Stress

Question 1

What are the 2 responses to stress?

Answer 1

Physical & psychological.

Question 2

What is stress as a physical response? Who suggested it?

Answer 2

Hans Selye (1936) described a general physical response to stress that involves activation of the nervous system to release hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline that make us more able to deal with the stressor.

Question 3

What is stress as a psychological response? Who suggested it?

Answer 3

Richard Lazarus and Susan Folkman (1984) proposed a transactional model of stress. This sees stress as an interaction between a person and the environment. When a stressor is experienced the person makes a judgement as to whether that have the resources available to deal with the stressor. Primary appraisal includes considering whether the stress is significant and the secondary appraisal is considering the resources available.

Question 4

What are the 3 different types of stress?

Answer 4

Acute stress, episodic acute stress and chronic stress.

Question 5

What is acute stress?

Answer 5

Most common form of stress. Response to an immediate threat such as an exam or deadline.

Question 6

What is episodic acute stress?

Answer 6

Repeated instances of short-term stress. Occasionally this kind of stress will cease, unlike chronic stress.

Question 7

What is chronic stress?

Answer 7

Stress that persists for long periods of time. An individual suffering from chronic stress will see no escape from a never ending situation. Can be difficult to treat and manage as the individual may have gotten used to it being there.

Question 8

What are the 3 different effects of stress?

Answer 8

Physical, psychological and lifestyle.

Question 9

What are the physical effects of stress?

Answer 9

Over arousal of body’s systems can cause increased blood pressure, muscle problems and stomach problems such as heartburn and stomach acid.
All types of stress long term can lead to physical illness. Stress can damage the immune system leaving individuals vulnerable to infections and illness such as coronary heart disease.

Question 10

What are the psychological effects of stress?

Answer 10

Lead to individuals feeling isolated and having low self-esteem. Can also lead to other mental health problems such as anxiety and depression, or can be the effect of mental health problems.

Question 11

What are the lifestyle effects of stress?

Answer 11

Many physiological can psychological effects are compounded by changes to lifestyle an individual tries in order to cope. E.g. smoking or alcoholism. May also develop nervous habits such as nail biting or problems with sleep which can have negative effects on health and stress levels.

Question 12

What are the biological explanations of stress?

Answer 12

Adrenaline and acute stress
Cortisol and chronic stress.

Question 13

What are the individual differences explanations of stress?

Answer 13

Hardiness
Type A & B personalities

Question 14

What are the social psychological explanations for stress?

Answer 14

Life events
Daily hassles

Question 15

What are the methods of modifying behaviour for stress?

Answer 15

Beta blockers
Stress inoculation training

Question 16

What is the sympathomedullary pathway? (SAM)

Answer 16

Person perceives a threat.
Hypothalamus is alerted. Coordinates response from autonomic nervous system (ANS).
Arouses the sympathetic branch of the ANS.
Sympathetic nervous system sends signal to adrenal medulla.
Adrenal medulla releases hormones adrenaline and noradrenaline.
Hormones go through body targeting key organs. (heart & muscle)
Response stopped by parasympathetic branch.

Question 17

Why is the SAM system also known as the fight-or-flight response?

Answer 17

Changes caused by the release of adrenaline and noradrenaline prepare the body to fight or flight.
Blood is diverted to areas where it is needed for action. Oxygen is carried to muscles to make them work harder. Energy stores are released. Senses sharpen to make us responsive to our environment.
It prepares our body to face the stressor by giving us the resources to react offensively or defensively.

Question 18

How does fight-or-flight link to evolution?

Answer 18

Adaptive strategy to deal with threats ancestors may have faced in the environment of evolutionary adaptiveness (EEA).

Question 19

What effects do adrenaline and noradrenaline have on the heart?

Answer 19

Sympathetic arousal causes heart to work faster and blood pressure to increase as blood vessels constrict and arrives may become blocked. This can exacerbate heart problems.

Question 20

Who did research into the link between adrenaline and heart problems?

Answer 20

Timo Heidt et al (2014)

Question 21

What was Timo Heidt et al’s study?

Answer 21

Studies of mice and also medical staff working in stressful ICU.
Where individuals had thicken arteries, added stress lead to an increase in white blood cells which causes inflammation and produced lesions. Blood platelets con clotting proteins rush to fill the wounds and increase the risk of clots leading to a heart attack.

Question 22

What are the strengths of the adrenaline and acute stress explanation?

Answer 22

Supporting evidence

Question 23

What are the weaknesses of the adrenaline and acute stress explanation?

Answer 23

Stress may not be a casual factors
Research focused on males
Depends on whether we assess the situation as a challenge of a threat

Question 24

What is the supporting evidence for the adrenaline and acute stress explanation?

Answer 24

Jonothan Leor et al (1996)

Question 25

What was Jonothan Leor et al’s study?

Answer 25

Increased number of deaths caused by cardiovascular disease on the day of an earthquake. Supports the link between stress, adrenaline and heart problems.

Question 26

Explain the stress may not be a casual factor weakness of the adrenaline and acute stress explanation.

Question 27

Explain the gender differences weakness of the adrenaline and acute stress explanation.

Question 28

Explain the challenge vs threat explanation of the adrenaline and acute stress explanation.