PHYSIOLOGICAL
PSYCHOLOGY
Explanation of behaviour that refer to the body
systems – cells, muscles, blood, hormones and the
nervous system.
PHYSIOLOGICAL
PSYCHOLOGY
Miranda
Psychology
Physiological Psychology
STRESS
Section 1
Stress as a bodily
response
Section 3
Critical Issues:
Stress management
Section 2
Sources of stress
What is stress?
ton
Pressures, demands (stressors),
exert force on the body, stress is
the body’s response to this.
A stress response is an innate,
defensive and adaptive reaction
ton
Stress levels also depend on
whether the person feels that they
can cope with demands placed on
them or not
ton
Stress Definition
Stress is a state of psychological and
physical tension produced when an
individual perceives that they are unable to
cope with the demands imposed on them
by a stressor.
The consequent state of tension can be
adaptive (eustress) or maladaptive
(distress)
Effects of stress
STRESSORS
Family Relations
RETURN
TO
NORMAL
Disagreements
FLIGHT
Money Worries
Need to Succeed
Exams
COPING
Friends
Decisions
RELAXATION
New Situations
NOT COPING
POOR DIET
NO EXERCISE
NEGATIVE
THOUGHT
IRRITABILITY
POSSIBLE
DISEASE OR
MENTAL ILLNESS
EXHAUSTION
The Biology Of Stress
PHYSIOLOGICAL AROUSAL :
Walter Cannon(1932) The response to
stress
Stress and the nervous system
Neurons
Neurotransmitters
AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM
Automatically responds to stressor
Sympathetic
Parasympathetic
ENDOCRINE SYSTEM
GLANDS
HORMONES
Contrasting Communication Systems
Nervous
Endocrine
 Consists of nerve cells
 Consists of ductless glands
 Acts by transmitting nerve impulses
 Acts by releasing hormones
 Acts rapidly
 Acts slowly
 Direct control
 Indirect control
 Specified localised effects of
neurotransmitters
 Hormones spread around body
 Short lived effects
 Hormones remain in blood for some
time
Homeostasis
The process of maintaining a reasonable constant
internal environment in the body.
98.6 F
37 ºC
or
Sympathetic
Adrenal Medullary
System
-Hypothalamic
-Pituitary
-Adrenal - axis
SAM
HPA
Work together to control stress response
Effects of SAM activity
• Heightened activity of SAM prepares us for Fight
or Flight.
Increase in energy
Increased alertness
Increased blood flow to the muscles
Increased heart and respiration rate
Reduced activity in digestive system
Increased release of clotting factors in the blood
Adrenaline and Noradrenaline increase the output
of the heart ,which can cause increase in Blood
Pressure.
Effects of HPA activity
+ Cortisol is important for coping with long term
stress,it maintains a steady supply of fuel.
+Glucocorticoids conserve glucos for neural
tissues, elevate or stabilise blood glucose
levels,mobilise protein reserves, conserve salts
and water.
+Cortisol helps reverse bodies initial stress
responses and helps body to revert to a stable
state.
Effects of HPA activity
- The blood has elevated levels of glucose (for
energy) and hormones (ACTH and adrenaline)
so the body continues to use its resources fast.
- The anti inflammatory action of glucocorticoids
slows wound healing
- Glucocorticoids suppress the immune system
which protects the body against viruses and
bacteria.(so we are more likely to pick up
infection.)
General Adaptation Syndrome
G.A.S
Hans Selye(1936)
-
‘STRESS’ research PIONEER
Rats showed same symptoms in response to all of
Stimuli.
General state of ‘stress’
STAGE 1 . ALARM:
STAGE 2. RESISTANCE
STAGE 3. EXHAUSTION
Evaluation of GAS
+ Pioneering research into stress
+ Alerted medicine to the importance of stress in disease
- Not much attention paid to SAM , the relationship
between SAM and HPA not fully appreciated
- Stress does not always produce the same physiological
patterns. Mason (1975)different patterns of
adrenaline/noradrenaline and cortisol for different
stressors.
- Criticised for use of non human animals
- Suggestion that people respond in a passive way to
stress. Mason.
How does stress cause physical illness?
DIRECTLY
SUPPRESSING THE IMMUNE
SYSTEM
Leucocytes (white blood cells)
INDIRECTLY
Changes in health practices that will
increase risk of illness
Lymphocytes (B Cells or T Cells)
 Smoking
Anti bodies
 Drinking
Natural killer cells
 Drugs
Endorphins
 Sleeplessness
CARDIOVASCULAR DISORDERS
 Exercise less
Hypertension
CHD
Strokes
What sorts of illness does stress cause?
Monkey
CHD
Friedman &
Rosenman
Air Traffic Controller
Ulcers
Hypertension
Brady
Cobb & Rose
Business Man
Sources of Stress
Lesson objectives:
Identifying sources of stress
Theory-Assessing own stress levels using
SRRS, a way of identifying a link with life
events, sources of stress and illness.
Evidence for SRRS
Evaluating this approach
Checking knowledge.
SOURCES OF STRESS
Transactional Model Cox (1978)
LIFE EVENTS
as stressors
Social Readjustment Rating Scale
Holmes and Rahe
Key Study : Rahe et al
stress of life events
Correlation
stress related illness
De Longis et al
DAILY HASSLES
e.g.
& UPLIFTS
rising prices
home maintenance
crime
physical appearance (bad hair day?)
recreation
weight
relations with friends / family
good weather
job promotion
Work Place Stress
Pressures of work
Work environment
BURNOUT
Key Study : Marmot et al
‘Workplace Stressors’
NOISE (Glass et al)
Predictability
Controllability
Higher Stress?
Control
Lack of Control
Langer and Rodin
‘Old Peoples Homes’
Individual Differences
Can be innate or learned
Personality – Friedman & Rosenman
Gender
Culture
Taylor
Franken Houser
Hastrup et al
Ogden
Gyton & Hall
Hardiness - Kobasa
Weg
Anderson
Cooper et al
Bailey & Dua
STRESS !
Critical Issue
STRESS MANAGEMENT
STRESS MANAGEMENT
Physiological Approaches
Psychological Approaches
Bio feedback
Cognitive therapies
.Stress inoculation
training
Anti Anxiety Drugs
.Hardiness training
Beta Blockers
Benzodiazepines
Social Support
MULTIDIMENTIONAL COPING INVENTORY
Coping strategies that different people use to handle
stressful situation
• Task orientated strategy
• Emotional orientated strategy
• Avoidance orientated strategy