Describe and evaluate the fight or flight response (16)
AO1
P- The fight or flight response is a physiological response to threat or fear by the body
E- For instance, if one was faced with a fear or phobia they possess, such as a dog or snake,
their fight or flight response would be induced as they would see the dog or snake as a threat,
and so their body would prepare to respond to that threat - this is generally an evolutionary trait
E- This is facilitated in part by the nervous system. For instance, the peripheral nervous
system’s autonomic system, which receives and transmits signals from and to organs, will be
involved in beginning the fight or flight response. It accomplishes this by triggering the body to
enter its sympathetic state, where it is essentially in survival mode. During this, breathing and
heart rate increase, rate of digestion decreases, and the rectum contracts. This is all for the
sake of allowing more blood to reach muscles, as in a typical fear situation, one would have to
flee or fight, so more blood allows the muscles’ aerobic respiration to increase.
L- Therefore, the fight or flight response is a physiological response to fear or excitement which
increases survival chances
AO1
P- An important aspect of the fight or flight response is its relation to the endocrine system
E- For instance, the fight or flight response is essentially triggered by the release of the
hormone adrenaline from the adrenal glands after a fear stimulus
E- When released, adrenaline will target the SAN, the heart’s pacemaker, causing an increased
volume of blood to flow, which then facilitates all the symptoms of the sympathetic state
mentioned above as the body aims to optimise muscular aerobic respiration. Throughout this,
the brain’s blood supply will remain constant regardless of muscles’ need for blood, as it is a
vital organ for survival
L- Therefore, the fight or flight response is facilitated by a combination of nervous and endocrine
functions
AO3
P- One weakness of the fight or flight response is opposing evidence
E- For example, Taylor et al 2000 claims the fight or flight response is typically a male response
to danger, and more recent research suggests that females adopt a ‘tend and befriend’
response in stressful/dangerous situations.
E- According to Taylor et al. (2000), women are more likely to protect their offspring (tend) and
form alliances with other women (befriend), rather than fight an adversary or flee. Furthermore,
the fight or flight response may be counterintuitive for women, as running (flight) might be seen
as a sign of weakness and put their offspring at risk of danger, meaning that the current
explanation of fight or flight may not apply to all sexes when they are faced with danger
L- Therefore, this causes the theory to lose validity as it cannot be generalised to all organisms
or genders, so can be seen as less useful
AO3
P- Moreover, another weakness of the theory is the presence of a different theory
AO1
P- The fight or flight response is a physiological response to threat or fear by the body
E- For instance, if one was faced with a fear or phobia they possess, such as a dog or snake,
their fight or flight response would be induced as they would see the dog or snake as a threat,
and so their body would prepare to respond to that threat - this is generally an evolutionary trait
E- This is facilitated in part by the nervous system. For instance, the peripheral nervous
system’s autonomic system, which receives and transmits signals from and to organs, will be
involved in beginning the fight or flight response. It accomplishes this by triggering the body to
enter its sympathetic state, where it is essentially in survival mode. During this, breathing and
heart rate increase, rate of digestion decreases, and the rectum contracts. This is all for the
sake of allowing more blood to reach muscles, as in a typical fear situation, one would have to
flee or fight, so more blood allows the muscles’ aerobic respiration to increase.
L- Therefore, the fight or flight response is a physiological response to fear or excitement which
increases survival chances
AO1
P- An important aspect of the fight or flight response is its relation to the endocrine system
E- For instance, the fight or flight response is essentially triggered by the release of the
hormone adrenaline from the adrenal glands after a fear stimulus
E- When released, adrenaline will target the SAN, the heart’s pacemaker, causing an increased
volume of blood to flow, which then facilitates all the symptoms of the sympathetic state
mentioned above as the body aims to optimise muscular aerobic respiration. Throughout this,
the brain’s blood supply will remain constant regardless of muscles’ need for blood, as it is a
vital organ for survival
L- Therefore, the fight or flight response is facilitated by a combination of nervous and endocrine
functions
AO3
P- One weakness of the fight or flight response is opposing evidence
E- For example, Taylor et al 2000 claims the fight or flight response is typically a male response
to danger, and more recent research suggests that females adopt a ‘tend and befriend’
response in stressful/dangerous situations.
E- According to Taylor et al. (2000), women are more likely to protect their offspring (tend) and
form alliances with other women (befriend), rather than fight an adversary or flee. Furthermore,
the fight or flight response may be counterintuitive for women, as running (flight) might be seen
as a sign of weakness and put their offspring at risk of danger, meaning that the current
explanation of fight or flight may not apply to all sexes when they are faced with danger
L- Therefore, this causes the theory to lose validity as it cannot be generalised to all organisms
or genders, so can be seen as less useful
AO3
P- Moreover, another weakness of the theory is the presence of a different theory
