Conservation of resources theory
The Conservation of Resources (COR) theory is a psychological framework that explains how individuals experience and respond to stress by emphasizing the importance of resource management. According to this theory, resources can encompass a wide range of valued items, including physical possessions, personal attributes, and favorable conditions. The central tenet of COR theory is that humans are motivated to acquire and protect these resources, and when they perceive a threat to them, they often experience stress. This stress is heightened when resources are lost unexpectedly or rapidly, potentially leading to trauma or conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
COR theory diverges from previous theories, such as those proposed by Lazarus and Folkman, by framing stress as an objective response rather than solely a perception-based experience. Under COR, individuals with more resources are generally better positioned to acquire additional resources, while those with fewer resources may find themselves in a cycle of loss. This framework highlights the behavioral patterns that emerge in response to resource fluctuations, suggesting that individuals may react defensively or irrationally when their resources are threatened. By understanding COR, researchers can better study work stress, family stress, and overall well-being, contributing valuable insights into the complexities of human behavior in the face of stress.
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Conservation of resources theory
The Conservation of Resources (COR) theory is a method by which researchers theorize humans experience and react to stress. It is based on the fundamental principle that humans have evolved to acquire and protect resources. According to COR theory, resources may include anything an individual values, from physical objects to states of being. Humans are always attempting to secure more resources and retain the resources they possess. When resources are threatened, humans typically act to preserve them. During this time, they experience stress. If resources are lost in a sudden or unexpected manner, humans experience significantly more stress. COR theory also states that individuals with greater resources have an easier time acquiring new resources. This means that people with many resources are more likely to continue gaining resources, while people with fewer resources are likely to lose resources.
Background
Stress is a persistent feeling of emotional tension. It can manifest in various ways, including physiological symptoms such as muscle tension, accelerated reaction times, and heightened alertness. Stress serves a specific evolutionary purpose by helping humans overcome difficult tasks or react quickly to dangerous situations. However, people who experience too much stress for long periods often experience negative side effects.
Stress is commonly broken down into two categories: acute stress and chronic stress. Acute stress occurs when people are exposed to a sudden, dangerous situation. This type of stress helps people react quickly to new stimuli, and dissipates soon after the situation has passed. Chronic stress lasts for weeks or months, and is typically caused by pervasive issues. For example, chronic stress may be caused by a difficult job or an unhappy marriage.
Many of the body’s reactions to the hormones that cause stress, such as tense muscles and increased heart rate, are useful for dealing with temporary problems. However, when these conditions persist for longer periods of time, they can put significant strain on the body. This can cause significant health issues, including depression, anxiety, heart disease, and obesity. Treating these issues may be difficult without dealing with the source of chronic stress in a patient’s life.
Some symptoms and life patterns are common in individuals dealing with chronic stress, and may be used as a warning sign for the condition. They include forgetfulness, headaches, fatigue, upset stomach, weight fluctuations, and difficulty sleeping. Individuals suffering from chronic stress may also be more likely to turn to self-medication by taking alcohol or drugs, thus increasing their risk of substance abuse and addiction.
Overview
The Conservation of Resources theory (COR) is a behavioral hypothesis concerning how individuals react to stress. Previously, doctors and psychologists subscribed to a number of other theories to explain how people react to stress and what specific situations result in stress. Prior to the development of COR theory, one of the most common ideas regarding stress was proposed by the researchers R.S. Lazarus and S. Folkman in 1984.
Lazarus and Folkman argued that the defining characteristic of stress is perception. They believed that anything humans perceive as stressful was an intrinsically stressful situation. However, their theory was non-predictive, meaning that events could only be perceived as stressful during or after their occurrence. This limited how the theory could be applied to real-world examples. Additionally, because their theory defined stress as a subjective matter, it could place the responsibility for stress on the individuals who experience it. This could make certain objectively-negative conflicts, such as violence or sexual harassment within a workplace, appear to be subjective during research.
Unlike Lazarus and Folkman’s theory, COR theory argues that stress is an objective evolutionary reaction regarding resources. COR asserts that humans have an evolutionary incentive to conserve and acquire resources. In the context of this theory, anything that a person values can be considered a resource.
Resources are commonly broken down into four categories: valued objects, important personal characteristics, energies or pursuits, and favorable conditions. For example, cellular phones, hope, learning, and stable employment might all be considered resources.
All individuals are motivated to protect, procure, and preserve their resources, ensuring that they have as many resources as possible. However, as life changes, maintaining a large quantity of the same resources is often a difficult task. When an individual’s resources are threatened, depleted, or are not secured at a familiar or expected time, they may experience a sensation of stress. When individuals lose resources rapidly or unexpected, they may experience trauma. This sometimes results in the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
According to COR theory, humans have evolved to interpret the gradual loss and gain of resources in a particular manner. Most humans assign more value to resources lost than resources gained, making it easier to enter a stressful state than to leave it. Additionally, COR argues that individuals typically must invest some resources in order to gain new resources or protect their existing resources. For this reason, as the number of resources an individual possesses diminishes, they place increasing importance on the resources they retain. When an individual’s resources are lost or overstretched, they may act defensively as a last resort to retain their remaining resources. When in this state, people may act aggressively or irrationally.
Because humans can spend resources in order to secure more resources, and because humans tend to value resources proportionately to how many resources they feel they possess, proponents of COR theory assert that a particular pattern can be observed. In this pattern, individuals with a greater number of resources are more likely to continue to gain resources, while individuals with fewer resources are more likely to lose resources over time. People who enter a difficult situation with more resources may be forced to lose some resources, but will value those resources less, allowing themselves to remain calm and make good decisions. However, individuals without many resources may act aggressively and irrationally, leading to further losses.
Bibliography
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