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Fast FoodBackground - defining stress

The definition of stress depends on the approach that psychologists take. In simpleterms stress just means 'effort, demand upon energy'. Almost anything can createthis stress situation, a loud noise, a deadline, revision, a late bus, getting up in themorning! But there are three ways of approaching a definition of stress:

1. Stress can be defined in terms of all people responding in the same biological

way, to the same stimulus. This is the stimulus based model, i.e. the stimuluscauses the stress but our response is the same physiologically. Anyperception of a stress stimulus triggers the body's physiological response. Thisis universal both across time (every time we encounter a stressor) and cultures.We speak of being 'under stress; the external event causes the stress.Managing stress comes down to avoiding the stressor.

2. Stress can be defined as dependent upon the person's response to thestressor. This is a more negative way of looking at stress. The person isdescribed as 'suffering from stress', 'feeling stressed'. The individual is seen ashaving inadequate coping mechanisms. This internal reaction may also be

down to different personality type or cultural influence, but the management ofstress is seen as coming from internal change.

3. The most accepted way of looking at stress nowadays, is to use aninteractionist approach. That is, we may all be faced with the same externalstressor (stimulus) but, the stress response that we show, will depend on ourindividual differences or gender or culture. In other words, the phrase 'exam' isthe same stimulus, but some of you will be feeling very worked up about theexam, others will be more 'laid back'. The internal and behavioural responsewill be different for each of us. Psychologists try to find out the factors affectingthis interaction and stress management depends on the perceived interactionand response.

Note: Stress is not necessarily alwaysnegative. Some people are motivated by thestress response and actively seek furtherchallenges. Others find stress debilitating and itcan lead to illness.

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The Bodily Response to Stress

This is based on the work of Selye and you need to know biological detail to gain fullmarks. You would use this material when the exam questions look like this:

Describe the General Adaptation Syndrome

Describe the bodily response to stressors.

Give two criticisms of the General Adaptation Syndrome.

Outline one strength and one weakness of the General Adaptation Syndrome.

When you are preparing to write description, it must be detailed and accurate.

When asked to give or outline criticisms, again, detail is required but DO NOTevaluate, simply state in a detailed and accurate way, the facts. You may be asked toevaluate the GAS but this will probably be part of a wider question about respondingto stress.

The General Adaptation Syndrome

Stage One - Alarm Reaction

This is triggered by the perception and evaluation of a stimulus as a stressor. Thebody must prepare for action - fight or flight. Teacher asks for your overduehomework:*Initial shock phase - the body responds by a drop in blood pressure and muscletension you feel tense*Countershock phase - response to threat or injury you prepare to react*The alarm stage if triggered by the hypothalamus and regulated by the sympatheticautonomic nervous system and the endocrine system. (See table below)

Stage Two - The Resistance Stage

The body is beginning to cope. Endocrine and sympathetic activities decreaseslightly. you calm a little and begin to think up some good excuses.If the stressor can be adequately dealt with or terminated psychological damage isunlikely. However, physically, much is still happening:*corticosteroids aggravate the natural inflammatory reaction and the immune systemis less responsive.*replacement of cells is inhibited (immunosuppression)*and the body's resources are being depleted faster than they can be replaced. If theteacher accepts your excuses you are unlikely to suffer long term stress, or if the

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teacher understands your difficulty and helps you to plan a more realistic deadline forexample, you are more likely to recover from this stage.

Stage Three - Exhaustion.

ACTH and corticosteroids in the blood stream prevent further release of ACTH(negative feedback). If the stressor was removed during the resistance phase bloodsugar will gradually return to normal. If the stressor was not dealt with this prolongedexposure means that higher brain centres will override the negative feedback andmaintain the pituitary-adrenal excitation. This leads to wear and tear on the tissues,fatigued muscles and damage to the endocrine glands and kidneys. Selye referred tothese as diseases of adaptation or stress related illness. (See stress and physicalillness for evidence). There is no point trying to avoid your teacher! Admit defeat andexplore ways of discussing an extension if possible!

Summary evaluation of GAS

*It is a good and thorough explanation of the physiology of stress. You need to usethe findings of Selyes' work to back this point up.*The non-specific nature of the responses has been questioned - in other words, dowe all respond in exactly the same way as the three stages suggest? Some of youwill be un-phased by a teacher requesting work, others will be really worried. You canuse the evidence of stress modifiers to back up this claim. (See individual differencesand stress modification)*The psychological effects and response to the stressor have not been accounted forin the GAS model. Psychological effects are poor cognitive skills, negative emotional

states and poor coping mechanisms, based of maladaptive experiential learning forexample. You can use the individual differences evidence for the effects of stressorsand the stress management evidence to support the claim that some people canrespond differently through employing techniques. (See stress management).

-*-

Anything can cause the stress response if it is perceived and evaluated as a stressor

-*-

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You must include the biological facts to support a good answer:

Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis(Slow)

Hypothalamus releases corticotrophicreleasing hormones

Stimulates the pituitary gland, releasesACTH (adrenocorticoprophic hormone)

ACTH acts upon adrenal cortex releasescorticosteroids and adrenaline

Fight/flight response

Adrenomedullary AutonomicAxes

(Fast)

Hypothalamus stimulates the AutonomicNervous system (ANS)

Triggers adrenal medulla and adrenalineand noradrenaline are released

Fight/flight response

By the time the nervous system hasfinished, hormone system kicks in and

prolongs the stress response.

Stress and Illness

Technically, when we say stress causes illness we are not quite right. Stress can

only indirectly cause illness by:*repetitive exposure to stressors means that the bodily response (GAS) reduces theability to fight illness. In other words, people who are stressed are more likely tobecome ill.

*a secondary way of stress indirectly causing illness is throughinappropriate coping mechanisms. For example, stressed people maysmoke or drink more alcohol, which all cause wear and tear on the bodyin various ways

However, there is clear evidence that stressed people are MORE likely tobecome ill than less stressed people and it is this relationship that psychologists areinterested in, i.e. there seems to be a positive correlation between stress and illness.

You need to be aware of the biology behind illness, namely that the immune system,which is responsible for fighting disease, is affected by stress and becomes lessefficient, (is suppressed). A suppressed immune system also plays a role in makingus more vulnerable to the effects of foreign bodies and healing takes longer.

You need to think of the way in which psychologists are measuring stress in theresearch that we have. When they are looking at stress and physical illness they may

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use indirect methods such as questionnaires (to ask about illness and stress), ordirect methods such as taking blood samples to measure the reduction in T cells,evidence of coronary heart disease or cancer

Thinking about the methods used, gives you an automatic line of thinking forevaluation (see research methods, advantages and disadvantages of methods used).

Most examination questions will require you to know ONE study in detail to show therelationship between stress and a named illness, either cardiovascular disorders(CHD or coronary heart disease) or effects on the immune system (vulnerability tocolds etc.).

The examiners can ask you to:*Give any 2 of the following: aims, procedure, findings, conclusion and implications ofone study researching the effects of stress on the cardiovascular system. UseFriedman and Rosenman (see key studies)

*Give any 2 of the following: aims, procedure, findings, conclusion and implications ofone study researching the effects of stress on the immune system. Use Kiecolt andGlaser (see key studies).

Examiners may vary the request between any combination, e.g. give aims andfindings, give procedure and conclusion, give aims and implication. Remember thatthere will be 3 marks fro each so you will to be accurate, identify the answer clearlyand elaborate.

For a part C question DO NOT simply regurgitate the aims etc. - read the question

and write in essay style to answer the question, e.g. One study that researched therelationship between stress and cardiovascular disorders was Friedman andRosenmans study on........., at the end of the detail refer back to the question....'theyfound that they was a definite relationship between Type A people andcardiovascular disorders'.

This answering of the question set, as opposed to just jotting down the correctcontent is the discriminator between E, D, C, B and A grade candidates. Read thequestion carefully and respond appropriately.

In addition to the two key studies related to this area, it is useful to have at least twomore findings, to use in a longer essay section or for evaluation.

Examples of other findings: -

Sweeney (1995) found that stressed groups with injuries did not heal as quickly, thereforeremaining 'ill' longer.

Kiecolt-Glaser(1995) found that highly stressed Alzheimer carers took 9 days longer to healafter injury, again, remaining 'ill' longer than less stressed people.

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Brady's monkeys could be used for any stress and illness question which does not specify theillness as cardiovascular or immune. Increased stress hormones caused ulcers and death.Remember that Weiner's study on army recruits validates Brady's findings on animals

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