5. Managing and Coping with Stress

About this Lecture

Lecture

In this lecture, we think about how we can manage and cope with stressful situations, focusing in particular on: (i) an idea first made popular in the 1950s which linked certain personality types (A, B and C) to a greater or lesser ability to manage stress and withstand stress-related illness; (ii) the fact that the idea of distinct personality types has become outdated in more recent research (iii) the impact certain environmental factors have on our ability to cope with stress; (iv) research into the link between the prenatal environment and an individual’s resilience to stress in later life; (v) factors which mediate our response to stress, including engaging in relaxing activities and having good social support and an optimistic outlook (vi) different interventions that can be used to help an individual cope with stress, including talking therapies and drug treatments.

Course

In this course, Dr Sarita Robinson (University of Central Lancashire) explores the topics of defining and measuring stress. In the first lecture, we think about how we can define stress. In the second lecture, we think about how the body responds to stress. In the third lecture, we think about the impact stress has on our health and well-being. Next, we think about different methods of measuring stress. In the fifth and final lecture, we think about how we can manage and cope with stressful situations.

Lecturer

Sarita Robinson (Psychology BSc - Lancaster University; Cognitive Sciences MSc - Manchester University) completed her PhD in Cognitive and Neuroimmune Responses to Threat at Lancaster University before joining the School of Psychology at UCLan in 2005. Sarita’s research interests mainly focus on cognitive neuropsychology and psychobiology in relation to people in survival situations. Sarita is also interested in the link between dental health and Alzheimer’s disease, the health benefits of Green space and Post-Traumatic Growth after trauma. Sarita is also passionate about science communication and undertakes extensive public engagement work.