as module 2 physiological psychology and individual differences - stress

8/7/2019 AS Module 2 Physiological Psychology and Individual Differences - Stress

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AS MODULE 2:PHYSIOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY

& INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES

BY

DR GEORGEVARVATSOULIAS

Lesson 1: Stress as a bodily

response


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TERMINOLOGY ON STRESS

...a pattern of negative physiological states and

psychological responses occurring in situations

where people perceive threats to their well-being

which they may be unable to meet(Lazarus &Folkman, 1984)

...a pattern of physiological, behavioural,

emotional, and cognitive responses to real or

imagined stimuli that are perceived as preventing

a goal or endangering or otherwise threateningwell-being(Linsky et al., 1995)


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NEGATIVE PHYSIOLOGICAL STATES AND

PSYCHOLOGICAL RESPONSES TO STRESS

Negative physiological states and psychological

responses to stress mean also that oneself is

protected against the worse in ones health

Negative Physiological States: Increase of Heart

Rate and Blood Pressure, Rise of Blood Sugars,

Deeper Breathing, Increase of Perspiration,

Secretion of Adrenaline, Digestion is Stopping

Negative Psychological Responses: Fear, Anger,

Hostility, Embarrassment, Depression,

Helplessness, Anxiety


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STRESS AND STRESSORS

People experience stressaccording to life situations(events) that feel difficult tocope with. These life situations(events) are generally known as

stressors (agents ofconsiderable tension)

Examples of the top 10:

Death of Spouse

Divorce

Marital Separation

Jail term

Death of close FamilyMember

Personal Illness orInjury

Marriage Fired at Work

Marital reconciliation

Retirement


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THE HUMAN NERVOUS SYSTEM 1

(ABRIEF PRESENTATION)

Peripheral Nervous System comprising all cranial (12 pairs)and spinal cord (31 pairs) nerves

Autonomic Nervous system: The link betweenthe viscera (internal organs: heart, stomach,

intestines, etc.) and the Central NervousSystem/Coordinated via the hypothalamus and

limbic system

Sympathetic Branch:Acting upon emergency

situations

Parasympatheticbranch: Restoring the

bodys energy. Activatedby the anterior (front)nuclei (central cell) of

hypothalamus

Somatic Nervous System: Receives andidentifies sensory information from the

external world and sends signals tomuscles


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THE HUMAN NERVOUS SYSTEM 2

(IN PICTURE)

Brain or cranial

nerves

Spinal cord:

Conductor of sensory

and motor nerve

impulses

Cervical spinal

nerves: Nerves

around the neck

Thoracic spinal

nerves: nerves

associated to the

upper body

Lumbar spinalnerves: Nerves near

the back and the hips

Sacral spinal nerves:

Nerves around the

genital area; around

the sacred rites of the

body


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THE BODYS RESPONSE TO STRESSORS 1

(PITUITARY ANDADRENAL SYSTEM)

Pituitary gland: Located at the base of the brain; consisting of

two parts: the anterior pituitary (the front part) which

releases hormones via blood vessels; the posterior pituitary

(the back part), sending impulses down to funnel-shapedpart (channel-like part) of the pituitary CRH:

Corticotrophic-releasing hormone;ACTH:

Adrenocorticotrophic hormone.

Adrenal System: Situated at the top of kidneys; they receive

regulatory input from the nervous system. Two parts:Adrenal medulla: it is the central core of the adrenal gland.

Adrenal cortex: its work is to synthesise cortisosteroid (fat-

combined small parts for the development of bodily

activities) hormones from cholesterol


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THE BODYS RESPONSE TO STRESSORS 2

(BRAIN AND THE PITUITARYADRENAL SYSTEM)


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SELYE (1936, 1976)AND THE GENERAL

ADAPTATION SYNDROME (GAS), OR THE

PITUITARY-ADRENAL SYNDROME

...It suddenly struck me that one could look at [the

experiments] from an entirely different angle. [Perhaps]

there was such a thing as a non-specific reaction of the body

to damage of any kind (Selye, 1976)

The General Adaptation System (GAS): Non-specificresponses to stressors are automatically confronted from

ones body. That kind of defence on behalf of ones body

returns the body to its previous original state. Selye (1956)

called the non-specific response to a stressor as General

Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

A back-fire to GAS: If repeated or prolonged exposure to a

stressor cannot be managed by the GAS, individuals can

suffer from tissue damage, increased susceptibility to

disease, and in extreme cases even...death!


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INTERACTION OF THE GAS WITH THE CNS

(HYPOTHALAMUS)/MACLEAN (1982) 1

The Primitive Brain: the

reptilian brain/fear-

threat-anger

The Intermediate Brain:

the paleo-mammalian

brain/family concerns

agonistic interactions,

emotions

The CerebralCortex/Gray Matter: the

neo-mammalian

brain/high intellectual

activities: science,

civilisation


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INTERACTION OF THE GAS WITH THE CNS

(HYPOTHALAMUS) 2

Operating towards:

Species-typical

Behaviour: behaviours

important for survival Homeostasis: the

maintenance of a

proper balance of

physiological variables

such as body

temperature and fluid

concentration


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INTERACTION OF THE GAS WITH THEANS

The ANS controls

internal bodily

processes, such as

urination, digestion,

the muscles

Two branches:

Parasympathetic

(restoration and

preservation of energy)and Sympathetic

(engaging or

withdrawing from

activities)


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INTERACTION OF THE GAS WITH THE

ENDOCRINE SYSTEM

The Endocrine System

is consisted of glands

that secrete hormones

The entire endocrinesystem is regulated by

Hypothalamus

The function of

hypothalamus relates

to understanding the

bodily effects of stress

on other endocrine

glands


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THE THREE STAGES OF THE GENERAL

ADAPTATION SYSTEM

General Adaptation

System

The Alarm Reaction: the

perception and evaluation of a

stressor, consisted of the

shock phase, and the

countershock phase

The Resistance Stage:

Recovering from the initial

shock and coping with the

situation

The Exhaustion Stage:

Tissues show signs of wear-and-tear; muscles come to a

fatique state; blood sugar

levels drop; endocrine glands

and kidneys may be damaged


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EVALUATION OF SELYESAPPROACH

Selyes GAS explains the physiology of stress.

Although he claims about non-specific patterns of

responses there can be found physiological

activity patterns different from those of other

stressors (Taylor, 1990)

Selyes research on stress was based in non-

human subjects (rats), and he did not take into

account the psychological factors to

understanding stress

Finally, Selye ignored the psychological effects of

stressors in his patterns of responses to stress


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STRESS AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISORDERS 1

(HEART DISEASE AND DISORDERS OF THE

CIRCULATORYSYSTEM)

Type A Disorders: Individuals

frequently engaging

themselves in risky

behaviours (smoking) or are

psychologically reactive to

stress. Type A individuals arelikely to have coronary

proneness to a cardiac

disorder.

Non-Type A Individuals: Are

those who feel relaxed, easy-

going, are forgiving and noteasily angered. Funnily

enough, the second category

is more susceptible to a heart

disease, because they dont

easily refer themselves to a

doctor


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STRESS AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISORDERS 2

(ASSOCIATED TO HYPERTENSION

CHRONICALLYHIGH BLOOD PRESSURE)

Blood flow is increased when ANS activity is

heightened

Heightened blood flow causes hardening anddeterioration of blood vessel tissues leading to

heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure

Heart diseases, stroke, and kidney failure relate

to urban life stressors, such as population

density, crime rates, poverty conditions


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THE EFFECTS OF STRESS ON THE IMMUNE

SYSTEM (PSYCHONEUROIMMUNOLOGY) 1

The Immune System

works towards fighting

against antigens (bacteria,

viruses, and other foreign

hazardous bodies) Infectious illnesses

relating to stress, such as

influenza, herpes, etc.

Decreased endorphins (a

morphine-like substance)may produce irritability,

anxiety, depression,

difficulty in

understanding, etc.


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THE EFFECTS OF STRESS ON THE IMMUNE

SYSTEM (PSYCHONEUROIMMUNOLOGY) 2

Acute and Chronic Stressors and the ImmuneSystem

1. Acute Stressors: Speaking in Public, Working to

Deadlines, etc.

2. Chronic Stressors: Separation, Divorce, Caringfor Others, etc.


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THE EFFECTS OF STRESS ON THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

(PSYCHONEUROIMMUNOLOGY) 3: ACUTE STRESSORS:

THESYMPATHO-ADRENOMEDULLARYAXIS


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THE EFFECTS OF STRESS ON THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

(PSYCHONEUROIMMUNOLOGY) 4: CHRONIC STRESSORS:

HYPOTHALAMIC-PITUITARY-ADRENAL AXIS


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SUMMARY

Stress is defined as a pattern of negative physiological

states and psychological processes

Selye concluded that non-humans respond in a non-specific

physiological way to stressors; the General Adaptation

syndrome (GAS) The GAS interacts with the CNS, the ANS, and the

Endocrine System

The key stages for GAS: the alarm reaction, the resistance

stage, and the exhaustion stage

Cardiovascular disorders are influenced by the presence ofstress in ones life

The immune system may lose its full potential reactivity if

an individual experiences stress


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QUESTION TO CONSIDER ON THIS SECTION

Definitions of stress and stressors. Discuss their

pros and cons

Describe the general adaptation syndrome andevaluate it

Discuss the relationship between stress and

cardiovascular disorders

Describe and evaluate the relationship betweenstress and the immune system


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REFERENCES

Lazarus, R.S, Folkman, S. (19840: Stress,

Appraisal, and Coping. New York: Springer

Linsky, A. S., Bachman, R., Straus, M. A. (1995):

Stress, Culture, and Aggression. New Haven, CT:

Yale University Press

MacLean, P. D. (1982): On the origin and

progressive evolution of the triune brain. In E.

Armstrong & D. Falk (Eds.) Primate Brain

Evolution. New York: Plenum Press Selye, H. (1936): A syndrome produced by diverse

nocuous agents. Nature, 138, 32pp

________(1976): The Stress ofLife. New York:

McGraw-Hill

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