The fight or flight response including the role of adrenaline

Question 1

fight or flight response

Answer 1

sequence of activity that is triggered when the body prepares itself for defending or attacking

Question 2

acute stressors - process

Answer 2

1. faced with a stressful situation
2. hypothalamus activates the sympathetic nervous system
3. adrenal medulla is stimulated
4. adrenaline and noradrenaline released into the bloodstream
5. physiological changes start to occur e.g increased heart rate

Question 3

chronic stressors - process

Answer 3

1. faced with a prolonged stressful situation
2. pituitary gland releases adrenocorticotropic hormone
3. adrenal cortex is stimulated
4. cortisol released into the bloodstream
5. physiological changes begin to occur e.g increased glucose production for sustained energy

Question 4

fight or flight - sympathetic

Answer 4

when the sympathetic branch is aroused this leads to bodily arousal including an increase in heart rate and blood pressure and a decrease in digestive system activity to preserve energy

Question 5

rest and digest - parasympathetic

Answer 5

• lowers heart rate and blood pressure and increases digestive activity
• helps restore and maintain energy levels

Question 6

AO3

Answer 6

• doesn’t apply to women
• genetic differences
• negatively impacts health
• incomplete explanation

Question 7

The FFR suffers from beta bias and doesn’t apply to women.

Answer 7

Taylor et al. (2000) found that, in stressful situations, women typically engage in “tending” (caring for their young) or “befriending” (forming alliances with others), rather than the fight or flight response seen in men.

Question 8

Genetic differences may explain why the FFR only applies to males.

Answer 8

Lee and Harley (2012) showed that the SRY gene, found on the male Y chromosome, is responsible for triggering the FFR in males during stressful times. Since women lack this gene, they do not exhibit the same stress response, suggesting a genetic basis for the gender differences in the FFR.

Question 9

The FFR negatively impacts health in modern times

Answer 9

While the FFR was adaptive in the past for dealing with energetic stressors like predator threats, it is less suited to modern stressors such as exam anxiety. The repetitive activation of the FFR in response to modern stress can lead to negative health outcomes, including increased blood pressure and a higher risk of heart disease.

Question 10

FFR is criticized for being incomplete.

Answer 10

Gray (1988) proposed that the FFR is incomplete because animals often first “freeze” in response to stress, allowing them to assess the situation before deciding whether to fight or flee. This “freeze” response is important for gathering information and is not accounted for in the traditional FFR model.