Research into the effects of stress on the immune system
- Created by: beccawilcock
- Created on: 17-03-14 18:13
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- Research into stress on the immune system
- Cohen et al (1993)
- Investigated role of general life stress on vulnerability to the common cold virus
- 394 participants, volunteer sample
- questionnaire 'number of stressful life events in the previous year'
- rated degree of stress and level of negative emotions (depression)
- 3 scores combined into a stress index
- participants exposed to common cold virus
- 82% became infected
- after 7 days, number whose infection developed was recorded
- Found a positive correlation between chances of developing a cold and stress index score
- Cohen Evaluation
- Supported by Evans and Edgington
- probability od developing a cold was significantly correlated with negative effects
- Cohen and Herbert
- Stress associated with increased susceptibility to cold, flu, etc...
- Volunteer sample
- hard to generalise
- no variety of personalities
- Methodology (not an experiment)
- no manipulation of variables (ethical)
- Supported by Evans and Edgington
- Kiecolt-Glaser (1995)
- looking at how quickly wounds would heal
- 13 females (volunteers) caring for relative with dementia
- matched-participants design
- 13 volunteers= experimental conditions
- 13 females matched with a carer same age and income= control group
- All given a wound (puncture biopsy) 3.5mm below elbow, wound dressed and treated
- measure levels of cytokines, given a perceived stress scale
- healing took longer for carers
- chronic stress depresses the immune systems function
- Kiecolt-Glaser Evaluation
- Natural experiment
- supported by a separate Kiecolt-Glazer et al study (1984)
- medical student about to take exam, natural killer cells lower (high stress)
- Volunteer sample
- Not representative of population
- CANT MANIPLUATE STRESS
- LOW INTERNAL VALIDITY
- PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
- Cohen et al (1993)
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