Synopsis:

Historically, theory and research on coping have focused on an individual's attempts to manage distress arising from conditions that tax their resources or endanger their own well-being, but overlook the possibility that distress can also originate from witnessing or learning about stress experienced by others, also initiating a coping response.

I propose that the conceptualization of coping be expanded, involving a process in which individuals evaluate a stressor by appraising:

• [Primary Appraisal]: "What is happening to me or to someone else?" (e.g., partner, close friend, family member, or stranger) and if this appraisal results in distress, then
• [Secondary Appraisal]: "What can I do to reduce my distress?"

I apply the label "vicarious coping" to coping that is used to manage distress precipitated by stressful events that we do not experience and are not directly affected by. I propose that "vicarious coping" can include both emotion-focused and problem-focused coping. In a four-phased research procedure, this study aims to: 1) Identiy ways of emotion-focused and problem-focused vicarious coping that individuals endorese to alleviate distress triggered by stressors that others experience, and 2) Investigate and differentiate predictors of vicarious coping.

The vicarious coping framework integrates various social psychological theories and concepts from community psychology and is compatible with other fields of study. Developing the vicarious coping instrument and estabilishing its validity in this preliminary investigtation will enable future research to examine whether vicarious coping successfully alleviates distress that we experience in response to the misfortunes of others.

 

Tuesday, November 12th, 2024
12:00 PM

 

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