Physiological Measures Of Stress

Question 1

What does physiological measures of stress involve and examples

Answer 1

It involves taking measurements from the body, biological signs of stress.
Eg increased HR and blood pressure.
Blood samples can also be taken to measure the levels of adrenaline and cortisol.
There is also the skin conductance response> explained further

Question 2

What is the skin conductance response (SCR) / Galvanic skin response

Answer 2

It measures the skins resistance to electrical impulses .
When we are under stress the skin sweats more, meaning it can conduct electricity more easily.
Eg places we sweat more have more electricity in that area
Electrodes are strapped to fingers and a small voltage is sent through them.
The more electricity being conducted = more stressed they are.

Question 3

Johnson’s study of measuring adrenaline

Answer 3

Johannson
assessed stress in the workplace of 14 finishers and 10 cleaners
-Urine samples taken 4 times a day showed the finisher’s adrenaline increased as the work day went on whereas the cleaner’s adrenaline fell throughout their work day.
-This correlated with the pp self-report questionnaires that the finishers felt more stressed because of their low control and high workload at work.

Question 4

Evaluation of physiological measures of stress

Answer 4

✅- scientific, objective, more valid than self report ways of measuring stress as no socially desirable answers. As they reply on hormones, chemicals, HR etc that can’t be manipulated.

❌ Extraneous variables can cause these biological/ physiological changes eg caffeine, smoking, alchol. So it’s difficult to directly measure the response of stress.
❌ Individual differences- some people may naturally have a higher HR, Blood pressure, sweat more etc which affects findings.