Chapter 5:
The text defines coping styles as general predispositions to dealing with stress. It explains that there are two different types of coping styles to deal with stress: approach coping and avoidant coping. An individual can approach a stressor and make active efforts to resolve it or try to avoid the problem. The text describes another coping style called emotion-focused coping, which uses either mental or behavioral methods to deal with the feelings resulting from stress.
In my demonstration of the main coping styles, person X is a 25-year-old man from Italy or low economic status. It would be optimal for person X to use approach coping to deal with paying his bills on time. It would be optimal for person X to deal with his child’s terminal illness at first by practicing avoidant or emotion-focused coping. As the textbook explains, it is best to match the type of coping you use with the situation and with your comfort level. Therefore, the best type of coping for one person or one situation may not necessarily be best for another.
Experiential 5:
For the people working at Aramark on campus, there may be different optimal stress management tactics that may make their lives at work less stressful and more enjoyable. Many of the Aramark employees on JMU’s campus come from various other countries from all over the world. The fact that many of them are new to the country and the English language may cause severe stress in the workplace. It is important for Aramark employers to understand the cultures that the employees come from to better help them with stress management.
Social support is one of the most important factors in the study of stress and coping so it may be incredibly beneficial for Aramark employees to find support within the community of other workers who are likely to be coping with the same types of stressors. It make be helpful for Aramark employers to set up a support system for the employees and have several students or volunteers to help the employees who are new to the country get acclimated and comfortable in their new surroundings.
I have to share this experience that I had with an Aarmark employee. I was in the parking lot next to Hillside and apparently I "stole" a parking place from this lady who was an Aramark employee. She got so mad at me and started screaming and cursing at me. I thought she was going to get out of her car and punch me! I proceeded to get out of my car and asked her if she still wanted to space. She said no but I thought that she must be stressed out about something else or she was late to work.
ReplyDeleteI really thought that maybe some type of way to cope with stress for any type of employees would really help! I believe that your idea of a social support system might help someone like this lady. Maybe even a way to carpool with some other employees might help too.
I agreed with the aspect of social support in the Aramark working community. The employees come from a vast array of backgrounds and it is important to set up social groups for everyone of them to find a niche in. With this, they will become comfortable with their surrounding as you said. I think that in any situation, it is important for people to have others to fall back on at all times and setting up this social support is key.
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