Approaches to Understanding Frustration

It is discussed that recent events related to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the armed conflict between Russia and the European Union, have actualized panic and stress states in a large number of the population. This is closely related to frustrations in the realization of the needs familiar to individuals. Five main approaches to understanding frustration are presented. It is analyzed that in S. Rosenzweigʼs heuristic theory of frustration two types of frustration reaction and orientation are considered. Emphasis is placed on the authorʼs definition of such a concept as frustration tolerance, which is understood as the psychobiological ability of the subject to overcome difficult situations. In the theory of frustration fixation by N. R. B. Maier, the main emphasis is placed on the transformation of the goal of the frustrated subject. The theory of frustration regression (Т. Dembо, C. Lawrence) suggests that an individual, in case of a collision with frustrating factors, can turn to early behavioral models. In the theory of frustrating aggression, J. Dollard, L. W. Doob, N. E. Miller, O. H. Mowrer, R. R. Sears claim that hindrance to achieving the goal (frustration) leads to internal arousal of the individual, which is accompanied by aggression. In the model of stress and coping by R. Lazarus, S. Folkman, the understanding of frustration and stress is based on a cognitive assessment of the influence of frustrating factors on the well-being of the individual. It is concluded that the basic concepts of frustration complement each other in understanding this phenomenon.