Conservation of resources theory and traumatic stress placed in the context of meaning-making: An evolutionary ecological perspective

Conservation of Resources (COR) theory's application to traumatic stress and resilience in the face of trauma is presented. COR theory posits that traumatic circumstances result in rapid loss of central and sometimes survival resources, with resource loss being much more powerful and of greater momentum than resource gain. Rather than focusing on individual appraisal, COR theory posits that most appraisals are derived from biological, cultural, group interpretations of events that are common among most humans and especially people that share a culture and social group. These aspects of COR theory share theoretical space with significance quest theory and mattering theory. All these theories regard self and cultural worth as a key resource for well-being and coping with trauma and loss. The principles and COR theory are described. How resources tend to aggregate in caravans and how environments create passageways that enhance, maintain, or limit resource acquisition and mobilization are presented. The chapter further discusses Drive to Thrive (DTT) theory which underscores the importance of maintaining the fabric of people's lives as critical to coping. Copyright © 2025 Arie W. Kruglanski, Isaac Prilleltensky and Amiram Raviv. All rights reserved.