- what is stress?
2. is stress always negative?
- stress is a cluster of physical and psychological responses and the way it is experienced depends on the situation the person is in
- Stress is not always negative because it can be a response to pleasurable situations (ex: going on a first date) and can also be a response during a fight or flight situation allowing you to react and respond in times of danger (in some ways stress response can be life saving)
Describe a situation of stress. identify the stressor, the stress response and the actual “stress” part of the situation.
stressor = event that triggers the reactions (ex: first date or final exam)
stress response = sweaty palms or anxiety
stress = the person going on the first date or taking the exam experiences stress–> this is the general physical and emotional state that accompanies the stress response
do we have control when it comes to stress? Explain
stress is not what happens to us, but rather it is our response to what happens. Therefore, our response can be something we can choose and CONTROL. responding effectively is up to us in order to enhance our wellbeing
describe 5 of each:
- physical symptoms
- emotional symptoms
- behavioural symptoms
- dry mouth, gastrointestinal problems, grinding of teeth, headaches, high blood pressure
- anxiety, impulsiveness, irritability, memory problems, depression
- crying, disrupted eating habits, sleeping problems, communication problems, increased use of alcohol or drugs
what are the 2 systems that are responsible for the physical responses to stress?
nervous and endocrine systems work together to help our bodies respond quickly in times of danger
- what is the main function of the nervous system
2. describe the divisions of the NS
- NS = brain, spinal cord, nerves
main function: network of nerves and cells that carry messages to and from the brain and spinal cord to parts of the body
2. divided into: central NS = brain, spinal cord peripheral NS = nerves (somatic NS, Autonomic NS) - somatic = voluntary - autonomic = involuntary
describe the 2 divisions of the peripheral NS
- somatic NS = voluntary –> tells your arm to reach for a banana
- autonomic NS = involuntary –> not under conscious supervision like digestion, heart rate, breathing, blood pressure
- describe the 2 divisions of the autonomic NS
2. what happens to these divisions in times of stress?
- parasympathetic = control when you are relaxed, aids in digesting food, storing energy, growth
sympathetic = activated in times of arousal, exercise, emergency (pain, anger, fear) - parasympathetic = in times of stress it slows the systems down to restore homeostasis
sympathetic = in times of stress it uses the neurotransmitter norepinephrine to exert actions on every organ, sweat gland, blood vessel and muscle to enable the body to handle emergency. It then tells the body to stop storing energy and use it to respond in crisis
- what is the endocrine system?
2. how does this system allow the body to respond to stress?
- system of glands, tissues and cells
- the sympathetic NS triggers the endocrine system to help control body functions by releasing hormones and other chemical messengers into the blood stream to influence metabolism and other body processes. The chemicals act on a variety of targets throughout the body and the endocrine basically preps the body for response to a stressor
what is it called when the autonomic NS and the endocrine system work together?
fight or flight reaction
explain the process of the fight or flight reaction
- your reflexes and the higher cognitive areas in the brain make the decision that you are facing a threat and the body is prepped for the danger
- a neurochemical message is sent to the hypothalamus (hormonal control centre in the brain).
- the hypothalamus releases chemicals to the pituitary gland which releases the adrenocorticotropic hormone ACTH into the bloodstream
- ACTH reaches the adrenal glands which release cortisol
- at the same time, sympathetic nerves instruct the adrenal glands to release epinephrine for adrenaline to tigger body changes
- body will change in different ways as a response
what are some body changes that occur as a result of the fight or flight response
- heart and respiration rates increase to speed oxygen through the body
- hearing and vision become more acute
- liver releases extra sugar into the bloodstream to boost energy
- perspiration increases to cool the skin
- brain releases endorphins to block pain in case you are injured
How does the body return to homeostasis after a fight or flight response?
The parasympathetic division of your autonomic NS takes command and halts the stress response to restore homeostasis —> by calming the body to return it to normal
Explain the fight or flight in modern life
The fight or flight reaction is a part of our biological heritage and is a survival mechanism
It is not always necessary as many stressors do not require a physical reaction
What are 2 factors to reduce the magnitude of stress
- Successful prediction - predicting what stressors will occur in the future which eases the outcome (ex: receiving a course syllabus)
- Perception of control - planning ahead and gaining a sense of control to combat the stress (ex: having study plans based on the syllabus to have control)
What happens when stress levels are:
Moderate
Too little
Too much
Moderate: challenge individuals to promote optimal performance/ wellbeing
Too little: causes people to not be challenged enough- cannot improve or grow
Too much: the challenges can impair emotional or physical health- resilience and wellbeing are threatened
- What is the tend and befriend technique?
2. Why do females use this technique more?
- This technique is a response in a nurturant way
Tend - caring for offering during stressful times
Befriend- engaging social network for help in stressful times - Females response to stress evolved to protect the self and offspring- oxytocin also is related to this
- What is personality?
2. What are the 4 personality types?
- Personality - sum of cognitive, behavioural, and emotional tendencies that affect how people perceive and react to stressors
- Type A- ultra competitive, controlling, hostile—higher stress and more problems coping because they react explosively which can increase heart disease risk
Type B- relaxed and contemplative—less frustrated by daily events and more tolerant of the behaviour of others
Type C- anger suppression, difficult expressing emotions—exaggerated response to minor stressors and can impair immune function
Type D- distressed, feel but not express negative emotions, avoids social interaction—gloomy, anxious, heart problems
What is hardiness in relation to optimism?
It is a personality trait that enables people to deal better with stress
Form of optimism where people view stressors as opportunities for growth rather than as burdens—reacts less intensely to stress situations because they have an inner locus of control that allows them to feel in control of their responses to stress
What are the 3 types of resilience
- Non reactive- person who does not react to a stressor
- Homeostatic- person may react strongly but returns to normal
- Positive growth- person learns and grows from the stress experience
- What is the general adaptation system (GAS)? (Include eustress and distress)
- Explain the 3 stages
- GAS- a universal and predictable response pattern to all stressors. Says that stressors can be pleasant (eustress) or unpleasant (distress) but the sequence of response is the same for both forms
- Alarm (initial stressor) - fight or flight response; body is more susceptible to disease because it has worked so hard
Resistance (continued stress) - new level of homeostasis and resistance to disease is enhanced; can cope with stress for balance
Exhaustion (prolonged stress) - since the first 2 stages require so much energy if the stress continues past these stages then exhaustion can occur. This results in low resistance to disease; if resources are replenished then homeostasis can be achieved
What are the criticisms to GAS?
- assigns a limited role to psychological factors and beliefs which also impact stress
- assumes that responses to stress are linear
What is an allostatic load?
Long term wear and stead of the stress response which can lead to health problems. It’s depended on many factors like genetics, life experiences etc.
high allostatic load = heart disease, hypertension, obesity, decrease in brain and immune system functioning —more likely to get sick
What is psychoneuroimmunology?
Studies the relationship between stress and disease —interactions of the NS, endocrine and immune system
