Your Dominant Response...

How do you respond to stress?

A dominant response means that whatever reactions you are normally inclined to have in a particular situation when facing stress, this inclination will only become stronger in the presence of others.

In a previous post, we explored Social Facilitation Theory, and briefly touched upon the concept of dominant response. As we already explained, for simple or well-rehearsed tasks, heightened arousal tends to strengthen the dominant response, leading to improved performance (facilitation). However, for complex or unfamiliar tasks, where anxiety is elevated, increased arousal may hinder performance due to interferences with cognitive processing (Zajonc, 1967).

This concept of a dominant stress response is crucial to understand because it shapes how you react to challenges, interact with others, and even compete.

When you can identify your primary stress reaction, you gain valuable insights about your behavior and emotional patterns. Once you determine the trigger(s) – the type of reaction to stress -, you can then focus on selecting potential areas for growth and self-improvement.

Again, recognizing your dominant stress response is a crucial first step toward better self-understanding and stress management.

Know that everyone’s stress response is unique, shaped by a complex interaction of genetic, environmental, and experiential factors. Even gender, beliefs or smoking habits can play a key role in a person stress responses profile.

Moreover, it is important to note that dominant responses may change over time or in different contexts. Indeed, life experiences, personal growth, and changing circumstances can all influence how we react to stress.

There are four primal reactions to stress. While fight or flight are the most well-known responses, freeze and fawn reactions are also common.

• Flight: this response involves trying to escape or avoid the threat altogether.

• Fight: when confronted with a threat, individuals choose to confront it and fight back.

• Freeze: here, it involves becoming immobilized or “freezing”.

• Fawn: the newest addition to the model; it happens when an individual attempts to appease or reconcile the threat to avoid harm. It manifests by seeking approval, struggling to set boundaries or suppressing your own needs and emotions to maintain harmony.

Building grit and emotional regulation skills is essential for managing stress responses effectively. When you foster a deeper understanding of your stress responses, you can create a more balanced and adaptive approach to dealing with competition’s inevitable stressors. And by developing a more flexible and conscious approach to stress, your performance will improve.