fight or flight

• stress 


  when a person's perceived environmental, social and physical demands exceed their perceived ability to cope

  the stress response (fight or flight) is innate and represents an evolutionary adaptation to increase chances of survival
• acute stress (short-term)


  common form of stress in response to immediate pressures, can be exciting in small amounts and give you focus and energy - but exhausting if maintained
• chronic stress (long term)


  form of stress in response to emotional pressure, Occurs in situations that the individual feels unable to control
• (process) Hypothalamic pituitary-adrenal system (HPA) (chronic stress)

  • The stressor activates the HPA
  • The hypothalamus stimulates the pituitary gland
  • The pituitary gland secretes ACTH -stimulates the adrenal glands
  • The adrenal cortex releases cortisol. This have a number of functions including releasing stored glucose from the liver (for energy) and controlling swelling after injury. The immune system is suppressed while this happens.
  • Adequate and steady blood sugar levels help person to cope with prolonged stressor, and helps the body to return to normal
• SAM pathway (acute stress)

  • hypothalamus activates the adrenal medulla - part of ANS
  • The adrenal medulla secretes the hormone adrenaline - gets body ready for fight/flight response. Physiological reaction : increased heart rate.
  • Adrenaline: arousal of sympathetic NS and reduced activity in the parasympathetic NS
  • also creates changes in the body: decreases (digestion) and increases (sweating, increased pulse + blood pressure).
  • when ‘threat’ is over parasympathetic branch takes control: brings the body back to balanced state.
• role of adrenaline and noradrenaline

  • increased blood flow to brain and skeletal muscles for quick thinking + reactions
  • decreased blood flow to systems that are not time critical - skin and digestive systems
  • dilates pupils for improved vision and faster breathing rate. increased sweat to remove heat
  • increased anxiety, attention and increased alertness
• stress related illness 


  constant triggering of fight or flight response in chronic stress has long term affects on physical and mental health

  • fight or flight shuts down immune system, digestive system and causes high blood pressure and results in anxiety
  • increased risk of heart disease, obesity and IBS. lowering of resistance to disease can result in depression
• (weakness) beta bias


  most early research into fight to flight was typically conducted on males (androcentrism) so researchers assumed that the findings could be generalised to females. It suffers from beta bias as psychologists assumed females would respond in the same way as males
• research to back up beta bias (Taylor et al)

  • 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.
  • therefore fight and flight is not generalisable to both genders
• (weakness) negative impact on health 


  fight/flight was a useful survival mechanism for ancestors: faced genuinely life-threatening situations, modern life rarely requires intense biological response.

  the stressors of today can repeatedly activate the fight/flight response- can have a negative impact on our health. For example, humans who face a lot of stress + continually activate the sympathetic nervous system, continually increase their blood pressure which causing damage to their blood vessels + heart disease.

  suggests that the fight/flight response is maladaptive in modern-day life.
• (weakness) contradictory research 


  some psychologists have suggested there is 3rd reaction to stressors

  Gray (1988) suggests that first response to danger is to avoid confrontation - demonstrated by a freeze response

  During freeze, animals and humans are hyper vigilant while they appraise situation for best course of action

  suggests fight/flight is too simplified in understanding physiological response to stress