stress as an example of a psychobiological process Flashcards
unit 3 aos 1
stress
a psychobiological response produced by internal and external stressors
stressor
any stimulus that produces stress
physical stimulus examples
-extreme temperature
-intense light
-loud noises
psychological stimulus examples
-arguments
-running late
-failing an exam
internal stressors and examples
originates within the individual (personal problems that cause concern about potential consequences)
external stressors and examples
originates outside the individual (having too much homework, being in a crowded space)
acute stress
stress that lasts for a relatively short time
effects of acute stress
negative effects
-elevated blood pressure
-reduced motivation
positive effects
-body releases adrenaline (helps accomplish tasks, enhances problem-solving ability or physical performance)
chronic stress
stress that continues for a prolonged period of time
fight-or-flight-or freeze response
-an involuntary response to a sudden and immediate threat (stressor)
-physiological changes produced by the sympathetic nervous system readies the body for confronting/fighting off the stressor (fight), escaping the stressor (flight), or staying still and silent to avoid detection (freeze)
what bodily changes can occur from fight and flight reactions?
-increased heart rate and blood pressure
-redistribution of blood supply from the skin and intestines to skeletal muscles
-increased breathing rate
-increased glucose secretion by the liver (for energy)
-dilation of the pupils
-suppression of functions not -immediately essential to conserve energy
freeze response
-one theory is that our sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system are both highly active, but our parasympathetic nervous system is slightly more
-generally adaptive, but can be maladaptive
cortisol
-a stress hormone secreted from the adrenal glands in response to a stressor
-its role is to increase the body’s level of arousal, which energises the body when we confront a stressor
immediate effects of cortisol
-energises body by increasing energy supplies
-turns of all bodily systems not immediately required to deal with a stressor
-anti-inflammatory effect
harmful effects of high levels of cortisol
-impaired immune system functioning
-high blood pressure
-high blood sugar level
-digestive problems
-vulnerability to colds and flu
-vulnerability to heart disease
what are the stages of GAS?
-alarm (1)
–shock
–countershock
-resistance (2)
-exhaustion (3)
(SCARE)
alarm reaction
-involves the initial decrease and subsequent increase in bodily arousal in response to an immediate stressor
-cortisol begins to be released in counter-shock
shock
-decreased bodily arousal for a brief period of time following the initial exposure to a stressor
-physiological resistance to a stressor decreases below normal
-can’t adapt
-decrease in heart rate, body temp, muscle tone.
countershock
-the sympathetic nervous system responses occur, which mobilises the body to respond to the stressor
-begin to adapt
-ncrease in heart rate, body temp, muscle tone
resistance
-involves maintaining high levels of bodily arousal in response to a persistent stressor
-body is adapting but that ability begins to decline
-results in minor ailments (colds etc) due to cortisol suppressing the immune system
-cortisol enables us to maintain resistance above normal levels
exhaustion
-involves the depletion of energy levels and bodily resources, resulting in an inability to cope with the stressor
-no longer can adapt
-results in serious illnesses (heart conditions etc)
-level of cortisol reduces (runs out)
strengths of GAS
recognises:
-chronic stress
-the link between stress and disease
-the physiological processes that underlie stress
-how we have limited physiological resources to adapt to stress
limitations of GAS
-assumes stress is a nonspecific response (occurs regardless of source/type of stressor, ignores personal differences)
-ignores stress as a psychological response to a stressor (selye proposed that stress is a physiological response)
-model is based on research of rats
appraisal
our evaluation of or assessment of a stimulus
primary appraisal
the initial process of evaluating the nature of an incoming stressor, specifically the kind of stress it might cause
irrelevant
when an encounter carries no implication for a person’s wellbeing
benign-positive
-occurs when an outcome of an encounter is construed as positive
-it enhances well being or promises to do so
-characterised by emotions such as joy, love, happiness, peacefulness etc
harm/loss
assess damage already done
threat
assess possible additional harm in the future
challenge
assess opportunity for a positive outcome
secondary appraisal
-the process of evaluating the resources required and available in order to cope with a stressor
-we evaluate whether we have the adequate coping resources to deal with the stimulus deemed stressful
-includes internal and external resources
-only takes place when a stimulus is deemed stressful
strengths of the transactional model of stress and coping
-recognises stress as a psychological process
-human data was used to develop this model
-explains why the same stressors can have different effects on people
limitations of the transactional model of stress and coping
-primary appraisal and secondary appraisal can occur simultaneously
-doesn’t recognise stress as a physiological process
-limited repeatability and reproducibility
-people are not necessarily aware of why they feel certain kinds of stress
gut
the long, flexible tube that is the passageway involved in digestion (gastrointestinal tract), made up of multiple organs including the intestines and the stomach
gut microbiota
-the microorganisms (eg bacteria virus, and fungi) present in our gut
-to ensure gut health, we generally want a diverse gut microbiota
gut microbiome
all the genes of the microorganisms that live in the gut
gut microbiota dysbiosis
imbalance of gut microbiota
gut brain axis
the bidirectional connection between the gut and the brain through the enteric and central nervous system
vagus nerve
the longest cranial nerve that connects the gut and the brain, enabling them to communicate
how are stress and gut microbiota linked?
-stress can disturb the balance of gut microbiota
-microbiota can influence:
–susceptibility to stress
–physiological stress responses
–stress-induced changes in psychological processes and behaviour
–stress resilience
–recovery from stress-induced changes
approach strategy
involves efforts to confront a stressor and deal directly with it and its effects (generally more effective than avoidance)
avoidance strategy
involves efforts that evade a stressor and deal indirectly with it and its effects (can be helpful in the short term)
context-specific effectiveness
when there is a match between the coping strategy that is used and the stressful situation
coping flexibility
the ability to effectively modify or adjust one’s coping strategies according to the demands of different stressful situations (adaptability)
