Chapter 1: Literature

Literature review A detailed overview of the significant literature available about your chosen topic, providing a discussion and critical evaluation, and using clear argument to contextualise and justify your research. (p. 4)

Peer review The process of evaluating an article by experts to ensure the article meets quality criteria before being accepted for publication. (p. 9)

Textbooks Written specifically for audiences such as students or professionals. Material usually presented in an ordered and relatively accessible form. Often draw on a wide range of sources including peer-reviewed academic journal articles. Useful, particularly as an introductory source to get an overview of your research topic and find out who are the recognised experts. (p. 10)

Peer-reviewed academic journal articles Provide detailed reports of research. Articles written by experts in the field and evaluated by other academics (peer reviewers) to assess quality and suitability. Pay rigorous attention to detail and verification of information. Usually contains extensive list of references. Before publication, have usually been revise in response to comments. This is the most useful type for your literature review. Not all academic journal articles are peer-reviewed. (p. 10)

Non-refereed academic journal articles Articles may provide detailed reports of research. Articles selected by an editor or editorial board with subject knowledge. Relevance and usefulness varies considerably. Beware of possible bias. (p. 10)

Professional and trade journal articles Articles written for members of professional or trade organisations, so related to their needs. Consist of a mix of news items and more detailed accounts of a practical nature. Articles rarely based on research, although some provide summaries of research. Can provide useful insights into practice, although may be biased. Need to be used with considerable caution. (p. 10)

Newspaper articles Articles written for members of public, most newspapers addressing a particular market segment. News presented is filtered dependent on events, priority being given to headline-grabbing stories that are likely to appeal to the readers. Good source of topical events and developments. May contain bias in reporting and coverage. (p. 10)

Conference proceedings Articles consist of selected papers presented at a conference, often published as a book or special edition of a journal. Usually peer-reviewed. Increasingly available online. Sometimes difficult to find. Very useful if the theme of the conference matches your research. (p. 10)

Reports Reports on specific topics written by academics and various organisations, including market research organisations and government departments. Beware of possible bias. May not have gone through same review process as peer-reviewed academic journal articles, but those from established organisations are often of high quality. Often difficult to access or expensive

Health psychology focuses on the influence of psychological and behavioral factors on health, often in combination with the environment. Stress is central to this.

What models of personality are there?

What is the interactional model?

The interactional model suggests that personality factors determine the impact of events, because they determine how someone deals with the situation. Personality would thus influence coping. How someone deals with an event determines the degree of stress caused by that event. However, a limitation of this model is that stable coping strategies have never been found.

What is the transactional model?

The transactional model does things differently. According to this model, personality has three potential effects:

1. Personality can influence coping.
2. Personality can affect how the person interprets an event.
3. Personality can influence the event itself.

It is not the event that causes stress here, but rather how it is dealt with. This model is called transactional because of the person's influence on the event and the person's appreciation. There is mutual influence.

What is the health and behavior model?

A third model is the health and behavior model. This assumes that personality does not directly influence the degree of stress or illness, but that it indirectly influences stress or illness through certain behaviors, such as unsafe sex or overeating. The less healthy someone is, the greater the chance of experiencing more stress.

What is the disease and behavior model?

Another model is the disease and behavior model. In this model, disease is explained as the presence of an objectively measurable abnormal physiological process, such as fever, high blood pressure, or a tumor. Abnormal or sick behavior is about the way people behave when they think they are sick. Personality determines the degree of sick behavior, whether or not in combination with a real illness.

According to the predispositional model, associations exist between personality and illness because of a third variable that affects both, namely predisposition. The predisposition can exist for stable individual personality differences and for specific illnesses.

What is stress?

Stress is a subjective feeling that is the result of uncontrollable and threatening events (stressors). These are often extreme situations with unpleasant consequences that cannot be influenced. Stress can be divided into low sources of stress in daily life (daily hassles) and important life events (major life events). Major life events are associated with intensity, conflict and uncontrollability. Positive things can also be very stressful, for example a marriage, a move or a promotion. People with a lot of stress in their lives have many psychological and physiological symptoms. Possible responses to stress