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Coercive Incentive Structures

Meaning

Coercive Incentive Structures refer to organizational or social systems that utilize reward or punishment mechanisms to compel behaviors, often leading to chronic psychological stress and a profound sense of loss of personal control. In the context of hormonal health, these structures are significant psychosocial stressors that force individuals to override their biological needs, such as sleep, nutrition, or recovery, to meet external demands. This conflict between extrinsic pressure and intrinsic physiological needs directly contributes to allostatic load and subsequent HPA axis dysfunction.