Conservation of Resources Theory

Conservation of resources (COR) theory offers a framework within which to understand responses to stress and suggests that stress results from circumstances involving threatened or actual loss of valued resources. Furthermore, it is the desire to defend, conserve, and acquire these valued resources which motivates human behavior in the face of stress. According to COR theory, loss is more salient than gain, and loss begets loss. The theory has received much empirical support and is particularly helpful in understanding relationships between stress and physical health. It offers fundamental insights that have guided research on coping with chronic illness, medical consequences of natural disasters, and long-term effects of occupational burnout. It has implications for disaster intervention and for improving medical care – especially for those with histories of trauma. COR theory may prove especially useful in understanding health-related resource caravan passageways – that is, mechanisms by which risk and resilience factors cluster together and impact health.