WK 1 - PSY114 Flashcards
In the first few weeks of the course (the “Introduction” section)
there is quite a bit of theory, which functions as strong groundwork for the rest of the unit.
This unit has an applied theme overall - after these first few weeks, we move on to a more practical focus from week 4 onward.
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The topics to be covered in this module are:
What is stress?
The stress response
Stressors
The transactional model of stress and coping
Coping styles and strategies
Stress and health
Is stress all bad?
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Please note that this content includes some
biological and
neuroanatomical terms.
This is not a neuroanatomy-heavy unit overall - but there are some foundational concepts to cover this week.
Please use the content/questions in MyLO as a guide to the level of understanding that is appropriate for this unit.
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The “fight-or-flight” response is like a chain reaction that involves multiple steps.
SENSORY ORGANS receive threat information from the environment,
which is directed by the THALAMUS to other parts of the brain.
The AMYGDALA , which is known as the brain’s “fear centre”, receives the sensory information and passes signals on to the HYPOTHALAMUS which links our nervous system (nerves) and endocrine system (hormones) together.
The HYPOTHALAMUS activates the sympathetic nervous system SNS, (the “fight-or-flight” part of the nervous system), and adrenaline and noradrenaline are released from the adrenal glands.
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Trailblazers in our understanding of stress include
American physiologist
Walter Cannon (1871-1945),
who coined the well-known term “fight-or-flight”,
The “fight-or-flight” response refers to the way the body responds when a person is faced with a threat, so that they can either defend themselves (fight) or run away (flight).
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Hans Selye (1907-1982), - a Hungarian-Canadian endocrinologist who first described a common pattern of responses to stress, which he called the General Adaptation Syndrome(GAS).
The General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)
- describes a three-stage stress reaction covering our
initial reaction to the stressor,
our response while coping with the stressor,
and our eventual fatiguing after dealing with the stress.
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The HPA axis contains key structures implicated in the body’s stress response: The hypothalamus, pituitary gland and adrenal glands.
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If you have not, please rest assured that an in-depth, detailed understanding of neuroanatomical structures and processes is not required in this unit.
However, a general understanding of the physiological stress response (the basic processes that happen in your brain and body) will be a useful foundation for other parts of the unit. The questions below the video will give you an idea of the level of understanding that will be beneficial in this regard.
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Please note in particular that there is no need to remember the precise names of hormones released by the brain as part of the stress response (CRF and ACTH).
The key hormones to know for this week are
cortisol,
adrenaline (or epinephrine),
and noradrenaline (or norephinephrine).
A bit later we also talk about oxytocin.
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Distress reduces our ability to deal with a stressor, using up energy on anxious thoughts.
Distress reduces our ability to deal with a stressor, using up energy on anxious thoughts.
threat information from the environment is directed by the THALAMUS to other parts of the brain.
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The AMYGDALA , which is known as the brain’s “fear centre”, receives the sensory information from the THALAMUS and passes signals on to the HYPOTHALAMUS which links our nervous system (nerves) and endocrine system (hormones) together.
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HYPOTHALAMUS which links our nervous system (nerves) and endocrine system (hormones) together.
The HYPOTHALAMUS activates the sympathetic nervous system SNS, (the “fight-or-flight” part of the nervous system), and adrenaline and noradrenaline are released from the adrenal glands.
HYPOTHALAMUS which links our nervous system (nerves) and endocrine system (hormones) together.
The HYPOTHALAMUS activates the sympathetic nervous system SNS, (the “fight-or-flight” part of the nervous system), and adrenaline and noradrenaline are released from the adrenal glands.
The “fight-or-flight” response is like a chain reaction that involves multiple steps.
SENSORY ORGANS receive threat information from the environment,
which is directed by the THALAMUS to other parts of the brain.
The AMYGDALA , which is known as the brain’s “fear centre”, receives the sensory information and passes signals on to the HYPOTHALAMUS which links our nervous system (nerves) and endocrine system (hormones) together.
The HYPOTHALAMUS activates the sympathetic nervous system SNS, (the “fight-or-flight” part of the nervous system), and adrenaline and noradrenaline are released from the adrenal glands.
The “fight-or-flight” response is like a chain reaction that involves multiple steps.
SENSORY ORGANS receive threat information from the environment,
which is directed by the THALAMUS to other parts of the brain.
The AMYGDALA , which is known as the brain’s “fear centre”, receives the sensory information and passes signals on to the HYPOTHALAMUS which links our nervous system (nerves) and endocrine system (hormones) together.
The HYPOTHALAMUS activates the sympathetic nervous system SNS, (the “fight-or-flight” part of the nervous system), and adrenaline and noradrenaline are released from the adrenal glands.
