Assessment of one's coping abilities and resources and whether they will be sufficient to meet the harm, threat or challenge of the event is called ______.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Secondary appraisal
Lazarus distinguished two types of appraisal, primary and secondary, in the way a person interprets a stressful event.
Option (1) Primary appraisal — Incorrect. Primary appraisal is the perception of a new or changing environment as positive, neutral or negative in its consequences; negative events are appraised for possible harm, threat or challenge. It judges the event, not one’s own resources.
Option (2) Secondary appraisal — Correct. When we perceive an event as stressful, we make a secondary appraisal, the assessment of one’s coping abilities and resources and whether they will be sufficient to meet the harm, threat or challenge of the event. The resources may be mental, physical, personal or social.
Option (3) Evaluation apprehension — Incorrect. Evaluation apprehension explains social facilitation: a person performing in the presence of others is aroused because she or he feels she or he is being evaluated, hoping for praise and fearing criticism. It has nothing to do with appraising a stressful event.
Option (4) Rehabilitation — Incorrect. Rehabilitation is a part of the treatment of the mentally ill, which helps patients whose symptoms have reduced to become self-sufficient and productive. It is not a step in appraising stress.
NCERT (2025-26): “Nature of Stress … Lazarus has distinguished between two types of appraisal, i.e. primary and secondary. Primary appraisal refers to the perception of a new or changing environment as positive, neutral or negative in its consequences. Negative events are appraised for their possible harm, threat or challenge. Harm is the assessment of the damage that has already been done by an event. Threat is the assessment of possible future damage that may be brought about by the event. Challenge appraisals are associated with more confident expectations of the ability to cope with the stressful event, the potential to overcome and even profit from the event. When we perceive an event as stressful, we are likely to make a secondary appraisal, which is the assessment of one’s coping abilities and resources and whether they will be sufficient to meet the harm, threat or challenge of the event. These resources may be mental, physical, personal or social.…” |