PAPER 3
,PAPER 3
Subjective experience of a lack of fit between a person and their
SELYE 1926 environment -when the perceived demands of a situation are greater than
STRESSORS a person’s perceived ability to cope
RATS
GAS (GENERAL GENERAL ADAPTATION SYNDROME- SELYE 1926
ADAPTATION Caused stress to rats to see how they would respond- how the body
SYNDROME) would respond: subjected the rats to stressors
ALARM
REACTION Stressors- change in temperature, toxins, treadmill
MEDULLA Selye came to the conclusion that the results found in rats
SHORT TERM (psychological responses to the stressors) can be applied to
NORADRENALI humans
NE/
ADRENALINE GAS STAGE 1- ALARM REACTION
HYPOTHALAMU SHORT TERM ACUTE STRESS - SAM
S- see stressor
SYMPATHETIC initial shock phase- bp drops
BRANCH counter shock phase- hypothalamus activates sympathetic branch
FIGHT OR of ANS- stimulates adrenal medulla secreting hormones
FLIGHT (adrenaline/noradrenaline)
LONG TERM fight or flight- heart rate increase, digestion, urination, salivation
PITUITAY decrease - oxygen rushes to muscles (arms and legs)
GLAND
CORTISOL GAS STAGE 2- RESISTANCE
ADRENAL LONG TERM CHRONIC STRESS- HPA
CORTEX ACTH is released from the pituitary gland- adrenal cortex
ENERGY stimulated- produces cortisol for energy as it produces glucose
DEPLETED Cortisol regulates energy levels
RESOURCES
HIGH BP GAS STAGE 3- EXHAUSTION
LOW BLOOD Corticosteroids in blood- inhibit (prevent) ACTH being released
SUGAR Body’s resources become depleted
ASTHMA Adrenals can’t function properly
High bp- coronary heart disease, Blood sugar drops-
hypoglycaemia, asthma
All these stages were developed from Selye’s studies on rats
, PAPER 3
GAS STRENGTHS
Generated lots of research e.g. on stress and the immune
system, cardiovascular disorders – because of the
research support it increases the theories reliability
Applicable to real world settings- people with
Addison’s disease (they can’t produce cortisol)- stress
can cause them an Addisonian crisis- drop in bp, mental
confusion
Physiological explanations are useful when explaining
human behaviour
GAS LIMITATIONS
Not appropriate for human stress response as it doesn’t
recognise cognitive influences- model generated from
research with non-human animals
EXTRAPOLATION- Lazarus-1999- stated in his model
that we use cognitions (perceived demands and
perceived ability to cope)- this affects our human
response
Biology alone cannot explain stress
A03
MALE BIAS IN BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH
Androcentric research
Taylor (2006), argued that the stress response are
characteristics of males only
More adaptive in females is the ‘tend and befriend’
response- when a threat is met their offspring are tended
and they befriend other females to provide social
support
The assumption that the flight or fight response is a
valid explanation of the stress response in all humans is
a reflection of bias towards male physiology
,PAPER 3
Subjective experience of a lack of fit between a person and their
SELYE 1926 environment -when the perceived demands of a situation are greater than
STRESSORS a person’s perceived ability to cope
RATS
GAS (GENERAL GENERAL ADAPTATION SYNDROME- SELYE 1926
ADAPTATION Caused stress to rats to see how they would respond- how the body
SYNDROME) would respond: subjected the rats to stressors
ALARM
REACTION Stressors- change in temperature, toxins, treadmill
MEDULLA Selye came to the conclusion that the results found in rats
SHORT TERM (psychological responses to the stressors) can be applied to
NORADRENALI humans
NE/
ADRENALINE GAS STAGE 1- ALARM REACTION
HYPOTHALAMU SHORT TERM ACUTE STRESS - SAM
S- see stressor
SYMPATHETIC initial shock phase- bp drops
BRANCH counter shock phase- hypothalamus activates sympathetic branch
FIGHT OR of ANS- stimulates adrenal medulla secreting hormones
FLIGHT (adrenaline/noradrenaline)
LONG TERM fight or flight- heart rate increase, digestion, urination, salivation
PITUITAY decrease - oxygen rushes to muscles (arms and legs)
GLAND
CORTISOL GAS STAGE 2- RESISTANCE
ADRENAL LONG TERM CHRONIC STRESS- HPA
CORTEX ACTH is released from the pituitary gland- adrenal cortex
ENERGY stimulated- produces cortisol for energy as it produces glucose
DEPLETED Cortisol regulates energy levels
RESOURCES
HIGH BP GAS STAGE 3- EXHAUSTION
LOW BLOOD Corticosteroids in blood- inhibit (prevent) ACTH being released
SUGAR Body’s resources become depleted
ASTHMA Adrenals can’t function properly
High bp- coronary heart disease, Blood sugar drops-
hypoglycaemia, asthma
All these stages were developed from Selye’s studies on rats
, PAPER 3
GAS STRENGTHS
Generated lots of research e.g. on stress and the immune
system, cardiovascular disorders – because of the
research support it increases the theories reliability
Applicable to real world settings- people with
Addison’s disease (they can’t produce cortisol)- stress
can cause them an Addisonian crisis- drop in bp, mental
confusion
Physiological explanations are useful when explaining
human behaviour
GAS LIMITATIONS
Not appropriate for human stress response as it doesn’t
recognise cognitive influences- model generated from
research with non-human animals
EXTRAPOLATION- Lazarus-1999- stated in his model
that we use cognitions (perceived demands and
perceived ability to cope)- this affects our human
response
Biology alone cannot explain stress
A03
MALE BIAS IN BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH
Androcentric research
Taylor (2006), argued that the stress response are
characteristics of males only
More adaptive in females is the ‘tend and befriend’
response- when a threat is met their offspring are tended
and they befriend other females to provide social
support
The assumption that the flight or fight response is a
valid explanation of the stress response in all humans is
a reflection of bias towards male physiology
