department Of Library And Information Science, Faculty Of Education, Nwachukwu Ndubuisi Victor Professor, Department Of Library And Information Science, Faculty Of Education, Ekere Chimaobi Felix Professor, Department Of Library And Information Science, Faculty Of Education Apr 2019

Improving Librarians’ Occupational Performance Through Stress Management Strategies: An Overview, Usuka Enweremadu Isaac Department Of Library And Information Science, Faculty Of Education, Nwachukwu Ndubuisi Victor Professor, Department Of Library And Information Science, Faculty Of Education, Ekere Chimaobi Felix Professor, Department Of Library And Information Science, Faculty Of Education

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Abstract

Librarians occupational performance include their task, contextual and adaptive performance which are practical and strategic tools for achieving libraries’ set objectives. Stress management strategies are activities, readjustments, methods and techniques that are employed in managing, dealing, coping, reducing and eradicating the harmful effects of stress. The paper discussed improving librarians’ occupational performance through stress management strategies as an overview. It was established that stress management strategies help librarians in dealing, handling and coping with stress and its harmful effects. Librarians can achieve high occupational performance when they are stress free. The paper explored an overview of librarians’ occupational performance, …


Gendered Responses To Stress: Differences Across Type Of Stressor And Mental Health Outcomes, Erin Voichoski May 2018

Gendered Responses To Stress: Differences Across Type Of Stressor And Mental Health Outcomes, Erin Voichoski

Honors Theses

It is well known in mental health literature that men and women tend to manifest distinct mental health outcomes. Specifically, women tend to report higher levels of internalizing symptoms, such as depression and anxiety, whereas men tend to report higher levels of externalizing symptoms, such as alcohol abuse and antisocial behavior. This research will further explore the relationship between stress and mental health, as well as the moderating effect of gender. Drawing from the differential vulnerability hypothesis and self-salience theory, I take a novel approach to examining a variety of stressors and mental health outcomes. I assess whether stressors that …


"I Never Expected This": Expectancy Violations And Stress In Millennials, Sarah Pogue Apr 2018

"I Never Expected This": Expectancy Violations And Stress In Millennials, Sarah Pogue

Honors Theses

Millennials are said to be the most stressed out age group in the United States (Coccia, & Darling, 2016). Between general life stressors and the new stress that has emerged due to the increase in technology and social communication, millennials are simply overloaded with stress from all angles. In order to communicate and make sense of this stress, most millennials find themselves discussing these stressful events with their close friends. In fact, according to Jody Koenig Kellas, Haley Kranstuber Horstman, Erin K. Willer, and Kirsten Car (2015), 95% of people tell stories about stressful events soon after they occur to …


Understanding The Roles Of Connection To Nature, Mindfulness, And Distress On Psychological Well-Being, Tuyen N. Huynh May 2017

Understanding The Roles Of Connection To Nature, Mindfulness, And Distress On Psychological Well-Being, Tuyen N. Huynh

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

A plethora of research has documented the negative effects of distress on physical and psychological well-being. However, past research showed that connection to nature and mindfulness reduce distress and improve psychological well-being. Unfortunately, the processes through which mindfulness is associated to connection to nature during the recovery from distress is unknown. Understanding the aspects of how connection to nature and mindfulness independently and jointly relate to well-being increases our existing knowledge of the health benefits associated with these constructs. Therefore, the current study had three foci: (1) the relationships between connection to nature (CN), mindfulness, and distress to psychological well-being …


Stress Exposure And Physical, Mental, And Behavioral Health Among American Indian Adults With Type 2 Diabetes, Melissa L. Walls, Kelley J. Sittner Hartshorn, Benjamin D. Aronson, Angie K. Forsberg, Les B. Whitbeck, Mustafa Al'absi Jan 2017

Stress Exposure And Physical, Mental, And Behavioral Health Among American Indian Adults With Type 2 Diabetes, Melissa L. Walls, Kelley J. Sittner Hartshorn, Benjamin D. Aronson, Angie K. Forsberg, Les B. Whitbeck, Mustafa Al'absi

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

American Indian (AI) communities experience disproportionate exposure to stressors and health inequities including type 2 diabetes. Yet, we know little about the role of psychosocial stressors for AI diabetes-related health outcomes. We investigated associations between a range of stressors and psychological, behavioral, and physical health for AIs with diabetes. This community-based participatory research with 5 AI tribes includes 192 AI adult type 2 diabetes patients recruited from clinical records at tribal clinics. Data are from computer-assisted interviews and medical charts. We found consistent bivariate relationships between chronic to discrete stressors and mental and behavioral health outcomes; several remained even after …


Three Studies Examining The Mechanisms Linking Stress Exposure To Delinquency And Substance Use Among North American Indigenous Adolescents, Dane Steven Hautala Jul 2016

Three Studies Examining The Mechanisms Linking Stress Exposure To Delinquency And Substance Use Among North American Indigenous Adolescents, Dane Steven Hautala

Department of Sociology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Objective: The purpose of this dissertation research was to examine in three separate studies the mechanisms linking a variety of stressors to delinquency/substance use among North American Indigenous (i.e., American Indian and Canadian First Nations) youth.

Method: Data for the three empirical chapters come from an eight-wave longitudinal study of 676 Indigenous youth and their caretakers from three U.S. reservations and four Canadian First Nations reserves.

Study 1 Results: The objective was to examine the intergenerational transmission of problem behavior from female caretakers to their children via caretaker stress exposure, psychosocial functioning, and parenting practices. Early caretaker …


Into The Gap: A Mixed Methods Study Of Acculturation, Stress, And Refugee Family Functioning, Kieu Anh T. Do May 2016

Into The Gap: A Mixed Methods Study Of Acculturation, Stress, And Refugee Family Functioning, Kieu Anh T. Do

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Every day, new waves of refugees result from increasing social, political and environmental instabilities around the world. Numerous studies have detailed the various stressors and adjustment issues that refugees face when resettled in a new host society. The majority of these studies focus on individual-level variables and not on the family as a whole. Thus, more studies are needed to understand how refugee families adjust in the resettlement context in order to promote positive outcomes. Studies that have examined family-level functioning often focus on how acculturative differences increase stress in refugee families, contributing to higher levels of familial tension and …


The Contribution Of A Polygenic Risk Score To Individual Differences In Aggressive Behavior: The Moderating And Mediating Roles Of Stressful Events, Christa C. Christ Apr 2016

The Contribution Of A Polygenic Risk Score To Individual Differences In Aggressive Behavior: The Moderating And Mediating Roles Of Stressful Events, Christa C. Christ

Department of Psychology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Although aggression can be beneficial in certain situations (e.g. playing sports, self-defense), excessive and inappropriate aggression can lead to adverse physical and psychological health outcomes in both perpetrators and victims. Genetic susceptibility to negative environments can increase the likelihood of aggressive behavior in the context of situational risk factors. Low efficiency of serotonin neurotransmission and exposure to stress appear to play a prominent role in the etiology of aggressive behavior. A set of three studies assessed the contribution of polygenic risk (TPH2 rs4570625, SLC6A4 5-HTTLPR+rs25531, HTR1B rs13212041, MAOA uVNTR) to aggressive behavior, including alcohol-related aggression, in university students at varying …


Nature As A Buffer: The Physiological Effects Of Exposure To Nature On Stress, Tyler J. Stading, Jeffrey R. Stevens Apr 2016

Nature As A Buffer: The Physiological Effects Of Exposure To Nature On Stress, Tyler J. Stading, Jeffrey R. Stevens

UCARE Research Products

Exposure to images of nature following a stressful event can reduce physiological measures associated with stress. The objectives of this study was to determine whether exposure to nature before the stressor can buffer the stress response. We varied whether nature or urban images were viewed before or after a stressor and measured galvanic skin response in our participants. We describe how order of presenting the stressor influences nature’s calming effect on physiology.


Stress And Eyewitness Memory: Timing Of Stressor And Association With Cortisol Stress Responding, Timothy Ryan Robicheaux Mar 2015

Stress And Eyewitness Memory: Timing Of Stressor And Association With Cortisol Stress Responding, Timothy Ryan Robicheaux

Department of Psychology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Witnesses to and victims of criminal events can face significant stress during such encounters. Stress responding consists of a multitude of responses (e.g., anxiety, cardiovascular changes, cortisol responding). In the current study, I utilized a physiological stressor (i.e., the cold-pressor test) and a facial recognition paradigm to examine the relationship between cortisol change following stress exposure and memory accuracy. More specifically, I examined whether cortisol levels at specific memory stages (i.e., acquisition and retrieval) predicted stress responding differently.

Findings suggested that individual differences in cortisol stress responding to the cold-pressor test predicted facial recognition when peak cortisol was at a …