Biopsychology- Fight or Flight response

Question 1

What is the fight or flight response (general)?

Answer 1

Survival mechanism to help us respond to a threatening situation that can be death by either “fighting” or running away-activated for stressors that aren’t life threatening

Question 2

What is the fight or flight response (specific)?

Answer 2

A sequence of activity within the body that is triggered when the body prepares itself for defending or attacking (fight) or running away to safety (flight) involving changes in nervous system (NS) & secretion of hormones necessary for arousal

Question 3

Which part of the nervous system does the fight or flight response mainly activate?

Answer 3

Automatic nervous system (ANS)- sympathetic branch of it

Question 4

What are 3 things involved in the fight or flight response?

Answer 4

1) Amygdala
2) Hypothalamus
3) Adrenal glands (adrenal cortex & medulla)

Question 5

What is the order of functions during the fight or flight response to sudden stressors?

Answer 5

1) Appraisal
2) Hypothalamus
3) ANS- sympathetic
4) Adrenal medulla

Question 6

What role does appraisal have during sudden stressors (FvsF)

Answer 6

Sensory systems dependent (vision/hearing) & involves higher cortical centres- detects the stimulus

Question 7

What role does the hypothalamus have during sudden stressors (FvsF)

Answer 7

If the situation is appraised as threatening, the hypothalamus will be alerted- controls activation of both major pathways (SAM and HPA pathway)

Question 8

What role does the sympathetic NS have during sudden stressors (FvsF)

Answer 8

Part of the ANS- controls internal organs via nerve pathways in brain stem, spinal cord to organs.
If a situation is appraised as stressful, hypothalamus activates sympathetic NS
Increases heart rate & blood pressure

Question 9

What role does the adrenal medulla have during sudden stressors (FvsF)

Answer 9

Releases hormones adrenaline & noradrenaline into bloodstream

Question 10

What role does adrenaline and noradrenaline have during sudden stressors (FvsF)

Answer 10

Increases/ sustains effects of sympathetic nervous system

Question 11

What are 3 things adrenaline does during FvsF response?

Answer 11

1) Speeds up heart rate & increases blood pressure
2) Faster breathing- increasing o2 intake
3) Reduces parasympathetic NS=slows digestion

Question 12

What does noradrenaline do during FvsF response?

Answer 12

Constricts blood vessels, increasing blood pressure