Stress Flashcards

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1
Q

Outline the sympathomedullary (SAM) pathway

A

The SAM pathway is activated in response to an acute stressor, immediately triggering the fight-or-flight response:
- Sympathetic nervous system: autonomic system triggers SNS to stimulate adrenal medulla
- Adrenal medulla releases adrenaline and noradrenaline
- Adrenaline + noradrenaline circulate and affect target organs (heart and muscles)

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2
Q

Outline the hypothalamic pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis

A

Activates alongside SAM pathway, but the response is slower since it is hormonal
- Hypothalamus releases corticotropin releasing factor (CRF)
- Pituitary gland is stimulated by CRF to produce adrenocorticotrophin hormone (ACTH)
- Adrenal cortex is stimulated by ACTH to release corticosteroids e.g. cortisol

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3
Q

State the 3 stages of general adaptation syndrome

A

The stages aim to model the universal physiology of stress:

Stage 1 - Alarm
Stage 2 - Resistance
Stage 3 - Exhaustion

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4
Q

Outline Selye’s alarm stage of GAS

A
  • The stressor is identified
  • Sympathetic nervous system is activated
  • Fight or flight response is triggered

Electrical impulses makes this response fast

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5
Q

Outline Selye’s resistance stage of GAS

A
  • If stressor is not dealt with, endocrine system is triggered
  • HPA axis is triggered to release cortisol in the blood
  • Body’s resources gradually deplete but the body appears to be coping

This system is slower since it relies on hormones in the bloodstream to trigger each part of HPA

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6
Q

Outline Selye’s exhaustion stage of GAS

A
  • Body can no longer maintain normal functioning
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7
Q

What are 2 evaluations of the physiology of stress?

A
  1. Fight or flight is maladaptive, as it is suited for energetic behaviour
  2. May be gender-biased - research from rats suggests oxytocin may inhibit fight-or-flight, and instead encourage tend and befriend
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8
Q

What is an evaluation of Selye’s GAS?

A
  1. Increased hormone activity of cortisol may better explain exhaustion than a ‘depletion’ of resources, since resources (such as neurotransmitter and hormones) do not become ‘depleted’
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9
Q

What is the role of stress in illness?

A

If the stress response is chronic, it may lead to gradual wear and tear of the immune and cardiovascular system

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10
Q

How does stress affect the cardiovascular system?

A

Stress activates the sympathetic NS which produces adrenaline and noradrenaline, and these hormones lead to:
- increased heart rate weakens heart
- vasoconstriction, which increases blood pressure
- atherosclerosis via high BP

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11
Q

Outline Williams et al’s (2000) study on anger and heart disease

A

Aim: to see whether anger was linked to heart disease since anger also activates sympathetic NS
Procedure: 13,000 ppts (with no heart disease) filled out an anger scale with questions such as ‘are you hot headed?’
Findings: 6 years later the health of ppts was checked; 256 experienced heart attacks - those who scored highest on the test were 2.5x more likely than those who scored lowest to suffer a heart attack
Conclusion: SNS arousal is closely associated with cardiovascular disorder

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12
Q

How does stress affect the immune system?

A

Ongoing stress activates the HPA axis which releases cortisol; cortisol reduces the body’s immune response which increases likelihood of becoming ill

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13
Q

Outline Kiecolt-Glaser et al’s (1984) study on chronic stress and immune functioning

A

Aim: to investigate the effect of important exams on immune functioning
Procedure: 75 medical students had blood samples taken a month before (low stress) and the day of their exam period (high stress) - functioning was assessed by NK cell activity, and ppts completed a social readjustment rating scale (SRRS)
Findings: NK cell activity was significantly reduced in high stress sample, especially when life stressors and loneliness were high
Conclusion: ongoing stressors reduce immune system functioning

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14
Q

What are some evaluations of the role of stress in illness?

A
  1. Cardiovascular effects researched via self-report measures; reduces reliability as results are skewed away from what is accurate due to perception - tendency for negative views exaggerates effect
  2. Individual differences need to be accounted for: age, gender, and hyperresponsiveness of sympathetic branch of ANS
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15
Q

Define life changes as a source of stress

A

Life changes are events in a person’s life that require significant adjustments, therefore they cause stress due to the expended psychic energy to deal with change

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16
Q

How are life changes measured?

A

Holmes and Rahe: The Social Readjustment Rating Scale (self-report)

17
Q

How does the SRRS work?

A
  • consists of 43 life events: individ. selects the ones they experienced in a set time period
  • LCU (life change units) are assigned to each life event; the higher the number, the higher the stress
  • death of a spouse: 100LCUs, pregnancy: 40LCUs, divorce: 73LCUs
18
Q

Outline Cohen et al’s research on life changes

A
  • gave ppts nasal drops with the common cold virus and assessed their life changes using the SRE (schedule of recent experiences; adapted ver of SRRS)
  • also assessed ppts’ perceived stress scale
  • ppts were quarantined to see if they developed cold
  • ppts with higher LCUs were more likely to catch a cold, and there was no link between perceived stress and illness