Biopsychology - The fight or flight response

Question 1

What is the fight or flight response made up of?

Answer 1

The endocrine and autonomic nervous systems working together.
* Sympathetic nervous system - raises levels of emotional arousal
* Parasympathetic nervous system - returns body back to normal functioning

Question 2

Explain the sympathetic adrenal medullary pathway (SAM)

Answer 2

• When a stressor is percieved you go into a sympathetic state
• Step 1: The body senses danger and interprets it as a stressor
• Step 2: The hypothalamus in the brain activates the adrenal medulla (middle of the adrenal glands)
• Step 3: Adrenal medulla releases adrenaline into the bloodstream which causes a series of physical changes in the body. The respone is designed to help us either defend oursleves or flee from the threatening situation
• Step 4: When the danger is over, the body calms itself down using the parasympathetic branch of the ANS. Everything that the body increased is decreasing and this is known as rest and digest response

Question 3

What are the direct effects of adrenaline?

Answer 3

• Increased heart rate
• Increases blood pressure
• Increases respiration and sweating
• Dilates pupils

Question 4

What are the general effects of adrenaline?

Answer 4

• Prepare the body for fight or flight
• Increases blood supply and oxygen to skeletal muscle for physical action
• Increases oxygen to brain for rapid response planning