Ch 10 - Human Overload And Underload Flashcards
Stress
Can be good and bad
Is a reaction / non specific response of the body to the demands or threats placed on it. Produces physiological symptoms and psychological symptoms
It is cumulative and it is subjective
If you encounter the same stressful situation, you adapt; learn how to manage a specific task / demand
Physiological Stress
External stressors that effects homeostasis; a strain or demand. Extreme situations can nullify homeostasis
External factors; temperature (hot/cold), noise, light, vibrations, space/comfort proximity
Internal; thirsty, hunger, fatigue, anxiety, ill
Symptoms; sweating, irritability, lack of concentration, dry mouth, increased HR, increased BP, increased respiratory rate (even breathing difficulties - Hyperventilation)
Mental / Cognitive Stress (Psychological stress)
When the perceived demand of the task is greater than the perceived ability to cope with it. This has a large effect on the brains ability to interpret information.
Symptoms; try to do things more quickly, more errors, concentration reduced, mental block, fixated (don’t take anything else in), regression (revert back to wha you know even though it might not be applicable), confirmation bias (when your perception is wrong but you ignore contradictory information)
The sense of running out of time will increase levels of cognitive stress and may also lead to us making the riskier decision
Non-Organisational (non-occupational/professional/domestic)
Causes; Loss of spouse, financial, grief
Organisational (occupational / professional)
Causes; deadlines, rostering, lack of control, exams, promotions, different cultures, lack of hands on flying
Imaginary Stress (Anxiety / apprehension)
Negative emotional stress caused by; worry or nervousness
Can have a big effect on the body; General adaption syndrome (fight/Flight) and even the GAS response
Stressors
Internal or external causes of stress and can be anything
Can lead to arousal or activation, stimulating a person to attempt to cope with the stressor
Arousal
Caused by stress
Can have physiological and Psychological symptoms
Homeostasis tries to keep everything in balance through the ANS (parasympathetic (slows everything) and sympathetic nervous systems (speeds everything up))
Sympathetic helps deal with stress (fight/flight)
Parasympathetic calms you down
General Adaption Syndrome (GAS)
3 stages; alarm, resistance, exhaustion
Alarm (sympathetic)
Up regulates everything; secretes a lot of adrenaline, HR increases, BR increases, pupils dilate, muscles tense up, glucose levels increase, decrease in stress resistance
Symptoms - improved and quicker decision making, increased alertness, increased concentration, better memory
Resistance (Parasympathetic)
Calms the body down and helps to recover from the initial reaction
Still upregulated but less than before
Still dealing with stress
Physiological symptoms; glucose still pumped into system, cortisone (Pain killer) released to keep us going
If stress goes, then you come out of GAS
If stress still present, move to Exhaustion
Exhaustion
When you have exhausted everything, glucose, cortisol etc
Brain now overrides body to keep it dealing with stress and eventually it will run out of energy
Body needs time to get rid of waste products
Prolonged exposure leads to; hypertension, stomach ulcers, CHD chance, inability to combat illness, eventually death
The Three Reactions to GAS
Psychological; brain first realising the new threat/demand/crisis/fear
Psychosomatic; brain triggers the release of hormones into the blood; cortisone, glucose, adrenaline
Somatic; hormones trigger responses in organs which react depending on the hormones
Inverted ‘U’ Hypothesis
Sub maximal zone - poor performance, under aroused; laid back, inactive, too relaxed
Optimal Zone - best performance, optimal arousal - good stress
Stress Zone - over aroused, decreasing performance - anxiety, panic, anger, fear, stress (poor performance)
Break Point - Mental block/snap. Subjective and comes from being over aroused, not good for performance
Types of Underload and Overload
2 types of each;
- Quantitative -> the amount/how much
- Qualitative - What type / how severe
To Reduce Overload
Use MCC skills Share workload Prioritise CRM Use every resource available to you; ATC, Cabin Crew, Doctors in the room in America, Use your company
Underload
Caused by; boredom, lack of engagement, not motivated - all which can lead to complacency; unjustified self confidence and is very very dangerous
Symptoms; no instrument scans, impaired judgment, impaired awareness, decreased Situational Awareness
To reduce; scan, do checks, talk to co worker, keep engaged, use iPad, read ops manual…
Acute Stress (short-term)
Suddenly/unpredictably a new stressor activates stress response
- Mobilises resources of the body to cope with stress
Chronic Stress (long term)
If the stress is occurring daily for a long period of time, causes wear and tear of the body.
Causes; fatigue, scheduling, jet lag, death of a spouse
Physiological effects; Hypertension, diseases, immune system decreased, increased HR
Behaviour; Aggression, withdrawal, nervous, restless (all can occur quite quickly)
Appetite decreases, alcohol increases, smoking increases, hasty decision making (long term impacts)
Personality changes; Increased depression, more moody, moor tearful, more tired
Coping Strategies
Short term thing, deal with at the time. - Subjective
1 - Direct action coping - remove stress / ourself - Positive
2 - Inhibition /cognitive coping - completely ignore/ complete denial - Negative. - rationalise it, start to make sense, analyse, break it down (mature method) talk it through, family, friends
3 - Symptom Directed coping - treating the symptoms but not the stressor - addictive conditions associated
Managing Stress
Prevent/cure stress/ becoming stressed in the first place
Can only cope and manage stress if they are willing to - accept the problem
Good stress management = Prevent (keeping stress levels to a minimum) or Cure (finding ways to reduce existing levels)
Council link or CBT(cognitive behaviour counselling), relaxation techniques, meditation, yoga, film, exercise, religion or spirituality
Stress in the Cockpit
3rd most stressful job
Communication is the 1st tool to disappear when stressed - monitor for this
Hearing disappears as well so they don’t listen
Dealing with stress: Briefing, MCC, CRM, communicate
