What are the reinforces of stress?

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The cognitive psychologist approach postulates that an individual's construction of a particular situation is linked to stress much as in taking a snapshot. The photographer decides what to focus on, clicks a picture, and whether the picture is interpreted as negative, positive, or neutral activates the person's fight/response.   When the fight-or-flight response is continually activated, disease, or even death, can occur  .

Reinforcement principles help explain an individual's difference in the interpretation of stimuli and in the strength of the flight/fight response to continue.  Why do certain individual's interpret an event (i.e., a picture as clear, or blurred,) as positive or negative and why do they continue to do so?

Reinforcement principles  indicate that a reinforcer  increases the probability of any event to recur, but a reinforcer may not necessarily be pleasurable. A reward refers to a pleasant experience which may, or may not, increase the probability of the event to recur. A punishment is an unpleasant experience which may, or may not, decrease the probability of an event to recur. A positive reinforcer is a stimulus which  increases the probability of an event to recur.. A negative reinforcer increases the probability of an event to recur by the removal of an aversive condition. A response that is decreased in its frequency to recur can be labeled an extinguishing response.[1] See hyperlink: B.F. Skinner

Reinforcement principles can be set according to the following  schedules: fixed ratio, fixed interval, varied ratio,  varied interval or ratio, or as a combination of both. Note the following examples:

A fixed ratio schedule provides a cue as  a set amount of a reinforcer, such as providing a stimulus of  $10 for every response. A fixed interval introduces a cue as a  time element, such as providing a stimulus once an hour. A varied ratio or interval schedule varies the amount and the interval. What type of schedule do you think is strongest? Hint: Gambling is an example of the strongest type of reinforcement schedule.

How can the fight-or flight-response be reinforced or extinguished? Remember to provide a personal example by constructing a reinforcement schedule, label what type it is, and what reinforcer you are using to extinguish one of your stressors.  What have you learned as a result of this information that can assist you in reducing the stress in your life?

Note: Sometimes the endocrine system can by itself increase hormones which act as reinforcers and the autonomous nervous system may send signals through nerve pathways which serve as a reinforcer in the fight-of -flight response  Hint: Look at your stress journal  to observe the reinforcers that are increasing the stress in your life. [2][3]

1. B.F. Skinner,  Science Human Behavior, New York: The Free Press, 1953
2. Jerrold S. Greenberg, Comprehensive Stress Management, 8th, ed., Boston: McGraw-Hill,1996, pp. 241-247 
3. Seaward, Brian Luke  Managing Stress: Principles and Strategies for Health and Well-being, 3rd ed., Boston: Jones and Bartlett Publishers,2002, pp. 190-198


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