stress Flashcards
Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system (HPA)
controls how body responds to chronic stress
Main features of the Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system
hypothalamus communicates with pituitary gland, causing it to release ATCH. Hormone is detected in bloodstream by adrenal cortex, which then releases corticosteroids. These have a range of effects, such as causing the liver to release glucose
Sympathomedullary pathway (SAM)
controls how body initially responds to an acute stressor, trigger fight or flight response
main features of the Sympathomedullary pathway
hypothalamus activates the sympathetic nervous system, which stimulates the adrenal medulla to release the hormones adrenaline and noradrenaline into the bloodstream. This gets the body ready for fight or flight, e.g increase blood pressure and heartrate
Cortisol
hormone produced by adrenal cortex. Controls how body uses energy and suppresses immune system activity
general adaptation system (GAS)
Seyle said stress is body adapting to stressor. Protects body short term (acute) if prolonged (chronic) can be damaging
alarm reaction
Immediate shock response. Bodily resources decreased then quickly recovering. Systems activated for fight or flight
resistance
Adapt to stressful environment by resisting stressor. Physiological activity uses a lot of energy. Parasympathetic nervous system activated to conserve energy
exhaustion
Resources drained, re-experience symptoms from alarm stage (sweating, raised heart rate etc). Adrenal glands damaged and immune system compromised. Stress related illnesses occur
immunosuppression
Stress suppresses the immune system. E.g cortisol produced by HPA stress response inhibits production of lymphocytes.
Kiecolt-Glaser research
Study 1: medical students had suppressed immune response in exam seasons especially in those most lonely and experiencing other stress
Study 2: caregivers of ill relatives had weaker immune response, more ill days and higher levels of depression than non-caregiver control group.
strength of immunosuppression
Real-world benefits- Patients given hormones to stimulate immune system due to research
limitation of immunosuppression
Dharbhar found that stress can have immunoenhancing effects
cardiovascular disorders
Stress contributes to CVDs such as heart disease and strokes. Acute stress produces adrenaline which directly affects heart muscles
acute stress study
Stress of German football fans watching their team doubled their risk of having a cardiovascular event
chronic stress study
Found workplace stress and life events was the third largest contribute to stress in 15,000 people across different cultures who had had a heart attack
strength of cardiovascular disorders
Research support- Song exposure to chronic stress increases CVD risk
limitations of cardiovascular disorders
Effects of stress on CVDs are indirect
life changes
Having to make psychological adjustment to adapt E.g getting married, divorced, death of close relative, financial state changes
rahe procedure (navy)
US navy personnel completed schedule of recent experiences (version of SRRS) six months before tour of duty and LCU score calculated.
Once duty started, recorded every illness and an illness score made
rahe findings (navy)
significant positive correlation between LCU scores and illness scores. Those with most stressful life changes had most illnesses
Social readjustment rating scale (SRRS)
Holmes and Rahe:
measures stress by assigning a number of life change units (LCUs) to each item on a list (43 life events). Higher LCU value the more adjustment the life change needs, meaning more stressful, added up to give overall life change score
limitation of SRRS
-retrospective questionnaire- demand characteristics/ social desirability bias
-does not consider individual differences
daily hassels
Frequent and everyday irritations E.g can’t find your keys, worried about an argument, traffic
primary and secondary appraisal (hassles)
work out how subjectively threatening hassle is
subjectively consider how well equipped to cope with hassle
Hassles and uplifts scale (HSUP, Kanner)
self-report, assesses how many hassles person has and how severe they are. Uplifts are enjoyable things that offset stress of hassles.
limitations of hassles and uplifts scale
-relies on recall
-demand characteristics
-ignore major life events that can effect stress
what are uplifts
Uplifts are enjoyable things that offset stress of hassles
kanner procedure (hassles)
Constructed a hassles scale (checklist messing hassles in terms of how often they occur and how severe the are) which 100 pp completed every month. Life change scale taken one month before study and on the tenth month of the study. Also, Hopkins symptom checklist was taken.
kanner findings (hassles)
Significant positive correlation between hassle frequency and psychological symptoms
job demand-control model
stressful demands of job leads to poor health, dissatisfaction and absenteeism. can be modified by control employee has over their work.
bosma findings (job control, CHD)
No correlation between workload and illness. However, a low degree of control meant pp were more likely to have CHD 5 years later. True across all job grades
johansson procedure (sawmill)
natural experiment comparing two groups of workers at Swedish sawmill. Group 1- wood finishers (repetitive and little control yet demanding and lots of responsibility). Group 2- cleaners (more control and less responsibility). Measured illness and absenteeism and adrenaline and noradrenaline.