The Stress Paradox: How Stress Can Be Good for Learning

Our common sense tells us stress is something that we should avoid as much as possible because it is difficult to study or learn in a stressful condition. Well, our common sense keeps us alive, but its assumption about stress may not be true in many cases.

For example: “Autonomic reactions to stress have been shown to improve performance at work in air traffic control. An increase in cortisol, a marker of being stressed, was found to correlate with higher peer ratings on competency and self-ratings on job satisfaction.”

In this video, we explore an article about the stress paradox. First, we will differentiate stress and distress. Then we will notice that stress can be positive for learning. And finally, we will talk about a recommendation to enhance learning process.

The flamingo is getting prepared to present the article.

Here is the video version: https://youtu.be/Xdr7Apv5tyM

Hi and hola para amigos!

We use the term stress as an evil thing in our daily lives. Even, stress is often considered to be a sickness in modern popular literature. However, it’s not true. So, first, we should clear the definitions of stress related words.

Let’s begin with stressor. Stressor can be defined as “a force that is applied”. If we adapt it into the learning context, it is translated as a challenge or learning expectation. For instance, learning how to perform an invasive procedure, being questioned by a teacher, preparing for an assessment, or the learning environment.

So, what about stress? Stress is a realisation by the learner that a stressor exists. For example, a student may say that “I feel stressed because of exam”. It is a psychological, physiological or behavioural response to the stressor.

After this response, the outcome could be different. It could be distress, which is a negative affect as a result of stress, or it could be eustress, which is a positive affect as a result of stress. We are familiar with “distress” but eustress may need to be clarified more. Eustress is “a beneficial or healthy response to a stress, associated with positive feelings”. So we response to a stressor with stress. Then our affective response to the stress makes it positive or negative. The outcome comes from our interpretation of it. If our interpretation is negative, it’s distress. If our interpretation is positive, it’s eustress. With respect to feelings of eustress or distress, it is not known whether distress always leads to limited learning and eustress to maximized learning. Both of them could affect us to create new mental models, or avoidance of learning.

That makes sense but what factors do affect our interpretation of stress, what factors do turn it into distress or eustress, or into learning or not learning? Well, there are several factors such as appraisal, motivation, complexity of situation, mindset, personality traits, coping strategies.

Among these factors, health professions educators have a good opportunity to affect the complexity of the learning situations. Adjusting complexities according to learners is vital. Along with that, boosting the learners’ motivation or providing them a few coping strategies could help.

As we are coming to the end, I have to say that the most crucial take home message of this video is that “stress is not equal to distress”. Learning environment in the workplace would be stressful. But if you can differentiate stress and distress as a health professions educator, if you stop demonizing stress, and if you see that stress may be beneficial for learning, you can provide a better support to the learners. If you are a student, you can embrace stress and find ways to maximize its benefits.

If you want to read more about that, I left the link of the article at the description below.

See you and adios para amigos.

And also, don’t forget the flamingos.