BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE ASSIGNMENTS

INDEX

1. Stress 1

2. Stages and Models of Stress 4

3. Causes and Symptoms of Stress 8

4. Consequences of Stress 10

5. Strategies for Stress Management 14

 1 Stress

Aim: To understand what is stress and how to relieve ourselves from it.
Objectives:
To understand what is stress and how does it occurs.
To know how meditation works on stress and relieves us from it.

Description of the task performed:

We performed a small exercise of meditation and deep breathing. In this exercise, we
were asked to close our eyes and concentrate on all the good things that are happening or may
have happened in our live which gave us an insight that there is always something good
everywhere. Then, we were asked to take deep breath 8 times by breathing in via nose and
breathing out via our mouth and before opening our eyes, count from 10 to 1. After opening our
eyes, we rubbed our hands and gave a massage to our eyes and face that made us feel fresh.

Learning:
Stress is your bodys way of responding to any kind of demand
or threat. When you sense dangerwhether its real or
imaginedthe body's defenses kick into high gear in a rapid,
automatic process known as the fight-or-flight reaction, or the
stress response.
The stress response is the bodys way of protecting you. When
working properly, it helps you stay focused, energetic, and alert. In emergency situations, stress
can save your lifegiving you extra strength to defend yourself, for example, or spurring you to
slam on the brakes to avoid an accident.
Stress can also help you rise to meet challenges. Its what keeps you on your toes during a
presentation at work, sharpens your concentration when youre attempting the game-winning
free throw, or drives you to study for an exam when you'd rather be watching TV. But beyond a
certain point, stress stops being helpful and starts causing major damage to your health, your 1
mood, your productivity, your relationships, and your quality of life.
To effectively combat stress, we need to activate the body's natural relaxation response. One can
do this by practicing relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, rhythmic exercise,
and yoga.

1. Meditation and Relaxation:

Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years. Meditation
originally was meant to help deepen understanding of the sacred and
mystical forces of life. These days, meditation is commonly used for
relaxation and stress reduction. Meditation is considered a type of mind-
body complementary medicine. Meditation can produce a deep state of
relaxation and a tranquil mind.
During meditation, you focus your attention and eliminate the stream of jumbled thoughts that
may be crowding your mind and causing stress. This process may result in enhanced physical
and emotional well-being
No one can avoid all stress, but you can counteract it by learning how to produce the relaxation
response, a state of deep rest that is the polar opposite of the stress response. The relaxation
response puts the brakes on stress and brings your body and mind back into a state of
equilibrium. The goal is to be both physically relaxed and mentally alert at the same time.
When the relaxation response is activated:
Your heart rate slows down
Breathing becomes slower and deeper
Blood pressure drops or stabilizes
Your muscles relax
Blood flow to the brain increases
In addition to its calming physical effects, the relaxation response also increases energy and
focus, combats illness, relieves aches and pains, heightens problem-solving abilities, and boosts
motivation and productivity. Best of all, anyone can reap these benefits with regular practice.

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2. Deep Breathing:
With its focus on full, cleansing breaths, deep breathing is a simple yet
powerful relaxation technique. Its easy to learn, can be practiced almost
anywhere, and provides a quick way to get your stress levels in check.
Deep breathing is the cornerstone of many other relaxation practices, too,
and can be combined with other relaxing elements such as aromatherapy
and music. All you really need is a few minutes and a place to stretch
out.

The key to deep breathing is to breathe deeply from the abdomen, getting as much fresh air as
possible in your lungs. When you take deep breaths from the abdomen, rather than shallow
breaths from your upper chest, you inhale more oxygen. The more oxygen you get, the less tense,
short of breath, and anxious you feel.
If you find it difficult breathing from your abdomen while sitting up, try lying on the floor. Put a
small book on your stomach, and try to breathe so that the book rises as you inhale and falls as
you exhale. Breathing techniques can be practiced almost anywhere and can be combined with
other relaxation exercises, such as aromatherapy and music. All you really need is a few minutes
and a place to stretch out.

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 2 Stages and Models of Stress

Aim: To undergo a test that describes the level of stress that a person is undergoing
through
Objectives:
To understand what the levels of stress are and what is the significance of the
test
How our daily behavior and happenings shows our stress level.

Description of the Activity:

We were provided with a set of questions to be answered by us on the basis of
all things happening in our daily life and how we respond to them at that point of time. The test
comprised of 2 parts-
The first part was a YES/NO test wherein 12 questions were given and all of them were
required to be answered. Questions 1 to 9 were those in which we have scored 1 point if
he answer is yes and the rest were those in which we have scored one point if the answer
is no.
The second part of the test was a subjective questionnaire about our situations in life
when we had performed well under stress in our past and when we could have performed
better.
The test described about the level of stress we are undergoing in terms of score (out of 12) and
about remembering out our past experiences where we had done well and where we could have
done better.

Learning:
Although there are many different levels of stress described by different people having expertise
in this field, there are 3 most common levels
acute stress, episodic acute stress, and chronic
stress each with its own characteristics,
symptoms, duration and treatment approaches.
1. Acute stress
Acute stress is the most common form of stress. It
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comes from demands and pressures of the recent past and anticipated demands and pressures of
the near future. Acute stress is thrilling and exciting in small doses, but too much is exhausting.
A fast run down a challenging ski slope, for example, is exhilarating early in the day. That same
ski run late in the day is taxing and wearing. Skiing beyond your limits can lead to falls and
broken bones. By the same token, overdoing on short-term stress can lead to psychological
distress, tension headaches, upset stomach and other symptoms.
Fortunately, acute stress symptoms are recognized by most people. It's a laundry list of what has
gone awry in their lives: the auto accident that crumpled the car fender, the loss of an important
contract, a deadline they're rushing to meet, and their child's occasional problems at school and
so on.
Because it is short term, acute stress doesn't have enough time to do the extensive damage
associated with long-term stress.
The most common symptoms are:
Emotional distress some combination of anger or irritability, anxiety and depression, the
three stress emotions.
Muscular problems including tension headache, back pain, jaw pain and the muscular
tensions that lead to pulled muscles and tendon and ligament problems.
Stomach, gut and bowel problems such as heartburn, acid stomach, flatulence, diarrhea,
constipation and irritable bowel syndrome.
Transient over arousal leads to elevation in blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, sweaty palms,
heart palpitations, dizziness, migraine headaches, cold hands or feet, shortness of breath and
chest pain.
Acute stress can crop up in anyone's life, and it is highly treatable and manageable.

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2. Episodic acute stress
There are those, however, who suffer acute stress frequently, whose lives are so disordered that
they are studies in chaos and crisis. They're always in a rush, but always late. If something can
go wrong, it does. They take on too much, have too many irons in the fire, and can't organize the
slew of self-inflicted demands and pressures clamoring for their attention. They seem perpetually
in the clutches of acute stress.
It is common for people with acute stress reactions to be over aroused, short-tempered, irritable,
anxious and tense. Often, they describe themselves as having "a lot of nervous energy." Always
in a hurry, they tend to be abrupt, and sometimes their irritability comes across as hostility.
Interpersonal relationships deteriorate rapidly when others respond with real hostility. The
workplace becomes a very stressful place for them.
The cardiac prone, "Type A" personality described by cardiologists, Meter Friedman and Ray
Rosenman, is similar to an extreme case of episodic acute stress. Type A's have an "excessive
competitive drive, aggressiveness, impatience, and a harrying sense of time urgency." In addition
there is a "free-floating, but well-rationalized form of hostility, and almost always a deep-seated
insecurity." Such personality characteristics would seem to create frequent episodes of acute
stress for the Type-A individual. Friedman and Rosenman found Type-A's to be much more
likely to develop coronary heart disease than Type-B's, who show an opposite pattern of
behavior.
Another form of episodic acute stress comes from ceaseless worry. "Worry warts" see disaster
around every corner and pessimistically forecast catastrophe in every situation. The world is a
dangerous, unrewarding, punitive place where something awful is always about to happen. These
"awfulizers" also tend to be over aroused and tense, but are more anxious and depressed than
angry and hostile.
The symptoms of episodic acute stress are the symptoms of extended over arousal: persistent
tension headaches, migraines, hypertension, chest pain and heart disease.
Treating episodic acute stress requires intervention on a number of levels, generally requiring
professional help, which may take many months.
Often, lifestyle and personality issues are so ingrained and habitual with these individuals that
they see nothing wrong with the way they conduct their lives. They blame their woes on other

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people and external events. Frequently, they see their lifestyle, their patterns of interacting with
others, and their ways of perceiving the world as part and parcel of who and what they are.
Sufferers can be fiercely resistant to change. Only the promise of relief from pain and discomfort
of their symptoms can keep them in treatment and on track in their recovery program.

3. Chronic stress
While acute stress can be thrilling and exciting, chronic stress is not. This is the grinding stress
that wears people away day after day, year after year. Chronic stress destroys bodies, minds and
lives. It wreaks havoc through long-term attrition. It's the stress of poverty, of dysfunctional
families, of being trapped in an unhappy marriage or in a despised job or career.
Chronic stress comes when a person never sees a way out of a miserable situation. It's the stress
of unrelenting demands and pressures for seemingly interminable periods of time. With no hope,
the individual gives up searching for solutions.
Some chronic stresses stem from traumatic, early childhood experiences that become internalized
and remain forever painful and present. Some experiences profoundly affect personality. A view
of the world, or a belief system, is created that causes unending stress for the individual (e.g., the
world is a threatening place, people will find out you are a pretender, and you must be perfect at
all times). When personality or deep-seated convictions and beliefs must be reformulated,
recovery requires active self-examination, often with professional help.
The worst aspect of chronic stress is that people get used to it. They forget it's there. People are
immediately aware of acute stress because it is new; they ignore chronic stress because it is old,
familiar, and sometimes, almost comfortable.
Chronic stress kills through suicide, violence, heart attack, stroke and, perhaps, even cancer.
People wear down to a final, fatal breakdown. Because physical and mental resources are
depleted through long-term attrition, the symptoms of chronic stress are difficult to treat and may
require extended medical as well as behavioral treatment and stress management.

From the test, I found out that I have a stress score 9 out of 12 which means that I am facing a lot
of stress and I need to compulsorily look for some remedies which is true as far as I look into my
daily life. Also, as per the subjective part of my test, which I gave, I need to look and find ways
to improve myself for the better.

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 3 Causes and Symptoms of Stress

Aim: To perform a play regarding any 2 types of the stress from the 3 types
1. Personal 2. Organizational 3. Environmental
Objective:
To understand what personal, organizational and environmental stress is, what its
impacts in our lives are and how can we deal with them.

Description of the Activity:

We were asked to make groups of 7 to 8 people to make a play about how the types
of stress ( Personal, Organizational or Environmental) would affect ones life and how can we
solve them. I was in the group 3 comprising of Anoop, Pooja, Neha, Tanya, Ajit and Darpan. We
made a play as following:
Anoop was a hardworking client in the company whereas Darpan was a timid, and a normal
employee who was more concerned about her looks than the work assigned to her. The boss of
the company (me) was a cunning, outspoken and a corrupt person who was trying to impress
Darpan by all means. So, although Anoop was the deserving person for the post of General
Manager, Darpan was given the post as the boss wanted to impress her. Ajit, being the bosss
secretary knew of all his corrupt nature. Anoop, along with this, had another tensions in his
personal life due to his wife Pooja, who was very much frustrated of his stepdaughter Tanya,
because of which they had continuous fights many a times. All These things, one after another,
lead to increase in the stress in the life of Anoop. But, Anoop, being a wise man, found out a way
to relieve his mind of the stress by taking out his family on a vacation.

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Learning:
The three types of stress are as follows:
1. Personal Stress
The type of stress that arises in ones life due to personal issues like relationship
problems, divorce, marriage issues, parents, societys view of you or your image in
society, settlement issues, etc. This type of stress usually leads to lack of self-confidence,
anxiety, overthinking about any topic, lack in performance and isolation from people.

2. Organizational Stress
This type of stress is usually due to the organization with which one
is joint or in which one is working. This may arise due to stressful
environment caused by the managers or boss, problems with
colleagues or other employees, non-suitability with project partners
, etc. and may cause physical as well as mental issues like lack of
interest in the tasks given, decrease in the efficiency, etc.

3. Environmental Stress
This type of stress is caused by environmental issues like pollution like
noise, air, etc.; widespread of any disease like malaria, cholera,etc.;
natural disasters like earthquakes, landslides, tsunami, drought etc.;.
They are the cause of chronic level of stress in people which affects
physical, mental as well as emotional life of people leading to loss in
quality of life.

One can tackle any type of stress if he is determined to do so, by using his wisdom and
consulting his insight as well as people whom he trust, which can eventually lead to relaxation as
well as new ideas to make ways for a better future as well as to cope up with similar problems
that arise again in future.

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 4 Consequences of Stress

Aim: To understand how stress affects a persons behavior, performance and his health.
Objectives:
To understand the effect of stress on
Behavior and Personality
Performance
Health

Description of the activity:

We were asked to write about the effect of stress on Personality of a person,
Performance of a person, and on a persons health. The following points were written by me:
Effect of stress on Effect of stress on Effect of stress on
Personality Performance individual/organizational
health
Dull Look Decrease in efficiency of task Loss of appetite
performance
Confused Decrease in decision making Anxiety
judgment
Lost in ones own problems Decrease in interest in taking up High Blood Pressure
the initiative
Short Temper Loss of focus Stomach disorders
Frustration for petty things Ready to give up at anytime Frequent Headaches
Lack of Interest in Neuronal problems
Recreational Activities
Lack of interest in life

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Learning:
1. Effect Of Stress on Behavior and Personality
The term personality is used to describe the consistent individual patterns of thoughts, emotion,
and behavior that characterize each person across time and situations. Each individual's
personality is thought to be influenced by both an inherited "genetic" component (usually called
temperament) and by their interactions with the environment. Some people experience
personality changes in response to stress hormones, which are part of their internal environment.
The following changes in personality are not uncommon to observe in people who are stressed:
Irritability
Hostility
Frustration
Anger
Aggressive feelings and behavior
Decreased interest in appearance
Decreased concern with punctuality
Obsessive/compulsive behavior (trying to cope with unwanted repeated thoughts or
obsessions, by engaging in compulsive behavior rituals such as counting, checking,
washing, etc.)
Reduced work efficiency or productivity
Lying or making excuses to cover up poor work
Excessive defensiveness or suspiciousness
Problems in communication
Social withdrawal and isolation
Impulsivity (expressed as impulse buying, gambling, sexual behavior, or similar)

2. Effect of Stress on Personality

Workplace stress derives from many sources. It can be a demanding boss, annoying co-workers,
rebellious students, angry customers, hazardous conditions, long commutes and a never-ending
workload. Your work performance is also affected by stressors such as family relationships,
finances and a lack of sleep stemming from fears and anxieties about the future. How you handle
the effects of stress depends on whether it is easier to change the situation or change your
attitude toward it.

Time Management
The positive side of stress is that it can jump-start your adrenalin and motivate you to
perform your tasks more quickly in response to impending deadlines. An overwhelming
workload, lack of peer support and too many demands at once, however, contribute to a

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 sense of frustration and panic that there isn't enough time to complete the work. If these
conditions routinely result in overtime or having to take work home, the stress of being
unable to manage time efficiently can fuel employees' resentment toward the company as
well as negatively influence their commitment and loyalty.
Relationships
Stress is a major contributor to job burn-out and strained interactions with peers and
supervisors. The combined feelings of helplessness and hopelessness generate heightened
sensitivities to any and all forms of criticism, defensiveness, and depression, paranoia
about job security, jealousy and resentment toward co-workers who seem to have
everything under control, short-fuse tempers, diminished self-esteem and withdrawal.
Focus
Stress affects your ability to remember things you already know, to process new
information you are learning and to apply both to analytical situations and physical tasks
that require concentration. When you are mentally exhausted from all of the worries,
anxieties and tension brought on by a stressful environment or lifestyle, you are more
easily distracted and prone to make costly, harmful or even fatal mistakes on the job.
Health
In addition to headaches, sleep disorders, vision problems, weight loss/gain and blood
pressure, stress affects cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and musculoskeletal systems, says
Richard Weinstein, author of "The Stress Effect." If you're not feeling well, you're not
going to do your best work. Further, the amount of sick leave taken to rest and recuperate
from stress-related illnesses often means that the work only accumulates during your
absence and, thus, generates even more stress about how to catch up once you return.

3. Effect of Stress on Individual/Organizational Health\

Stress is a natural physical and mental reaction to both good and bad experiences that can be
beneficial to your health and safety. Your body responds to stress by releasing hormones and
increasing your heart and breathing rates. Your brain gets more oxygen, giving you an edge in
responding to a problem. In the short term, stress helps you cope with tough situations.
Stress can be triggered by the pressures of everyday responsibilities at work and at home. As you
might expect, negative life events like divorce or the death of a loved one cause stress. So can
physical illness. Traumatic stress, brought on by war, disaster, or a violent attack, can keep your
bodys stress levels elevated far longer than is necessary for survival.
Chronic stress can cause a variety of symptoms and can affect your overall health and well-
being.
Central Nervous and Endocrine Systems
Your central nervous system (CNS) is in charge of your fight or flight response. The
CNS instantly tells the rest of your body what to do, marshaling all resources to the cause.
In the brain, the hypothalamus gets the ball rolling, telling your adrenal glands to release
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 adrenaline and cortisol. When the perceived fear is gone, the CNS should tell all systems
to go back to normal. If the CNS fails to return to normal, or if the stressor doesnt go
away, it takes a toll on your body. Symptoms of chronic stress include irritability, anxiety,
and depression. You may suffer from headaches or insomnia. Chronic stress is a factor in
some behaviors like overeating or not eating enough, alcohol or drug abuse, or social
withdrawal.
Respiratory and Cardiovascular Systems
Stress hormones affect your respiratory and cardiovascular systems. During the stress
response, you breathe faster in an effort to distribute oxygen and blood quickly to your
body core. If you have preexisting respiratory problems like asthma or emphysema, stress
can make it harder to breathe. Your heart also pumps faster. Stress hormones cause your
blood vessels to constrict and raise your blood pressure. All that helps get oxygen to your
brain and heart so youll have more strength and energy to take action. Frequent or
chronic stress makes your heart work too hard for too long, raising your risk of
hypertension and problems with your blood vessels and heart. Youre at higher risk of
having a stroke or heart attack.
Digestive System
Under stress, your liver produces extra blood sugar (glucose) to give you a boost of
energy. Unused blood sugar is reabsorbed by the body. If youre under chronic stress, your
body may not be able to keep up with this extra glucose surge, and you may be at an
increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The rush of hormones, rapid breathing, and
increased heart rate can upset your digestive system. Youre more likely to have heartburn
or acid reflux. Stress may cause existing ulcers to act up. You might experience nausea,
vomiting, or a stomachache. Stress can affect the way food moves through your body,
leading to diarrhea or constipation.
Muscular System
Under stress, your muscles tense up to protect themselves from injury. Youve probably
felt your muscles tighten up and release again once you relax. If youre constantly under
stress, your muscles dont get the chance to relax. Tight muscles cause headaches, back
and shoulder pain, and body aches. Over time, you may stop exercising and turn to pain
medication, setting off an unhealthy cycle.
Immune System
Stress stimulates the immune system. In the short term, thats a bonus. It helps you stave
off infection and heal wounds. Over time, cortisol compromises your immune system,
inhibiting histamine secretion and inflammatory response to foreign invaders. People
under chronic stress are more susceptible to viral illnesses like influenza and the common
cold. It increases risk of other opportunistic diseases and infections. It can also increase
the time it takes to recover from illness or injury.

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 5 Strategies for Stress Management
Aim: To understand the ways of stress management

Objective:
To understand the importance of stress management and how this can help us
with coping up with and tackling the problems

Description of the Activity:

A game was played in which the whole class was divided into 2 teams. I was in team A
and the game was that a word would be given by our Behavioral Science Teacher, and any one
of the members of our group will have to enact the word to make us understand it and the team
has to guess it. If the team guessed the right answer, they would get points and the team with
maximum points would win. The game was played and everyone participated in it
enthusiastically and in the end, Team B won the game.

Learning:

The best way to manage your stress is to learn healthy

coping strategies. One can start practicing these tips right
away. One should try one or two until you find a few that
work for you. One should Practice these techniques until
they become habits you turn to when you feel stress.

Ways to relax your mind-

Write.
It may help to write about things that are bothering you. Write for 10 to 15 minutes a day about
stressful events and how they made you feel. Or think about tracking your stress. This helps you
find out what is causing your stress and how much stress you feel. After you know, you can find
better ways to cope.

Let your feelings out.

Talk, laugh, cry, and express anger when you need to. Talking with friends, family, a counselor,
or a member of the clergy about your feelings is a healthy way to relieve stress.

Do something you enjoy.

You may feel that you're too busy to do these things. But making time to do something you enjoy
can help you relax. It might also help you get more done in other areas of your life. Try:

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 A hobby, such as gardening.
A creative activity, such as writing, crafts, or art.
Playing with and caring for pets.
Focus on the present.
Meditation and guided imagery are two ways to focus and relax your mind.
Meditate.
When you meditate, you focus your attention on things that are happening right now.
Paying attention to your breathing is one way to focus. Mindfulness-based stress
reduction is one form of meditation that is very helpful with managing stress and
learning how to better cope with it. Meditation is undoubtedly one of the best stress
management techniques known. Meditation makes you more resilient and less reactive
to stress by decreasing the number of neurons in your amygdala, the area of the brain
associated with fear, anxiety, and stress. It increases levels of the calming
neurotransmitter GABA (gamma-amino butyric acid). GABA puts the brakes on brain
activity, letting you relax. Meditation helps you quiet your mind and master negative
thought patterns which are often the root cause of stress.
Use guided imagery.
With guided imagery, you imagine yourself in any setting that helps you feel calm and
relaxed. You can use audiotapes, books, or a teacher to guide you.
Exercise.
Regular exercise is one of the best ways to manage stress. Walking is a great way to
get started. Even everyday activities such as housecleaning or yard work can reduce
stress. Stretching can also relieve muscle tension. Breathing exercises, muscle
relaxation, and yoga can help relieve stress.

The organizations also can help reduce stress by:

Reducing the number of hours for which their employees would have to work per week.
This will, in the long run, contribute to a more efficient functioning of the organization,
as employees would have more time to rest at home and will come back the next day
feeling refreshed.
Working hours should be flexible. This may also include shifts and the rotation of
employees.
A tried and tested technique that many organizations have begun using is the provision of
lounges and other recreational facilities to help employees relax during the day should
they require some time off.
You may even choose to add refreshments and a TV so that they could forget all the
worries of work for a few minutes. Investing in such facilities is a great idea for any
organization. You may also allow them to take more holidays throughout the year to
ensure that they have a good break.

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 Female employees may find that they do not have enough time to spend with their
newborn if they have just had a baby.
You should make allowance for such situations. Providing longer maternity leave could
help your female employee to come back to work without having too much on her mind
with regard to the baby and any postnatal depression.
Another idea would be to provide childcare facilities at the office so that mothers with
young children could peep in and ensure their kids are okay every few hours.
As an employee, you should also make it a point to occasionally have a casual chat with
your employees to ensure that they are satisfied with their jobs and have no issues at
work.
You should also encourage them and appreciate and praise him/her for tasks carried out
very well. This would reduce any worries they may have of the risks of losing their jobs
and help them to feel more secure.

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