List and describe three different factors that moderate individuals' stress responses

What will be an ideal response?

Psychological and personality characteristics can mediate the effects of exposure to stressors. Positive affect such as optimism, happiness, joy, and contentment enhance the parasympathetic modulation of heart rate, blood pressure, and other physiological stress reactions while negative emotions such as depression, hostility, anxiety, and cynicism accentuate the stress response. Hostility in particular has been implicated in several physiological disorders including coronary heart disease.

Perceived control is also important to stress level. A negative event that is perceived as controllable is likely to be less stressful than one that is perceived as uncontrollable. Perception of control over the environment seems to reduce stress effects.

The three characteristics of commitment (being involved in ongoing changes rather than giving up and feeling isolated), control (attempting to influence decisions and refusing to feel powerless), and challenge (viewing changes as opportunities) all appear not only to protect individuals against stress related illness, and actually helping them to thrive.

Social support moderates the impact of a stressor. Research suggests that social support may provide a buffer or protection against the health-damaging effects of stress. Additionally, perceived discrimination, cultural expectations, and conflicts with societal standards have an impact on health and can heighten the stress response.