What is lazarus and folkman's (1984) concept of cognitive appraisal? what are primary and secondary appraisal?

1. Lazarus and Folkman's theory of cognitive appraisal is a theory that explains how individuals perceive stress and stressors (stimuli that cause stress). According to this theory, our appraisal or evaluation of a a certain stimulus or situation leads to an emotional reaction or response based up on our appraisal. For instance, if I think someone is following me home at night, my appraisal of this situation (how dangerous I think it is and what I think could happen) determine my emotional response- I could feel panicked and my heart might start pounding. On the other hand, someone else might not react the same way as me since he/she does not appraise the situation with as much fear, and thus does not experience fearful feelings or responses.

2. Primary appraisal when faced with a potential stressor involve asking yourself questions such  as: "Is this stressor something to worry about?"and "Is this situation going to affect me?" We can then appraise the situation and answer these questions in three possible ways: i) "This situation has no impact on me", ii) "The outcome of it will be positive and/or harmless for me" or iii) "The outcome will be dangerous and harm me".

3. Secondary appraisal on the other hand, involves thoughts to figure out how to best deal with a negative or harmful situation to alter unfavorable circumstances. It involves appraising or evaluating various options to cope with stressors and minimize their negative effects on us. For instance, if a  person is stressed and anxious he might think of internal resources (strength, resilience, positive affirmations, etc.) to help him feel better. Alternatively, he might think of turning to external resources- support of friends, family or visiting a therapist- to reduce his stress. 

1.  go out into nature and commune with the divine2.  experience real solitude to truly perceive nature3.  realize that individuals are meant to learn from nature and transcend it4.  think of nature as a symbol of the divine

D. a conflict between her competing identities.