PSYC 100 Chapter Notes - Chapter 24: Stress (Biology), Xerostomia, Tension Headache

• School: Queen's University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 100
• Professor: Jill L Atkinson

Document Summary

Explain the physiological basis of the stress response. Fight or flight: what you normally perceive as a threat. Brains are very sensitive to dangerous threats that go beyond tigers; including social rejection, failure, or abandonment. Long term: not being socially accepted or finding belonging; prolonged stress is hard on the body. Leads to: tension headaches, migraines, dizziness, oily skin, dry mouth, backache, muscle cramps, stomach aches, cold hands, tremor. Long term psychological stress breaks down body functions including high blood pressure and lower immune functioning. Alarm: confrontation with the stress, the ans is going and you may be in shock; impairment of normal functioning. Resistance/adaptation: continued exposure, the stressor increases to above-normal levels. Exhaustion: if exposure continues for long enough, you lose ability to adapt, and resistance drops dramatically leaving you susceptible to illness or even death. Describe how stress affects the immune system and contributes to the development of diseases.