ABSTRACT
Attitudes can create a buffer against stress. Researchers studied people in risky and stressful jobs, such as firefighters, to see how they coped. They found three core attitudes helped, the three Cs. These are control, commitment and challenge. Together they make psychological hardiness, a kind of resilience that can be applied to studying. Commitment is about making connections. Passive learners stay indoors and wait for the rain to stop. Active learners grab an umbrella and get out. An easy way to connect is to ask questions to get information from tutors and peers. Adopting the attitudes of commitment, control and challenge can help to create a buffer against stress in times of change and uncertainty. Attitudes affect how we absorb and process information and create a buffer against change and uncertainty. Positive mental attitudes can make it easier to learn and increase the chances of success.
