Stress contagion

Topic

Stress contagion is a psychological and physiological phenomenon where an individual's stress response is triggered or elevated simply by observing or interacting with another stressed person. This form of social and emotional contagion can manifest as synchronized physiological markers, such as mirrored heart rates or cortisol levels, particularly among closely bonded dyads like mothers and infants or coworkers. Research indicates that individuals with higher levels of dispositional empathy are often more susceptible to absorbing the stress of those around them.