Stress

Refers to the subjective experience of a lack of fit between a person and their enviroment

Perceived demands are greater than their perceived ability to cope

Must take into accound; Internal factors (physiological change)

                                       External factors (situation itself)

                                       Cognitive factors (Perception of situation)

Fight or Flight! (acute)

Response; adaptive response to promote survial

               reacts quickly to danger

             increases physiological arousal and increases motivation and concentration

HOWEVER...

Continual exposure to stressful stimuli=prolonged stress=illness; Depression

                                                                                                      Cold

                                                                                                      Immunosupression

Stressor= an event that causes stress reaction in the body (chronic or acute)

Chronic= children, parents, being a carer, exams

Acute= fears, camera flash, near death experiences!

Two systems to biological stress response; The Pituitary-Adrenal System (chronic)

                                                                     The Sympathomedullar Pathway (acute)

Chronic stress

HYPOTHALAMUS

Pituitary gland releases ACTH

Adrenal cortex release corticosteroids

  Liver releases glucose

Steady supply of energy
 

Acute stress

HYPOTHALAMUS

Sympathetic branch activated

Adrenal medulla releases adrenaline

Fight or Flight response

Parasympathetic branch activated

+ Adrenal glands play an important role in response to stress. Without corticosteroids response would not take place (Tyrell and Baxter, cant produce corticosteroids=given additional ones to survive, suggets physiological explanations are accurate.)

- Ignores individual differences (Mason, compared reactions of stressors, different patterns of adrenaline and noradrenaline secretion in differnet people. People react differently.)

-Gender differences (Taylor et al, women respond with 'tend and befriend' as they produce more oxytocin)

-Most research is on men therefore it is androcentric