Biopsychology : Fight or Flight Flashcards
What is a gland?
Specialized organ that produces substances like hormones, enzymes and fluids into the bloodstream
What is a hormone?
A chemical messenger produced by glands that regulates physiological processes in the body by affecting target cells or organs
Major endocrine gland : Thyroid
affects metabolism
Major endocrine gland : Parathyroids
help regulate level of calcium in blood
Major endocrine gland : Testis
secretes male sex hormone
Major endocrine gland : Adrenal
trigger fight or flight response
Major endocrine gland : Pancreas
regulates level of sugar in blood
Major endocrine gland : ovaries
secretes female sex hormones
Major endocrine gland : hypothalamus
Control centre - brain region controlling the pituitary gland
Major endocrine gland : pituitary
Master gland - secretes different hormones, some affect other glands
What does fight or flight mean?
equence of activities within the body that are triggered when the body prepares itself for defending or attacking (fight) or running away to safety (flight)
What biological thing causes the fight or flight?
changes in the NS and secretion of hormones to sustain arousal
What biological thing causes the fight or flight?
changes in the NS and secretion of hormones to sustain arousal
History of fight or flight?
engrained survival instinct and represents the options our ancient ancestors could choose when dealing with dangerous environments – it makes the body prepared
What part of the brain senses danger?
The amygdala – its associated with emotional processes and it part of the limbic system. If it alerts a threat it’ll activate a sequence of events (the Sympathomedullary pathway)
SAM pathway?
The Sympathomedullary pathway - route the brain directs the sympathetic branch of the automatic nervous system (ANS) to activate in response to short-term stress
SAM pathway list
Hypothalamus activates → SAM triggers → adrenal medulla releases → adrenaline and noradrenaline facilitates → fight or flight
What happens after the threat has passed?
parasympathetic NS returns to body to resting state (rest and digest).
The parasympathetic and sympathetic system work as an antagonistic pair: when one is active the other is not.
Effects of adrenaline
- pupillary dilation
- inc heart rate
- rapid breathing
- blood sugar and fats released
- divert blood
- inc sweating
Effects of adrenaline : pupillary dialation
Inc awareness of visual info
Effects of adrenaline : inc heart rate
Push blood to muscles to enable action and to brain for rapid response planning
Effects of adrenaline : rapid breathing
To take in more oxygen for muscle movement
Effects of adrenaline : blood sugar and fats released
To blood stream for energy
Effects of adrenaline : divert blood
From digestive system to conserve energy by contracting blood vessels
Effects of adrenaline : inc sweating
To cool body
HPA axis in stress response
- Detect stress
- Release CRH
- Release ACTH
- Stimulation of adrenal glands
- Effects of cortisol
- Short and long term effects
Limitations of fight or flight theory
• stressors of modern life do not generally need such a physical reaction that gives us energy to fight or flight as they’re more psychological and longer term
• Taylor (2000) suggests females may display a different pattern to males. She argues that females protect themselves and their young through nurturing behaviors (tending) and forming protective alliances with other women (befriending).
• Gray (1988) argues that the first phase of reaction to a threat is not to fight or flee, but to avoid confrontation. He suggests that prior to responding with attacking or running away, most animals typically display the “freeze” response to “stop, look and listen” response.
