Fight or flight

• What does fight or flight do

  -helps an individual to react quicker than normal and facilitates optimal functioning so that they can fight a threat or run away from it

  -combines nervous and endocrine system
• Outline the first step of the fight flight response

  -a person perceives an acute stressor
• outline the step 2

  -the amygdala is activated which sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus which detects the signal
• outline step 3

  -this signal is sent to the sympathetic nervous system. the adrenal gland is then stimulated
• outline step 4

  -this gland then secretes adrenaline into the blood stream
• outline step 5

  -adrenaline leads to a number of physiological changes such as increased heart rate and dilated pupils

  -these changes prepare the body to either run from the stressor or fight the stressor
• outline step 6

  -once the stressor is overcome the parasympathetic nervous system returns the body to a state of relaxation

  -rest and digest
• What is a weakness of the f and f response

  -it is maladaptive and can therefore have a negative effect on health especially in modern day life.

  -modern day stressors tend to be non life threatening. however they still trigger the release of adrenalin and other stress hormones

  -overtime this can have a devastating effect on health
• outline another weakness of f and f

  -Gray (1988) suggests that the first response to danger is to avoid confrontation altogether which is demonstrated the freeze response

  -F and F is too simplistic
• Outline another weakness of f and f

  -Taylor et al (2002) suggest that females adopt a tend and befriend response in stressful or dangerous situations

  -according to Taylor women are more likely to protect their offspring(tending) and form alliances with other women(befriend) rather than fight or run away

  -this means there are individual differences in the way men and women respond