Daily HasslesLesson 9

Starter

•Complete the hassles and uplifts sheet on your desk.

Learning Objectives•To understand the role that hassles and

uplifts play on our daily lives.

Success Criteria1. Label a sheet with hassles and uplifts.2. Make notes about hassles and uplifts on

page 13.3. Create a model answer to a practice

question. Challenge Criteria Mark your own answer

and give yourself feedback in order to improve.

Hassles and Uplifts ScaleDeLongis et al (1982)•Measures attitudes towards 53 daily

situations. Instead of focussing on the stressful life events, the HSUP evaluated both positive and negative events in each person’s daily life.

Hassles

Uplifts

Daily HasslesBouteyre et al (2007)•Investigated the relationship between

daily hassles and mental health of students going through the school-university transition. The students completed the HSUP and the Beck Depression Inventory. 41% of the students suffered from depressive symptoms and there was a positive correlation between the hassles scale and incidence of depression.

Daily UpliftsGervais (2005)•Nurses recorded their daily hassles and

uplifts in a diary for one month. They were also asked to rate their own performance during this time. It was found that daily hassles increase job strain and decrease job performance. While some uplifts counteracted the negative daily hassles and improved job performance.

Daily hassles vs. Life changesFlett et al (1995)•Daily hassles are a greater source of stress

than life changes.•Flett et al asked 320 students to read a

scenario where a male or female experienced either a major life event or daily hassles. They then rated the amount of support they would get from others. Major life events were suspected to seek more and be given more support compared to daily hassles. So the effects of daily hassles may be more due to lack of social support.

Evaluation• Use the textbook (page 143) to make some

evaluation notes by answering the following questions:

1. Miller et al (1992) studied pet owners and found a gender difference in response to keeping a pet. What were the findings?

2. Why are daily hassles worse than life changes according to Lazarus (1999)?

3. What is the amplification effect?4. What are some methodological problems with

daily hassles research?

Practice Questions• During the last few months, Paula has suffered

from headaches and colds, and has been having difficulty sleeping. She decided to keep a diary and found that her headaches, colds and sleep problems were associated with experiences such as having too much homework, losing house keys and being stuck in traffic.

(a) What is the name for these sorts of stress-related experiences? [1]

(b) Use your knowledge of psychology to explain why Paula might be feeling unwell. [4]

Mark scheme