UNIT 3 AOS 2 - STRESS
● Internal and external stressors causing psychological and physiological stress responses, including the
flight-or-fight-or-freeze response in acute stress and the role of cortisol in chronic stress
STRESS: a psychological and physiological experience that occurs when an individual encounters something of
significance that demands their attention and/or efforts to cope
INTERNAL STRESSOR: a stimulus from within a person’s body that prompts the stress response
• Attitude – If someone has a negative attitude (i.e. they are pessimistic), this could make it more likely that
they consider a situation to be outside of their capacity to cope, increasing the likelihood of experiencing stress.
• Rumination – Repeatedly thinking about the negative components of an event makes it more difficult to
overcome, increasing the likelihood of experiencing stress.
• Low self-esteem – Someone having a negative opinion of themselves makes it more likely that they do not
believe in their capacity to overcome a stressful situation, increasing the likelihood of experiencing stress.
• Nervous system dysfunction – The dysfunction of the production of certain neurotransmitters, such as
gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA), could make it more likely to experience a stress response. GABA is the main
inhibitory neurotransmitter in the human nervous system, so an insufficient neural transmission of GABA can lead to
the over-excitation of neurotransmitters and make it difficult to regulate the stress response.
EXTERNAL STRESSOR : a stimulus from outside of a person’s body that prompts the stress response
• a test or an exam
• meeting new people
• arguments with friends and/or family members
• working long hours
• financial difficulties.
DISTRESS: a form of stress characterised by a negative psychological state
For example, when a person loses the keys to their car, they often experience distress. Losing car keys is likely to
cause somebody to be late to their commitments, or even become a financial burden if the keys need to be replaced.
As a result, emotions like worry and frustration occur as the individual contemplates the major inconveniences brought
about by not finding their keys.
EUSTRESS: a form of stress characterised by a positive psychological state
For example, being offered a place at university can be stressful in that it demands change and effort, but it often
results in positive emotions, such as feeling motivated and excited for personal growth.
ACUTE STRESS: a form of stress characterised by intense psychological and physiological symptoms that are brief
FLIGHT-FIGHT-FREEZE RESPONSE: an involuntary and automatic response to
, a threat that takes the form of either escaping it, confronting it, or freezing in the face of it
CHRONIC STRESS: a form of stress that endures for several months or longer
CORTISOL: a hormone that is released in times of stress to aid the body in initiating and maintaining heightened
arousal
During the stress response, cortisol serves the adaptive functions of:
- increasing blood sugar levels
- improving metabolism
- energising the body
- reducing inflammation.
● the explanatory power of Hans Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome as a biological model of stress, including
alarm reaction (shock/counter shock), resistance and exhaustion
● Internal and external stressors causing psychological and physiological stress responses, including the
flight-or-fight-or-freeze response in acute stress and the role of cortisol in chronic stress
STRESS: a psychological and physiological experience that occurs when an individual encounters something of
significance that demands their attention and/or efforts to cope
INTERNAL STRESSOR: a stimulus from within a person’s body that prompts the stress response
• Attitude – If someone has a negative attitude (i.e. they are pessimistic), this could make it more likely that
they consider a situation to be outside of their capacity to cope, increasing the likelihood of experiencing stress.
• Rumination – Repeatedly thinking about the negative components of an event makes it more difficult to
overcome, increasing the likelihood of experiencing stress.
• Low self-esteem – Someone having a negative opinion of themselves makes it more likely that they do not
believe in their capacity to overcome a stressful situation, increasing the likelihood of experiencing stress.
• Nervous system dysfunction – The dysfunction of the production of certain neurotransmitters, such as
gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA), could make it more likely to experience a stress response. GABA is the main
inhibitory neurotransmitter in the human nervous system, so an insufficient neural transmission of GABA can lead to
the over-excitation of neurotransmitters and make it difficult to regulate the stress response.
EXTERNAL STRESSOR : a stimulus from outside of a person’s body that prompts the stress response
• a test or an exam
• meeting new people
• arguments with friends and/or family members
• working long hours
• financial difficulties.
DISTRESS: a form of stress characterised by a negative psychological state
For example, when a person loses the keys to their car, they often experience distress. Losing car keys is likely to
cause somebody to be late to their commitments, or even become a financial burden if the keys need to be replaced.
As a result, emotions like worry and frustration occur as the individual contemplates the major inconveniences brought
about by not finding their keys.
EUSTRESS: a form of stress characterised by a positive psychological state
For example, being offered a place at university can be stressful in that it demands change and effort, but it often
results in positive emotions, such as feeling motivated and excited for personal growth.
ACUTE STRESS: a form of stress characterised by intense psychological and physiological symptoms that are brief
FLIGHT-FIGHT-FREEZE RESPONSE: an involuntary and automatic response to
, a threat that takes the form of either escaping it, confronting it, or freezing in the face of it
CHRONIC STRESS: a form of stress that endures for several months or longer
CORTISOL: a hormone that is released in times of stress to aid the body in initiating and maintaining heightened
arousal
During the stress response, cortisol serves the adaptive functions of:
- increasing blood sugar levels
- improving metabolism
- energising the body
- reducing inflammation.
● the explanatory power of Hans Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome as a biological model of stress, including
alarm reaction (shock/counter shock), resistance and exhaustion
