Causes of Stress/Measuring Stress - Evaluation (1)

Physiological Measures:

Strengths:

• Quan data; Overcomes subjectivity of using a self-report
• Baseline readings can show impact a stressor has
• Measure hormones - can't lie about what drugs are in your system; avoids Social Desirability Bias
• Objective; scientific; can't be falsfied; can't lie about their stress levels.

Weaknesses:

• Don't allow you to measure psychological measures only physical
• We aren't wholly sure we're measuring stress levels - Might be measuring stress levels
• We don't know what stress reactions caused the stress - lack of qual data
• May feel like their privacy is being invaded by using electrodes to measure their responses
• Lots of things can mimic stress levels; But if take a baseline you're looking for the increase, doesn't matter where it starts.