stress 1 Flashcards
A stressor is defined as…
something that causes stress
eg: workload
Acute stressors are…
an Immediate cause of stress
eg: a spider
Chronic stressors are…
a long term cause of stress
eg: sixthform
A persons response to stress in influenced by individual differences. this means…
the differences between what makes people stressed
eg: an exam may be stressful for one person but not another.
Stress may have evolved as it is adaptive. this could be because…
people choose to fight of flight as a response to survive.
What stress activates the SAM pathway?
Acute
what stress activated the HPA axis?
Chronic
which illnesses have been found to be related to stress?
Common Cold
what was the research (by Kiecolt-Glaser et al) into exam stress and NK cell activity?
measured the NK cell activity recorded from blood samples one month before (low stress) during exams (high stress) also completed questionnaire on experience of negative life events and social isolation
Findings
NK activity was significantly reduced in high stress samples
this means that exam stress reduced immune function making people more vulnerable to illness and infection
research into general life stress and the common cold by Cohen et al
394 ppts completed q’s on number of stressful life events they’d experienced in the previous year. they also raged their degree of stress and level of negative emotions. then this gave them a stress index score.
they were then exposed to the common cold.
82% became affected. high stress index scores are closely related to ability to develop the cold.
so, life stress and negative emotions reduce the effectiveness of our immune system.
stress is defined as…
an emotion produced when demands placed on you exceed now you feel you can cope.
The Sam pathway is acute and activates what?
the sympathetic branch of the autonomous nervous system (ans)
What does the Autonomous nervous system (ans)stimulate? SAM
the adrenal medulla which is part of the adrenal gland (above kidneys)
The Adrenal medulla secretes which hormones? SAM
Adrenaline and noradrenaline into the blood stream
What does Noradrenaline and Adrenaline prepares the body for? SAM
Fight or Flight
