In a daily diary study of 34 older widows, researchers found that their stress and anxiety levels were significantly reduced on days during which the widows felt greater perceived control (Ong, Bergeman, & Bisconti, 2005).

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A greater sense of personal control is associated with lower emotional and physical reactivity to stressors in daily life. For instance, research has shown that individuals with higher levels of perceived control subsequently exhibit less reactivity to interpersonal stressors. Another study involving older widows found that on days they reported a greater sense of control, their levels of stress and anxiety were significantly lower.

Perceived Control and Reduced Reactivity to Stressors

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

Read the following scenario. Based on psychological principles regarding reactions to stressors, which employee is likely to experience a lower level of stress-related physical and emotional reactivity, and why?

Workplace Stress Response

In a study investigating daily stress and physical symptoms, researchers found that individuals with higher levels of perceived control at one point in time subsequently exhibited lower emotional and physical reactivity to interpersonal stressors (Neupert, Almeida, & Charles, 2007).

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