fight or flight

Question 1

the fight or flight response

Answer 1

1. enter a stressful situation
2. the amygdala is activated and sends a signal to the hypothalamus
3. this activates the pathway running to the sympathetic ns
4. the sns stimulates the adrenal medulla, secreting adrenaline and noradrenaline into the bloodstream
5. adrenaline causes physiological changes to the body to prepare for fight or flight

Question 2

physiological changes

Answer 2

• increased heart rate: increases blood flow to organs and the movement of adrenaline around the body
• increased breathing rate: increases oxygen intake
• pupil dilation: allows more light into the eyes and enhances vision
• sweat production: regulates temperature
• reduction of non-essential functions: increases energy for essential functions

Question 3

what happens after the fight or flight response?

Answer 3

the parasympathetic nervous system is activated to return our body to its original state

Question 4

give a limitation of the fight or flight response
1/4

Answer 4

our response to danger isn’t limited to fight or flight. some psychologists claim there is a freeze period within the response. it’s suggested our nature is to avoid confrontation, so we will first assess the situation to decide the best course of action. this suggests that the fight or flight response isn’t a complete explanation of human response to danger, and that more research is required to gain a more comprehensive understanding

Question 5

give a limitation of the fight or flight response
2/4

Answer 5

fight or flight is typically a male response to danger. women will engage in a ‘tend and befriend’ response, where they protect their offspring (tend) and form alliances with other women (befriend). fight or flight may be counterintuitive for women as it may act as a sign of weakness that could danger their offspring

Question 6

give a limitation of the fight or flight response
3/4

Answer 6

early research was typically conducted on men, making it androcentric. psychologists assumed that findings could be applied to women, and that they would have a similar response to danger as men, which hints at a level of beta bias by minimising the differences between men and women and assuming they would respond the same.

Question 7

give a limitation of the fight or flight response
4/4

Answer 7

although the fight or flight response was effective for our ancestors whilst facing life threatening situations, research suggests that it may be a maladaptive response for modern day danger, as it rarely requires such an extreme biological response as the same level of danger is much less common. additionally, the constant stress of daily life can repeatedly activate the fight or flight response, creating biological changes such as increased heart rate and blood pressure. this occuring constantly, for example for someone who experiences constant stress, could cause issues such as increased blood pressure which damages their blood vessels and could lead to heart disease. this suggests that the fight or flight response is more harmful than beneficial in modern life, and that the theory may lack temporal validity.