YR12 - Chapter 3, Stress Flashcards
Stress
a psychological and physiological experience that occurs when an individual encounters something of significance that demands their attention and/or efforts to cope
Stressor
a stimulus (internal or external) that prompts the stress response
Internal stressor
a stimulus from within a person’s body that prompts the stress response
- psychological & biological processes
example - attitude, rumination,
low self-esteem, and nervous system dysfunction (GABA gone wrong)
External stressor
a stimulus from outside of a person’s body that prompts the stress response
- environmental stimuli
example - exams, meeting new
people, arguments with others, work pressure, and financial difficulty.
Psychological Stress response
Distress
a form of stress characterised by a negative psychological state
- upset/worried emotions - stressor is negative circumstance - decrease performance
example - losing car keys
Psychological Stress response - Eustress
a form of stress characterised by a positive psychological state
- happy/excited emotions - stressor is positive opportunity - increase performance
example - offered a place at a uni
Acute stress
a form of stress characterised by intense psychological and physiological symptoms that are brief in duration
Physiological stress response:
The flight-or-fight-or- freeze response
an involuntary and automatic response to a threat that takes the form of either escaping it, confronting it, or freezing in the face of it
fight
Organism confronts their stressors.
Activation of Sympathetic responses that energise the body and make it better able to deal with danger.
for example - SyNS prompting adrenaline release
flight
Organism flees from stressor, as escaping the situation is perceived by the organism as the safest option.
- response depends on activation of the SyNS, which prompts the release of adrenaline, allowing the body to quickly flee from the threat
freeze
Characterised by the body’s immobility and shock in response to a stressor, as stressor is so threatening that the body cannot respond right away, remains ‘frozen’ to allow time to process, or as it perceives it lacks adequate energy or time for other responses. Greatest guarantee of safety to remain very still.
Brief activation of ParaSyNS as blood pressure, for example, drops below normal levels, followed by an almost simultaneous activation of the SyNS, as freeze response only lasts a few seconds.
Response to acute stress
- Cortisol helps to energise the body by inducing the release of glucose and a rise in blood-sugar levels
- confronts the threat
- fleeing from source of danger
- immobility and shock
(fight, flight and freeze)
Chronic stress
a form of stress that endures for several months or longer
Cortisol
a hormone that is released in times of stress to aid the body in initiating and maintaining heightened arousal
Effects of cortisol / chronic stress
Enduring release of cortisol:
* Increasing blood sugar levels
* Improving metabolism
* Energising the body
* Reducing inflammation
* Immuno-suppression (energy is depleted so cannot fight off bacteria)
General Adaption Syndrome (GAS)
a biological model involving three stages of physiological reactions that a person experiences in response to a persistent stressor
(alarm, resistance and exhaustion)
Alarm reaction
the first stage of the GAS involving the initial decrease and subsequent increase in bodily arousal in response to an immediate stressor
Shock
the first substage of the alarm reaction stage involving decreased bodily arousal for a brief period of time following the initial exposure to a stressor
cortisol level - release pauses
resistance - below normal
symptoms - ParaSyNS = drop in body temp and blood pressure
Countershock
the second substage of the alarm reaction stage in which SyNS responses occur that mobilise the body to respond to the stressor
cortisol level - rapidly and dramatically increase
resistance - suddenly increases to above normal
symptoms - SyNS = increased HR, respiration, increase in glucose
Resistance
the second stage of the GAS involving maintaining high levels of bodily arousal in response to a persistent stressor
cortisol levels - Sustained release, at their highest
resistance - Well above normal until it peaks, then starts to decline
symptoms - Increased glucose and fat levels provide extra energy, increased protein concentration in the blood repairs bodily damage, impaired immune system resulting in minor illness
Exhaustion
the third stage of the GAS involving the depletion of energy levels and bodily resources, resulting in an inability to cope with the stressor
cortisol levels - Prolonged high levels of cortisol, Cortisol stores
eventually deplete
resistance - below normal
symptoms - Depletion of energy levels/stores and bodily resources, weakening of the immune system
resulting in major illness/disease
The explanatory power of Selye’s GAS (pros)
- recognises a predictable pattern of physiological responses associated with distinct stages and substages, which can be measured in individuals
- recognises the relationship between chronic stress and illness.
- provides objective, empirical information about the biological processes involved in the stress response.
The explanatory power of Selye’s GAS (cons)
- based on research that was conducted on rats, reducing the generalisability of the model to the human population.
- only focuses on the biological aspects of stress. It ignores the importance of psychological factors, including emotion and cognition, in the stress response.
- prescribes a uniform model that is the same for every individual in response to all stressors. Therefore, it fails to recognise the subjective nature of the stress response, meaning that different people respond to different stressors in unique ways.
stress as a psychobiological process
Stress has both psychological and physiological components and consequences.
Lazarus and Folkman’s transactional model of stress and coping
- proposes that stress is a subjective ‘transaction’ between an incoming stressor and the personal and environmental factors specific to an individual.
- explains that the unique stress response of an individual results from their appraisal (an assessment or evaluation of stimuli) of the nature of the stressor and their belief in their ability to cope with it.
- According to the model, stress results from a perceived imbalance between the requirements of the stressor and an individual’s available coping resources.
Primary appraisal
the initial process of evaluating the nature of an incoming stressor, specifically the kind of stress it might cause
3 outcomes of primary appraisal
Benign-positive.
- An initial appraisal of a stimulus as neutral or good that does not cause stress for the individual.
Irrelevant.
- An initial appraisal of a stimulus as a non-issue for the individual.
Stressful.
- An initial appraisal of a stimulus as a source of worry or emotional significance for the individual.
If classed as stressful in primary appraisal:
Harm/loss.
= A further appraisal of a stressor as having caused some damage to the individual. This means the individual has already experienced direct distress as a result of the stressor (distress)
Threat
= A further appraisal of a stressor as potentially causing damage to the individual in the future. This appraisal causes the individual to experience distress, even if the stressor has not directly caused distress yet. (distress)
Challenge
- A further appraisal of a stressor as potentially providing a positive opportunity for growth or change for the individual (eustress)
Secondary appraisal
the process of evaluating the resources required and available in order to cope (the process of dealing with a stressor) with a stressor
two ways of coping:
Emotion-focused
Action-focused
often used together
Emotion-focused coping
the use of coping strategies that target the emotional components of a stressor, dealing with it indirectly rather than confronting its source
examples:
- Wishful thinking
* Denial
* Reframing
* Optimism
* Venting emotions
* Meditation or distraction.
Action-focused coping
the use of coping strategies that directly target the source of the stressor, aiming to reduce it in a practical way
examples:
- Seeking information or advice
- Taking action
- Time management
Explanatory power (strengths)
- Allows one to track the subjective stress response of an individual.
- Allows for consideration of cognitive processes within the stress response, which the biological models do not take into account.
- Human subjects were used as a source of data during the creation of the model.
- Helps to explain why the same stressor may have different effects on different people.
- Coping stage (emotion and problem- focused strategies) provides suggestions for dealing with a stressor.
Explanatory power (limitations)
- Some argue that the stages of primary and secondary appraisal can occur simultaneously, and so ordering them chronologically may not always be reflective of the true stress response.
- Individuals are not necessarily aware of why they feel certain kinds of stress, as suggested by primary appraisal.
- Does not include biological processes of stress, when in practice stress is a combination of both biological and psychological factors.
- Cannot easily be tested by research,
as human subjects are not necessarily consciously aware at all stages of appraisal, and therefore there is a lack of empirical evidence to support the model.
Gut (gastrointestinal tract)
The long flexible tube from mouth to anus that is the passageway involved in digestion
Gut microbiota
all of the microorganisms that live in the gut
Gut microbiome
All of the genes of the microorganisms that live in the gut
Gut influence on health
- good bacteria = good gut health, bad bacteria = bad gut health
- dysbiosis when microbiota is imbalanced
- symbiosis when microbiota is balanced
- diverse microbiota is better for gut health
- diet, age, genetics, stress, exercise & medication can impact gut microbiota levels and diversity
- pro and prebiotic and fermented foods are best
The gut brain axis (GBA)
the bidirectional connection between the gut and the brain through the enteric and central NS
Enteric nervous system (ENS)
the network of nerves between the gut and the brain
(gut is a part of ENS)
Vagus nerve
The longest cranial nerve that connects the gut and the brain, enabling them to communicate
Examples of GBA
- gut conditions such as IBS can influence neural messages the ENS sends to brain in CNS
- brain conditions such as depression can influence the neural messages the CNS sends to gut in ENS
- butterflies in stomach and feelings of nervousness
- potential links between the gut and experiences of stress, mental illness, learning, memory, body weight and behaviour
GBA and neurochemicals
microbiota in gut associated with production of GABA (without this, hyperactivity in the brain associated with depression)
70-95% of serotonin is produced in gut, deficiency means depression or anxiety
GBA and stress
high levels of stress + increased cortisol levels = suppresses the immune system
Emerging research shows that experiencing stress can negatively impact the diversity and composition of an individual’s gut microbiota. Likewise, having an unhealthy gut microbiota is linked to higher stress levels
During high levels of stress (and chronic stress), there is an increased and prolonged presence of cortisol - which has a direct effect on the composition of our the gut microbiota.
With a suppressed immune system, pathogens (nasties) can enter through our gut lining and disrupt the gut microbiota leading to gut dysbiosis
which negatively affects production of neurochemicals like serotonin and GABA (involved in regulating mood and anxiety respectively) increasing the stress response
Emerging research
correlation NOT causation
examples:
- germ free animals had more stress responses, poorer memory, increased levels of stress hormones, less social engagement
- microbiota comparison in humans shows that composition of gut microbiota can influence likelihood of ASD, depression, cognitive decline, and stress levels
- gut related diseases have potential links to increased likelihood of experiencing a mental illness.
Context specific effectiveness
when the coping strategy or mechanism used is appropriate for the unique demands of the stressor
Coping flexibility
an individual’s ability to adjust or change their coping strategies depending on the unique and changing demands of a stressor
high coping flexibility - quickly recognises when a coping mechanism isn’t working and changes accordingly
low coping flexibility - sticks to same, limited coping mechanisms even when they don’t work
Approach strategies
coping strategies that directly confront the source of the stress
(like action focused, and some emotion focused that still do address the stressor)
Avoidance strategies
coping strategies that evade the stressor, seeking to indirectly reduce stress
(like emotion focused, but are not directly addressing stressor at all)
