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Transactional theory and research on emotions and coping
Abstract
In this article we examine the fundamental premises of our cognitive‐relational theory of emotion and coping and assess our progress in examining them through 10 years of programmatic empirical research. Our discussion involves the metatheoretical topics of transaction and relationship, process, and emotion as a system. The person‐environment relationship is mediated by two key processess: cognitive appraisal and coping. We evaluate the findings of our research on these processes, their dynamic interplay, their antecedents, and their short‐term and long‐term outcomes. In the final section we highlight major substantive and methodological issues that need to be addressed. These include issues surrounding the theory and measurement of appraisal, functional and dysfunctional coping, causal inference, microanalytic vs macroanalytic research strategies, objective vs subjective approaches and confounding, and the problem of method variance.
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“The transactional model of stress and coping (Lazarus and Folkman, 1987; Folkman and Moskowitz, 2004) indicates that the way any person adapts to this kind of stressor varies according to how they think about the stressor and the actions and behaviors they initiate to manage the demands of the situation; that is, the pain and challenges of living with endometriosis (Folkman and Moskowitz, 2004).”
From Self-management strategies to consider to combat endometriosis symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020) · cites this paper as Lazarus and Folkman, 1987
In the citing paper
“Additionally, the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping (Lazarus & Folkman, 1987) provides a framework for understanding individual differences in responses to coping responses to stress.”
From Content Moderator Mental Health and Associations with Coping Styles: Replication and Extension of Previous Studies (2025) · cites this paper as Lazarus & Folkman, 1987
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Cited by
Sorted by citations
Pekrun, R., Goetz, T., Titz, W., & Perry, R. P. (2002) · Educational Psychologist · doi:10.1207/s15326985ep3702_4 · Cited by 3,931
“Reciprocal causation in academic emotions may take similar forms as in other kinds of human affect (e.g., Lazarus & Folkman, 1987).”
BackgroundProgress on a cognitive-motivational-relational theory of emotion
Lazarus, R. S. (1991) · American Psychologist · doi:10.1037/0003-066x.46.8.819 · Cited by 3,272
Self-citationCoping theory and research: past, present, and future
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Self-citationFrom Psychological Stress to the Emotions: A History of Changing Outlooks
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“The Berkeley Stress and Coping Project, which got under way in the late 1970s and continued to the late 1980s (see Lazarus & Folkman 1987 for a review), addressed the contextual side of coping in a number of field studies.”
BackgroundSelf-citationCognition and motivation in emotion.
Lazarus, R. S. (1991) · American Psychologist · doi:10.1037/0003-066x.46.4.352 · Cited by 2,096
Self-citation
Metadata
- Authors
- Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S.
- Affiliations
- University of California, Berkeley (US)
- Corresponding author
- Lazarus, Richard S.
- Venue
- European Journal of Personality
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 1987-09
- Volume
- 1
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 141-169
- ISSN
- 0890-2070 (ISSN-L)
- 1099-0984
- OpenAlex
- W2106232823
- Semantic Scholar
- 61c4bdaca0b53fc1a9736b946f6a3f5ddd1759b2
- Cited by
- 3,053
- References
- 91
- Citations by year
- 2026: 264 · 2025: 276 · 2024: 215 · 2023: 246 · 2022: 236 · 2021: 273 · 2020: 247 · 2019: 163 · 2018: 137 · 2017: 116 · 2016: 104 · 2015: 81 · 2014: 95 · 2013: 73 · 2012: 68
- FWCI
- 15.44
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- European Journal of Personality (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Emotions and Moral Behavior
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Resilience and Mental Health
- Keywords
- transactional theory, emotions, coping, cognitive appraisal, person-environment relationship, causal inference, confounding, method variance, emotion measurement
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