PSY 1102 Study Guide - Autonomic Nervous System

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSY 1102
• Professor: all

Document Summary

Stress is any circumstance (real or perceived) that threatens a person s well-being. In a fearful or stress- causing situation, we can run away and save our lives. If it is prolonged (chronic stress), it increases our risk of illness and health problems. At times it is the stimulus (missing an appointment) and at other times it is a response (sweating while taking a test). Stress is not merely a stimulus or a response. It is a process by which we appraise and cope with environmental threats and challenges. Cannon proposed that the stress response (fast) was a fight-or-flight response marked by the outpouring of epinephrine and norepinephrine from the inner adrenal glands, increasing heart and respiration rates, mobilizing sugar and fat, and dulling pain. According to selye, a stress response to any kind of stimulation is similar. Catastrophic events: catastrophic events like earthquakes, combat stress, and floods lead individuals to become depressed, sleepless, and anxious.