User talk:Peter Abbott

Phantom Stress

Phantom stress is a psychological form of stress in which the person involved experiences a form a cognitive dissonance, involving emotional feelings of distress and pressure to continue to work on a task that has already been completed. This dissonance can also include mental instability derived from the feeling that a finished task still needs to be worked on even though all components of the project have been completed. Phantom stress is a product caused by both the external environment and the individual personality traits of the person experiencing distress.

History

The origins of Phantom Stress dates back to the studies conducted by Leon Festinger, during her studies of young children and Capuchin monkeys. The study was conducted to examine the mental processes young children and Capuchin monkeys undergo when determining their preference of colored MMs and stickers. After which she concluded that inconsistencies between each person's actual state and their desired state will provide motivation for each person to change so they can reach their desired state.

Symptoms

A person who experiences phantom stress could experience depression, anxiety, mental exhaustion and could show signs of being short tempered. However similar to stress in general the coping mechanisms that each person uses in regards to phantom stress are distinct to their individual personality traits, and are not universally applicable to define human behavior.