Stress and Workload

Stress

The body's non-specific response to any demand.

• Stressor: The external factor (Noise, Vibration, Divorce, Exams).
• Stress Response: The internal/physiological reaction (Adrenaline, fight or flight).
  • Acute: Short term, intense (Emergency).
  • Chronic: Long term, persisting (Financial trouble, health issues). Dangerous as it drains reserves.

Arousal (Yerkes-Dodson Law)

Performance relates to arousal (stimulation/alertness) in an inverted U-curve.

• Under-arousal (Boredom): Low performance, complacency, missed cues.
• Optimum Arousal: Peak performance.
• Over-arousal (Panic): Performance drops sharply. Tunnel vision, regression to old habits, cognitive narrowing.

Coping Strategies

• Action Coping: Removing the stressor (Fixing the problem).
• Cognitive Coping: Changing how you think about the stressor ("I can handle this").
• Symptom-Directed Coping: Treating the symptoms (Alcohol, Drugs) - Negative/Harmful.