According to Lazarus and Folkman's transactional model of stress, which components determine how a person experiences stress?

• A. Primary appraisal and secondary appraisal
• B. Fight-or-flight response and immune response
• C. Alarm and exhaustion
• D. Physiologic arousal and coping behavior

Answer: (A)

In this model, how stressed you feel comes from how you evaluate a situation and your ability to cope with it. The two key steps are primary appraisal and secondary appraisal. First, you judge whether the event is irrelevant, benign-positive, or threatening—does it pose harm, loss, or a challenge to your well-being or goals? That’s primary appraisal. Then you assess your coping resources and options—do you have the skills, support, time, and strategies to manage the demands? That’s secondary appraisal. The combination of these judgments determines the level of stress you experience and guides the coping actions you take. This focus on thought processes and perceived control distinguishes the model from purely physiological responses like fight-or-flight or from generalized concepts like alarm or exhaustion. When demands appear greater than resources, stress is experienced and coping responses are mobilized; when resources seem adequate, the situation may feel more manageable or even solvable.