Science Behind Our Pet Peeves

Annoyances, known as pet peeves, are something that is unpredictable.They're stressors. A stressor is a stress-producing event or situation. It is important to note that an event that is a stressor for one person may not be for another. Stress is the term used for the person's reactions; whether perceptual, cognitive, physical, or emotional.

Many people think of stress only as a condition to be avoided. A Canadian researcher Hans Selye, however, distinguished between two types of stress. Negative stress, or distress, which stems from acute anxiety or pressure and can take a harsh toll on the mind and body. Positive stress, or eustress, results from the strivings and challenges that are the "spice" of life. (Selye & Cherry, 1978; Selye, 1982)

There is another component of stress. Richard Lazarus (1993) believes that how a person perceives and evaluates an event makes a difference. This is called the cognitive model of stress. People analyze and then evaluate a situation before it is labeled as stressful.

The Three Types of "Annoying"

1. Environmental: annoyances from sounds and smells of our environment
2. Social: annoyances cause by the violation of social norms
3. Interpersonal: Annoyances caused by individuals

   
   

   Environmental conditions such as noise may cause stress on the job, and these factors can have similar effect on the public at large. Surveys have shown that Americans regard noise as one of the foremost irritants in their lives. Noise is particularly aggravating when it is loud, irregular, or uncontrollable. Constant exposure to unpleasant noise levels can lead to hearing loss and can interfere with learning. One study found that third and fourth graders in the flight path of a major airport showed significant increases in blood pressure and stress hormones compared to those without noise. (Evans et al, 1998) People exposed to excessive noise at work have reported more headaches, nausea, and moodiness than others.
   
   Most people dislike certain high-density situations and can feel stress when other people get too close. Studies on crowding have found a relationship between high-rise apartments with many crowded people and aggression. Crowding itself, however, is not the problem. The problems occur not when you are crowded but when you feel crowded. (Taylor, 1991)
   Jonathan Freedman (1975) has concluded that the effects of crowding makes people feel better; if the situation is unpleasant, crowding makes them feel worse. In other words, being packed together intensifies people's reactions, but it does not create them.