Biological Psychology

Revision

Biological Psychology

Stress as a Bodily Response

•Key Terms•Sympathomedullary Pathway (response to ACUTE stress)•Pituitary adrenal systemResponse to CHRONIC stress•Stress, illness and the immune system(direct and indirect effects)

Stress in everyday Life

•Life changes and daily hassles•Workplace stress (effects of job control and workload) including how to reduce•Personality factors and stress, inc Type A, B and HARDINESS•Psychological methods of stress management•Physiological methods of stress management

1. The Body’s response to stress

• Stress occurs when…• Stressors are...

• TWO different types of stress/stressors• ACUTE vs CHRONIC

• Two systems responsible for our bodies response to each

• P_________ A_______ System (HPA) and S__________________ Pathway (SAM)

Body’s Response to ACUTE stress

• Situation is appraised as stressful• H___________ decides the stress is acute so

activates the SAM system• Sympathetic branch of ANS activated• A_______ M_________ stimulated• This secretes the hormones A_________ and

N______________• This prepares the body for _____ or _____, leading

to physical changes such as...

• After a few minutes there is a parasympathetic rebound which...– Why?

Body’s response to Chronic Stress

• Situation appraised as stressful• Hypothalamus decides stress is chronic so

activates HPA (pituitary adrenal system)• Stimulates the P_______ G________ in brain• Releases the hormone ACTH• This stimulates the A_________ C________

which releases C______________• This has both good and bad effects,

including...

• (extension) body self regulates this system by monitoring cortisol levels. If these get too high, the release of cortisol is suppressed

2. Stress Related Illness and the Immune System

• Research indicates stress has a NEGATIVE impact on our immune system functioning.

• Stress has been linked to many illnesses including...

• Note – studies investigate both DIRECT and INDIRECT effects of stress on our immune system

Stress and Illness Research• TWO from FOUR

• Kiecolt-Glaser (NK Cells)

• Glaser (T Cells)

• Cohen (Common Cold)

• Marucha (Wound Healing)

• Evaluation Points

• Limited sample (low…) so we cannot be sure stress would affect everyone's immune system in the same way (individual differences)

• Correlation not cause and effect so we cannot be sure…

• Measurements of stress may lack validity as they are based on self report methods. This means…

3. Life Changes and Daily Hassles

• Life changes are...

• Type of stressor?• E.g...

• These cause illness because…

• Daily Hassles are...

• Type of stressor?• E.g...

• These cause illness because…

Life Changes and Daily Hassles

Life Changes• Rahe (1970)

– SRRS used to measure life changes of…

– 7 month study; monitored health

– 0.118 correlation between life changes and stress related illness

– In conclusion…

• Evaluation points?

Daily Hassles • Delongis

– PPTS aged 45 and over given daily hassles questionnaires, life changes questionnaires and general health questionnaires.

– Strong positive correlation between daily hassles and health problems but no correlation between life changes and health problems.

– In Conclusion

• Evaluation points?

4. Workplace Stress

• The workplace is a major source of stress

• You must be able to identify these factors and explain WHY they cause stress

• Workplace factors which cause stress include...

Workplace stress - Research• MARMOT – Whitehall II study (Job control)

– Analysed data from over 7000 ppts and followed ppts for over 5 years.

– Found that, even when risk factors were controlled (such as...) those with least JOB CONTROL were more likely to suffer stress related illness.

• KARASEK – Investigated workload and Job Control and found…

• Johansson – Swedish saw mill study…

• Use the same EVALUATION points as previous!– Sample issues, Measurement of Stress, Correlation…

Suggestions to lower workplace stress

• “Suggest ways in which we can reduce stress in the workplace”

• Must be able to identify ways to reduce stress AND explain why these would reduce stress. The best answer also start with an initial indication about what causes stress in the first place

• TOP MARKS - Use research / theory to support / validate your ideas

Suggestions to lower workplace stress

• Give workers GREATER JOB CONTROL– HOW…

• Ensure employees have a GOOD WORK-HOME BALANCE– HOW…

• Monitor WORKLOAD closely– HOW…

• Ensure the WORK ENVIRONMENT IS SUITABLE and tasks are varied– HOW…– Why will this help?

Suggestions to reduce workplace stress

• E.g. Answer

• “Marmot found that workers who had low decision latitude (job control) were significantly more likely to experience stress and related illness like hypertension (tick). Based on this, employers should ensure that workers have a greater degree of job control as this should reduce stress and related illness (tick). To achieve this, employees could be allowed to negotiate deadlines or could even be allowed to work from home as these would both give the workers a greater sense of control and allow them to manage their workload (tick tick)”

5. Personality Factors and Stress

• Personality factors may influence our experience of stress

• Main personality types investigated– TYPE A personality (this is...)– TYPE B personality (this is...)– HARDINESS (this is...)

• Which is associated with stress?• Which buffers the effects of stress?

TYPE A

• Why does having a TYPE A personality lead to more stress related illness?

• Make sure you put a biological spin on it!– Biological Stress response easier to

trigger in Type As so…– Hearts of Type As more sensitive to

adrenalin, SNS activity– Type As have fewer support structures

(buffers)

Personality and Stress- RESEARCH

• Rosenman– 3454 middle aged men

studied. – Structured interviews

used to assess personality type (type A or B).

– PPTS followed for 8.5 years.

– 69% of heart attacks were experienced by type A’s.

– Indicates a Significant relationship between type A and stress related illness

• KOBASSA; BEASLEY– Found people (e.g.

Students) who scored highly on measures of hardiness (using questionnaires) demonstrated reduced levels of stress (in various situations) and fewer stress related illness.

– Suggests strongly that hardiness buffers the negative effects of stress.

What am I going to say about the evaluation?

5. BIOLOGICAL Methods of Stress management

• Focus on the PHYSICAL effects of stress; Controls bodily changes.

• DRUGS (Anti-anxiety)• Main types...

– Benzodiazepines• E.g. Valium• Work how?

– Beta Blockers• Work how?

EVALUATION

•EVIDENCE of EFFECTIVENESS from PLACEBO STUDIES

•ETHICAL ISSUES, including…• But BBs…

•IMMEDIATE EFFECTS but…

•NOT A LONG TERM SOLUTION - TREAT EFFECTS NOT CAUSE

• Chemical Straightjacket• So what should we do instead?

8. Psychological Methods of stress management

• Stress Inoculation Therapy (SIT) developed by MICHENBAUM

• Three stages1. Conceptualisation

• Therapist and client work together to identify the sources of stress. Therapeutic alliance is key

2. Re conceptualisation, Skills training and rehearsal

• teach a client strategies to cope with stressors – e.g. coping statements)

3. Application in the real world• Client set tasks to practise using

new strategies in real world; success evaluated in later sessions; modifications made if needed

EVALUATION

•EVIDENCE of EFFECTIVENESS

•FEWER ETHICAL ISSUES THAN DRUGS

•EFFECTS ARE NOT IMMEDIATE (lengthy process) but…

•A LONG TERM SOLUTION because…

What do you notice?