About the lecture

In this lecture, we think about individual differences in stress, focusing in particular on: (i) Holmes and Rahe’s Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS), which rates life events based on the stress levels they induce; (ii) skin conductance response as a measure of stress; (iii) how type A and B personality types can impact typical stress responses and coping; (iv) the phenomenon that personality type traits can often become more pronounced in the event of a brain injury; (v) the differentiating characteristics of the type C personality; (vi) the role of resilience, through nature and nurture, in managing stressful life events and daily hassles, making up your hardiness; (vii) Matud’s 2004 paper, which explored gender differences in stress responses and coping.

About the lecturer

Dr Shanti Shanker is a senior lecturer in the Department of Psychology at Bournemouth University. Dr Shanker’s research interests are in the translation of empirical and cognitive research findings to clinical and counselling applications, using behavioural and neuropsychological approaches. Some of Dr Shanker’s recent publications include 'Stuck in a Moment: Concreteness and psychotherapy after acquired brain injury' (2013) and 'Characterizing cognitive deficits and dementia in an aging urban population in India' (2012).