The fight or flight response

• Amygdala

  The amygdala detects when a threat occurs.It sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus that activates the sympathetic nervous system.
• Sympathetic nervous system

  The sympathetic nervous system triggers the adrenal glands to start secreting adrenaline. This produces physiological changes that prepare the body for fight or flight e.g. increased breathing and heart rate (to increase oxygen/energy for the muscles) and inhibition of saliva production and digestion (to conserve energy).
• Other physiological changes

  Other physiological changes include diversion of blood away from the surface of the skin (to reduce blood loss if injured), pupil dilation (to improve sight), and increased sweating (to regulate body temperature).
• When threat passes

  Once the threat has passed, the parasympathetic nervous system restores the body back to its resting state by producing the opposite physiological changes e.g. it decreases breathing and heart rate.
• A limitation of research into the fight or flight response is that it has resulted in negative implications for victims of sexual assault.

  This is because it fails to consider how people can also engage in a ‘freeze’ response when exposed to a threat. This is a limitation because as some victims of sexual assault do not fight or flight, they are suggested to have consented. Therefore questions credibility.
• Another limitation is that the fight or flight typically reflects a male response to danger.

  This is because more recent research suggests that females adopt a ‘tend and befriend’ response hwereby they protect their offspring (tend) and form alliances with other women (befriend) rather than fight or light. This is a limitation because it shows how researchers have underestimated gender differences when it comes to responding to danger. Therefore questions credibility.
• strength of research into the fight or flight response is that it has resulted in positive applications when it comes to understanding and treating PTSD.

  For example, research has found that veterans show increased activity in their amygdala so activate their fight or flight response more often. This is a strength because this has led to treatments such as mindfulness interventions that aim to decrease the reactivity of the amygdala, and these are found to be effective. Therefore adds credibility.