The influence of culture, community, and the nested-self in the stress process: Advancing Conservation of Resources theory

Conservation of Resources (COR) theory predicts that resource loss is the p rincipal ingredient in the stress process. Resource gain, in turn, is depic ted as of increasing importance in the context of loss. Because resources a re also used to prevent resource loss, at each stage of the stress process people are increasingly vulnerable to negative stress sequelae, that if ong oing result in rapid and impactful loss spirals. COR theory is seen as an a lternative to appraisal-based stress theories because it relies more centra lly on the objective and culturally construed nature of the environment in determining the stress process, rather than the individual's personal const ruel. COR theory has been successfully employed in predicting a range of st ress outcomes in organisational settings, health contexts, following trauma tic stress, and in the face of everyday stressors. Recent advances in under standing the biological, cognitive, and social bases of stress responding a re seen as consistent with the original formulation of COR theory, but call for envisioning of COR theory and the stress process within a more collect ivist backdrop than was first posited. The role of both resource losses and gains in predicting positive stress outcomes is also considered. Finally, the limitations and applications of COR theory are discussed.