A micro-analytic exploration of the cognitive appraisal of daily stressful events at work: The role of controllability

Abstract

Employing a daily event-recording method the present study focuses on the nature of stressful events of secretaries, their outcomes and the intervening cognitive appraisal process. With regard to the latter, five factors were selected that may constitute the cognitive appraisal of a stressful event: controllability, uncertainty, threat to self-esteem, predictability and frequency of occurrence. With regard to the outcomes of stressful events, it was assumed that more consistent results may emerge from investigating the relationship between an individual's evaluation of the degree of ''significance'' of stressful events on the one hand, and strains such as negative affect on the other hand. Results showed that self-reported stressful events could be categorized as (a) interpersonal frustration (b) overload (c) hectic work environment and (d) problems with the organization. Interpersonal frustration appeared to be one of the most ''significant'' stressors and overload was the least ''significant'' stressor for secretaries. The degree of controllability over an event appeared to be the most prominent dimension of cognitive appraisal. In the discussion attention is being paid to the merits of daily event-recording methods.