Physiology Of Stress

Question 1

Define stress

Answer 1

Emotional and physiological response to situations of perceived threat

Question 2

What did Selye conclude

Answer 2

When animals are expose to unpleasant stimuli hey display a universal response called general adaption syndrome

Question 3

What is general adaption syndrome (GAS)

Answer 3

General - response is regardless of the type of threat
Adaption - adaptive behaviour ( useful and effective way for the body to cope with extreme stress)
Syndrome - several symptoms in the stress response

Question 4

3 stages of gas

Answer 4

Alarm reaction, resistance and exhaustion

Question 5

What is the Alarm reaction called

Answer 5

Sympathomedullary pathway (SAM)

Question 6

Describe SAM

Answer 6

• A threat detected and the hypothalamus activates the sympathetic branch of the automatic nervous system
• sends electrical messages via peripheral nervous system to the arena gland
• triggers adrenal medulla to release noradrenaline and adrenaline
• these horses trigger flight or fight response

Question 7

What response is used to acute stressors

Answer 7

SAM

Question 8

What is the Resistance stage

Answer 8

Used if stress continues, the body tries to adapt to deal with stressor and reduce its effect, down by the activation of HPA pathway, the person appears to be coping

Question 9

Hypothalamus Pituitary-adrenal gland (HPA pathway)

Answer 9

• threat detected an the hypothalamus release a hormone (CRH)
  -stimulates the pituitary gland to realise the horses ACTH
• Stimulates the adrenal cortex of each adrenal gland to realise the hormone cortisol

Question 10

2 major effect of cortisol

Answer 10

• release of glucose from the liver
• suppression of the immune system

Question 11

Importance of the relays of glucose from the liver

Answer 11

To be used by the muscles as energy

Question 12

Why is the immune system suppressed

Answer 12

Redirect energy to other areas if the body eg brains and muscles this is known as immunosuppression

Question 13

What happens if the stressor goes away quickly

Answer 13

• The release of noradrenaline and adrenaline stop
• the parasympathetic ANS returns the body to a resting state
• realise of cortisol stops however effects are longer lasting

Question 14

Difference between SAM and HPA

Answer 14

HPA
- based on endocrine system
- slower response
SAM
- based on the nervous system
- fast response

Question 15

Describe the Exhaustion stage

Answer 15

• stress has continue for some time
• body’s resistance may gradually be reduced or may collapse
• immune system will be virtually non-functioning
• Selye illness occurs a this stage because the body resources for dealing with stress have became depleted

Question 16

Key study

Answer 16

Selye :
- experimented with rats
- injected various substances and exposing them to various types of harmful stimuli (stressors)
- rats developed the same physiological symptoms each time, regardless of the stressor eg stomach ulcers
- demonstrates that the stress response is physiological and its the same for every stressor

Question 17

Evidence against GAS

Answer 17

Affected by gender bias, assumes stress response is the same for male an females
Taylor:
- acute stress cause flight or fight response in men
- causes a tend to befriend response in females
- women produce oxytocin
- suggest that acute stress response has different outcome on a individual should not be assumed that al individuals will react the same psychological way

However: animal studies

Question 18

Weaknesses of GAS

Answer 18

Selye: suggested that the physiological stress response was helpful in survival however flight or fight may have been beneficial in the past its less adaptive today, stressor in modern day don’t require physical activity, problem with modern day stressors is that they a repeat do activated, increased blood pressure leads to hart disease and too much cortisol surpasses immune system

• underemphasise cognitive aspects of stress supported by Lazarus and Folkman
  
  • developed transactional model: when an individual perceives tat they are unable to cp with what the perceive the demands of a situation, this willl trigger the physiological response
• Lazarus made ppts watch a gruesome initiation rite, those who where told the initiation where exiting showed less arousal of the ANS than thsoe who has pain emphasised beforehand
• suggest cognitive factors also play a role in stress response