This video, we're going to dive a bit more into our interpretation of stress, and we're going to discuss the challenge versus threat framework. The challenge versus threat framework is essentially used to explain appraisals that take place under high performance conditions, high motivation conditions, or in very competitive environments. This framework is not necessarily always applicable, but it is applicable in those contexts. The idea of this framework is that when we're in these kinds of situations, stressors are going to get appraised as either a threat or a challenge, so if we are appraising that stressor as a threat, this is usually going to happen in a situation where we believe that the stressor could cause harm or some other negative consequence. So if you do not feel prepared to take on the stressor, you feel like you don't have the resources to deal with it or whatever the issue may be, you will be interpreting it as a threat.

So, for example, if you have a huge exam coming up tomorrow and you just do not feel prepared, you think there's no way that you're going to study in time, you may be interpreting that situation more as a threat. You know, this could totally tank my grade. It could ruin my GPA, etcetera. Now, on the flip side, we could also interpret that stressor as a challenge, which will happen in contexts where we appraise that the stressor could lead to opportunities for things like growth, advancement, or achievement.

So if you feel really prepared to take on that stressor, you may interpret it more as a challenge. For example, if you have that exam coming up, but you are totally ready for it. Like, you're like, "I've got this, and it's going to be a great opportunity for me to really show off my skills. Maybe the professor will see how good I am, and they'll write me a great letter of recommendation. It's going to maintain my perfect GPA," whatever it may be.

You're approaching that stressor with this kind of positive challenge mindset. What's really cool about these two types of appraisals is that they have actually been associated with unique physiological responses. We actually do see different physiology depending on if you are appraising a stressor as a threat or a challenge. Some research has even shown that shifting your mindset from a threat mentality to a challenge mentality can actually increase performance. That research was done on a group of students who were taking the GRE, which is an entrance exam to get into grad school.

They helped the students shift their mindset from being threatened by that stressor to trying to overcome it as a challenge, and they did actually see increased performance, which is very cool. It seems like that unique physiology that we see helps to prepare your body to take on that stressor and that can lead to increased performance in certain conditions. Before we conclude, one thing I do want to be very clear on, as I mentioned in the beginning, is that not all stressors are going to be appraised as threats or challenges. Some stressors are just going to be much more neutral.

So, for example, if you're just stuck in traffic and you're five minutes late, you're not going to appraise that as a threat or a challenge. It's just an inconvenient little stressor in your life. Right? So this framework really is only applicable under those kinds of high performance, high motivation, and competitive contexts. Alright.

So, that is the challenge versus threat framework, and I will see you guys in the next one. Bye bye.