ABSTRACT
In the previous chapter “control” was defined basically in terms of mastery, power, or reversibility. The point was made that control may be a determinant of what is stressful or may be a factor which determines how stressful a noxious environment appears to be. In animal research, escape or avoidance facilities seem to reduce the risk of pathology associated with a stressful event such as electric shock. In human research, experiments show that although control and predictability are often confounded, both are sought by a greater proportion of a population and the presence of control seems to be particularly associated with lowered anticipatory arousal, better post-event performance, greater tolerance, and less perceived pain. Nevertheless, there are some subjects, generally less than a third of any population, who opt for unpredictable or uncontrollable events; their motives for doing so may indicate that the total situation is viewed from a different perspective.
