A Century of Stress: Stress Theories and Preventive Management in a Global Context (in English)

Abstract

The year 2015 is the 100th anniversary of the first edition of Walter Bradford Cannon’s 1915 book that set the cornerstone for the field of stress. We briefly review his homeostatic approach to stress along with four other approaches, especially as relevant to the industrial and organizational (I/O) psychologist. Next, we explore the contemporary global context in which national cultures vary. We chose the theory of Preventive Stress Management as the basis for examining the five elements ofthe stress process in organizations. We come back to the two approaches to stress spotlighted early in the manuscript, offering comparisons and contrasts based on the five elements of the stress process. The discussion focuses on how stress can be both the kiss of death and the spice of life, after which we offer a personal cultural commentary on stress in various national contexts.