Research is demonstrating that stress can be contagious across various populations. In a study completed by Waters, West, and Mendes (2014) results indicate that babies quickly pick up their mother\u2019s stress and show corresponding physiological (cardiac) changes. West et al. (2014) findings demonstrate that emotions may be communicated through a variety of channels, such as odor, vocal tension, facial expression, or touch.\u00a0 This leads to questions of whether these findings are applicable to adults or among strangers? Can stress still be contagious beyond the intimate bond of mother and child?<\/p>\n

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Findings from Engert, Plessow, Miller, Kirschbaum, and Singer (2014) show that observing others in a stressful situation can make your body release the stress hormone cortisol.\u00a0\u00a0 The results show that being around a loved one or a stranger that is stressed results in quantifiable stress reactions.\u00a0 This study involved having subjects paired with loved ones and strangers of the opposite sex, and then divided participants into two groups.\u00a0 One group underwent challenging math questions and an interview to emulate a stressful situation, whereas the other group of 211 participants observed the test.\u00a0 Only 5% of the participants that were involved in the stressful situation remained calm, while the other 95% showed signs of stress. Interestingly, 26% of observers had increased cortisol indicating empathetic stress.\u00a0 When directly observed, empathetic stressed increased significantly when the observer watched a loved-one experience stress.\u00a0 Additionally, empathetic stress increased when observers watched a stranger in a stressful situation via video transmission.<\/p>\n

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Overall, stress is a major health threat in today\u2019s society; even still, the likelihood of coming into contact with stressed individuals is also prominent (Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, 2014).\u00a0 Thus understanding the impact of stress and empathetic stress is important for developing prevention and\/or intervention strategies.\u00a0\u00a0 As Engert et al. (2014) suggest, we should be cautious of watching or observing stressful shows or other stimuli, as this may transmit stress to the viewers (Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, 2014).\u00a0 Also, the results of the study show that emotional closeness is a facilitator but not necessary to the experience of empathetic stress.\u00a0 Respective of these studies, the authors conclude \u201cstress has enormous contagion potential\u201d (Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, 2014).<\/p>\n

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References<\/strong>
\nEngert, V., Plessow, F., Miller, R., Kirschbaum, C., & Singer, T. (2014). Cortisol Increase in empathic stress is modulated by social closeness and observation modality. Psychoneuroendocrinology<\/em>, 45, 192-201. DOI: 10.1016\/j.psyneuen.2014.04.005<\/p>\n

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Waters, S. F., West, T. V., & Mendes, W. B. (2014).\u00a0 Stress contagion: Physiological covariation between mothers and infants. Psychological Science<\/em>, 25(4), 934-942. doi:\u00a0 10.1177\/0956797613518352<\/p>\n

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Max-Planck-Gesellschaft. (2014).\u00a0 Your stress is my stress<\/em>. Retrieved from http:\/\/www.mpg.de\/research\/stress-empathy<\/p>\n

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Dannie S. Harris, M.A., M.A., M.A.Ed., Ed.S.
\nWKPIC Practicum Trainee<\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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