Sources of Stressors

Abstract

In Chap. 2, we describe different sources of stressors: the person (e.g., perfectionist demands and high personal standards), the social environment (e.g., bullying), conflicting roles (e.g., parent vs. worker), the behavior setting (e.g., isolation or crowding), one’s working environment (e.g., noise), the work task (e.g., constant over- or underload), the organization (e.g., change processes), and cultural conditions (e.g., homesickness). We also present new sources of stressors resulting from digitalization and new forms of work. Stressors can also differ in the kind of demands they put on the person (overload, physical, emotional, cognitive demands), in their action-regulating character (challenge, hindrance), and in their magnitude (traumatic events, life changes, hassles). Knowledge of different sources of stressors can help individuals identify and avoid stressors and enable an early response.