3. fight or flight response Flashcards
what stressors are included in the stress response system
acute (sudden) - arouse ANS.
chronic (ongoing).
these are both coordinated by the hypothalamus.
what is the fight or flight response
when a threat is detected the body is forced to make a fight or flight decision on how to respond to the theat. this is argued to be an evolved process.
how does the body initiates the fight or flight response?
stressor perceived - hypothalamus activates the sympathetic branch of the ANS.
ANS changes - resting state (parasympathetic) to psychologically aroused sympathetic state.
stress hormone is released from the adrenal medulla gland into bloodstream.
this hormone triggers physiological changes in the body - produces necessary arousal for fight or flight.
once the threat has passed the PNS returns to resting state - puts a break on the physiological changes known as ‘rest and digest’ response.
it is an acute response - autonomic.
the two nervous systems are antagonistic - work in opposition to each other.
what happens during the sympathetic state of fight/flight
increased heart and breathing rate.
dilates pupils.
contracts rectum.
inhibits saliva production.
inhibits digestion.
what happens during the parasympathetic state of fight/flight
decreases heart and breathing rate.
constricts pupils.
relaxes rectum.
stimulates saliva production.
stimulates digestion.
weakness - human behaviour is not limited to two responses
research suggests that the first response to danger is to avoid confrontation - demonstrated by a ‘freeze response’. during the freeze response humans are hyper-vigilant while they appraise the situation and decide the best course of action for that particular threat.
= fight or flight explanation of behaviour is limited and does not fully explain the complex cognitive and biological factors that underpin the human response to danger.
weakness - does not fully explain the stress response in females
research shows that females adopt a ‘tend and befriend’ response in stressful situations. there is evidence that suggests women are more likely to protect their offspring (tending) and form alliances with other women (befriend), rather than fight an adversary or flee.
therefore while the original fight or flight explanation may have been limited in its application to females, this has prompted more recent research which has provided an alternate explanation which is applicable to females.
= beta bias within this area of psychology as psychologists assumed that females responded in the same way as males until evidence provided evidence of a tend and befriend response.
weakness - can have a negative effect on health especially in modern day life.
the fight or flight response may have been a useful survival mechanism for our ancestors who faced genuinely life threatening situations (from predators) but modern day life rarely requires such an intense biological response.
this matters because the activation of the fight or flight response can increase blood pressure and cause damage to blood vessels and contribute to heart disease.
= fight or flight response is a maladaptive response in modern day life.
