Fight or Flight Response

Question 1

Give an advantage of the fight or flight response.

Answer 1

Advantages:
- Von Dawans et al - stress can result in a friendly and co-operative behaviour rather then the ‘tend and befriend’ approach - e.g. 9/11 elicited a community spirit.

• Supporting evidence for the genetic differences in fight-or-flight - Lee and Harley - the SRY gene causes men to resort to the traditional fight-or-flight response.

Question 2

Give some disadvantages of the fight-or-flight response.

Answer 2

Disadvantages:
- Gray claims that the first reaction to a threat is to avoid confrontation - animals (and humans) display the ‘freeze’ response - try to decipher any danger.

• Women resort to ‘tend and befriend’ rather then fight or flee - they protect their young and themselves by nourishing their infant (tend) and forming alliances with other females (befriend).

Question 3

Give some examples of characteristics displayed during the fight-or-flight response.

Answer 3

• Increased heart rate
• Vasodilation
• Increased blood pressure
• Dry mouth
• Digestion is inhibited.

Question 4

What is the role of the sympathetic nervous system in the fight-or-flight response?

Answer 4

The systematic nervous system prepares the body to either flee or fight in response to a perceived threat.

Question 5

What is the role of the parasympathetic nervous system in the fight-or-flight response?

Answer 5

The parasympathetic nervous system restores the body to ordinary function when the threat is no longer a hazard.