The Fight Or Flight Response

Question 1

When is stress experienced ?

Answer 1

When a persons perceived environment, social and physical demands exceed their perceived ability to cope

Question 2

What is the fight or flight response designed to do ?

Answer 2

Increase an organisms chances of survival in life threatening situations

Question 3

Stage one of the fight or flight response

Answer 3

Body sensors become aware of a stressor in the environment

Question 4

Stage 2 of the fight or flight response

Answer 4

• this info is sent to the hypothalamus in the brain which triggers increased levels of activity in the sympathetic nervous system

Question 5

Stage 3 of the fight or flight response

Answer 5

Adrenaline is released from the adrenal medulla

Question 6

Stage 4 of the fight or flight response

Answer 6

• this results in a greater breathing rate
• this creates physiological responses needed to sustain the fight or flight response
• this has an adaptive purpose to enable us to escape the stressor and so increase the likelihood of our survival

Question 7

Last stage of the fight or flight response

Answer 7

• once the stressor is no longer a threat, the hypothalamus triggers less activity in the sympathetic nervous system and more activity in the parasympathetic nervous system