2.Stress coping and cognitive styles

Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense. -Buddha

My research work- 2

People differ in their relative preferences for ‘logical’ and ‘intuitive’ ways of dealing with situation, they have widely use four types of coping viz, approach, avoidance, emotional regulation and reappraisal. I have found that the cognitive styles have significantly influence on their ability to cope up with stress.
Logical describes an individual who makes judgments based on reason and focuses on specific details.
Intuitive describe an individual who makes judgments based on feelings and adopts a global approach (big picture-holistic).

Findings revealed that intuitive thinking leads to positive approach oriented coping whereas logical thinking leads to avoidance and emotional focused coping. Integration of both logical and intuitive thinking leads to reappraisal coping. According to transactional approach and meaning making cognitive reappraisal are central in determining whether a situation is potential threatening, harmful or challenging and cognition determine both the perception of stress and the individual’s reaction to it. Much of our thinking left to itself biased, distorted, partial and prejudiced. When we encounter uncertain or uncontrollable events only our logical thinking may not be helpful and leads to emotional reaction and avoidance coping. We need to develop integration of both logical and intuitive thinking to promote cognitive reappraisal (big picture – holistic) and to deal with stressful situation more effectively.