What is lazarus and folkman's (1984) concept of cognitive appraisal? what are primary and secondary appraisal?

1. Lazarus and Folkman's theory of cognitive appraisal is a theory that explains how individuals perceive stress and stressors (stimuli that cause stress). According to this theory, our appraisal or evaluation of a a certain stimulus or situation leads to an emotional reaction or response based up on our appraisal. For instance, if I think someone is following me home at night, my appraisal of this situation (how dangerous I think it is and what I think could happen) determine my emotional response- I could feel panicked and my heart might start pounding. On the other hand, someone else might not react the same way as me since he/she does not appraise the situation with as much fear, and thus does not experience fearful feelings or responses.

2. Primary appraisal when faced with a potential stressor involve asking yourself questions such  as: "Is this stressor something to worry about?"and "Is this situation going to affect me?" We can then appraise the situation and answer these questions in three possible ways: i) "This situation has no impact on me", ii) "The outcome of it will be positive and/or harmless for me" or iii) "The outcome will be dangerous and harm me".

3. Secondary appraisal on the other hand, involves thoughts to figure out how to best deal with a negative or harmful situation to alter unfavorable circumstances. It involves appraising or evaluating various options to cope with stressors and minimize their negative effects on us. For instance, if a  person is stressed and anxious he might think of internal resources (strength, resilience, positive affirmations, etc.) to help him feel better. Alternatively, he might think of turning to external resources- support of friends, family or visiting a therapist- to reduce his stress. 

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