5- fight or flight response

Question 1

what is the role of the amygdala

Answer 1

• associates sensory signals with emotions associated with fight or flight
• when a threat is senses, amygdala sends distress signal to hypothalamus which prepares the body

Question 2

role of sympathomedullary pathway in fight or flight

Answer 2

when sympathetic nervous system is triggered by the hypothalamus, it sends a signal to the adrenal medulla which releases adrenaline into the bloodstream

Question 3

how does adrenaline prepare the body for fight or flight

Answer 3

• increase heart rate
• constrict blood vessels
• increase rate of blood flow
• raise blood pressure
• divert blood away from the skin, kidneys and digestive system
• increase blood supply to the brain and skeletal muscles
• increase respiration and sweating.
• this all increases blood supply and therefore oxygen to skeletal muscles (physical action) and brain (rapid response planning)

Question 4

role of parasympathetic nervous system in fight or flight

Answer 4

• dampens dow the stress response when threat has passed
• slows down heart rate
• reduces blood pressure
• digestion restarts

Question 5

positive evaluation of fight or flight (2)

Answer 5

+ makes evolutionary senses helps individual survive by fighting/fleeting a threat
+ studies show adrenaline is essential in preparation for stress as people with malfunctioning adrenal glands don’t have a normal response

Question 6

negative evaluation of fight or flight (3)

Answer 6

• first reaction is to freeze (stopping, looking, listening and being hyper vigilant to danger)
• females tend to tend and befriend as they have more oxytocin and are more likely to stay and protect offspring
• even males tend and befriend (e.g in 11/09/01 terrorist attacks, both m/f tried to contact loved ones and help each other)