Lesson 5 - Fight Or Flight Flashcards
What Is The Flight Or Fight Response?
It acts as a survival mechanism, the body changes to allow an individual to fight or flee danger.
Amygdala
Activates when someone is faced with a threat, it associates sensory signals with fight/flight emotions. It then sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus which communicates with the rest of the body using the SNS.
Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS)
The SNS sends a signal to the adrenal medulla which responds by releasing adrenaline.
Adrenaline
Increases heart rate/bloodflow, faster breathing and blood sugar is released.
Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS)
Once the threat has passed, the PNS dampens down the stress response using the ANS, which triggers shit like digestion once again.
Chronic Stress
Consistent feeling of stress and shit.
HPA System
Deals with chronic stress.
Hypothalamus (HPA)
The HPA relies on hormone signals that the SNS needs, the hypothalamus releases CRH in response to the stresser.
Pituitary Gland (HPA)
CRH triggers the pituitary gland to release ACTH which goes to the target site in the adrenal glands.
Adrenal Glands (HPA)
ACTH, causes release of bare stress related hormones which cause positive/negative responses.
Fight Or Flight Weaknesses
- Freeze Response
- Male Response
- Modern Day Life
Freeze Response (-)
Gray (1988) suggested mans freeze to completely avoid a situation and the model doesn’t account for this.
Male Response (-)
Taylor Et Al suggested women are more likely to protect their offspring as opposed to fleeing the situation.
Fight Or Flight Strengths
- Evolution
- Adrenaline Studies
Evolution (+)
Fight or flight makes sense in evolution as it would’ve helped mans survive back in the days.
