internal/external stressors + psychological/physiological responses Flashcards
internal stressors
originate within a person and can be biological or psychological
external stressors
originate from factors outside one’s body and control
social, cultural and environmental
acute stress
usually intense stress that lasts for a relatively short time
chronic stress
being stressed for a long time
response to ongoing stressors
debilitating
eustress
beneficial and increases alertness
distress
makes one feel as if unable to cope or be in control
similarities of eustress and distress
subjective nature of psychological responses
causes physiological stress response that enhances performance
differences of eustress and distress
- positive/negative stress response
- being happy/excited vs worried/upset
- occurs when the stressor provide a +ve opportunity vs when it is a -ve circumstance
psychological stress responses
eustress vs distress
can differ depending on the person
physiological stress responses
acute stress
- flight/fight/freeze response
chronic stress
- cortisol release
everyone has the same physiological response
flight/fight/freeze response
involuntary physical response to a sudden threat in readiness
sympathetic nervous system activation
- adrenaline released immediately
freeze response
both sympathetic and parasympathetic are activated simultaneously (either becomes dominant depending on the context)
PSNS dominance causes a reduction in movement, vocalisation, heart rate, blood pressure and muscle tension
cortisol release
cortisol released more slowly and lasts longer
functions
- increase blood sugar
- improved metabolism
- energises body
- reduces inflammation
turns off unimportant bodily systems (reproductive, immune, digestive, production of growth hormones)
HPA vs SAM axis
HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis
- releases cortisol (chronic stress)
SAM (sympathetic-adreno-medullar) axis
- releases adrenaline (acute stress)
