BP- Fight or Flight Response

Question 1

What is the sympathomedullary pathway?

Answer 1

1) The Sympathetic Nervous System is triggered by the hypothalamus.
2) The hypothalamus also sends a signal to the adrenal medulla, which responds by releasing the hormone adrenaline into the bloodstream.

Question 2

What is role of adrenaline?

Answer 2

- Prepares body for fight or flight response by increasing blood supply and therefore oxygen to skeletal muscles for physical action and increasing oxygen to the brain for rapid response planning.
E.g
- Increases heart rate 
- Constricts blood vessels
- Increases rate of blood flow
- Raises blood pressure
- Diverts blood alway from skin
- Increases respiration and sweating
- Increases blood supply to the brain and skeletal muscles

Question 3

What does the parasympathetic nervous system do during the fight or flight response?

Answer 3

• When the threat has passed, the parasympathetic nervous system dampens down the stress response.
• It slows down the heartbeat and reduces blood pressure.
• Digestion which is stopped when the SNS is active, restarts.

Question 4

Evaluate the flight or fight response. (Advantages only)

Answer 4

1) The flight or fight response makes sense from an evolutionary psychology point of view because it would have helped an individual to survive by fighting or fleeing a threat.
2) Studies support the claim that adrenaline is essential in preparing the body for stress. People who have malfunctioning adrenal glands do not have a normal fight or flight response to stress.

Question 5

Evaluate the flight or fight response. (Disadvantages only)

Answer 5

1) Gray (1988) states that the first reaction to stress is not to fight or flight but freeze. This involves the person, stopping, looking and listening and being hyper vigilant to danger.
2) Taylor (2000) found that females tend and befriend in times of stress. Tend and befriend refers to the protection of offspring (tend) and seeking out social groups for mutual defence (befriend). Women have the hormone oxytocin, which means they are more likely to stay and protect their offspring.
3) Von Dawans (2012) has found that even males tend and befriend. For example, during the 9/11 terrorist attacks both males and females showed tend and befriend as they tried to contact loved ones and helped one another.