flight or fight response Flashcards
amygdala and hypothalamus
someone is faced with threat, amyglada is mobilised
associates sensory signals with emotions
sends distress signal to hypothalamus
communicates with rest of body thrpugh symapthetic nervous system
body respinds to stressors unising 2 major systems
response to sudden stressors (acute)
response to ongoing stressors (chronic)
first part
person expperinces threathing sitaution, body reacts in speicifc ways e.g heart rate increases, breathing becomes more rapid
these responses collectively known as flight or fight
bodily chnages assoicte to whether a person will fight off their threat or flee to safety
response to acute sudden stressors
SAM
sympathetic nervous system
adrenaline
parasympathetic nervous system
symapthtic nevrous system
when triggered, prepares body for action nessary to fight or flight
sends a siganl to the adrenal medualla which respondes by releasing hormone adrenaline into bloodstream
adrenaline
as go through body, causes number of psychological changes
heart beats faster, blood pressure increases
triggers release of blood sugar (glucose) and fats into bloodstream , supplying energy to parts of body associted with flight or fight
parasympathetic nervous system
threat has passed, dampens down the stress response
branch slows the heart rate again and reduces blood pressure
digrestion begins again after SNS has inhibited
respinse to ongoing stressors
HPA
brain continues to percieve something as threathing second system kicks in
hypothalums
hypothalamus releases a chemical messnanger, CRH into the bloodstream in response to stressor
pituatory gland
CRH causes the pituatory gland to release hormone ACTH
ACTH then transported in bloodstream to its target site in the adrenal glands
adrenal gland
stimualtes adrenal cotex
releases several hormones including cortisol
reposnible for several effects in body reposne for fight or flight
may be psotive (quick burst of energy) or negative (low immune system
weakness of flight or fight response
does not tell the whole story
gray argues first reaction to a threat is to not to flight or flee, but to avoid confrontation
suggests that prior to runnign away or attacking, animals typically display the freeze response
intial freeze response is stop look and listen
adaptive advanateg is that makes person look for new info in order to make best repsonse to threat
strength of flight or fight repsonse
tend or befriend response
has been critisiced as females may dispaly a different pattern to males
involves protecting themsleves and their yound through nurturning behaviorus (tending) and forming alliances with other women (befreinding)
may have different reponse to stress as their role evolved being primary caregiver
fleeing too readily would put their offspring at risk
