Difficulty: Introductory | Prerequisites: Neuroscience (sympathetic nervous system, HPA axis, cortisol)
This unit connects the biology of stress to psychological and behavioural coping strategies. It builds directly on the neuroscience material (the sympathetic nervous system, the HPA axis, cortisol) and introduces the general adaptation syndrome, the distinction between acute and chronic stress, the immune-system consequences of prolonged stress, gendered stress responses, and the major coping frameworks. The exam tests this material through scenario questions that ask you to identify the type of stressor, the GAS phase, the stress pathway, or the coping strategy.
Stress triggers a biological cascade: the sympathetic nervous system fires first (fight or flight), and if stress persists, the HPA axis releases cortisol for the longer haul. The general adaptation syndrome describes three phases of the body's response. Chronic stress suppresses immune function and contributes to physical illness. Coping strategies fall into problem-focused, emotion-focused, and relationship-focused categories.
Acute stressor
A short-term stressor with a clear endpoint. A final exam is an acute stressor.
Chronic stressor
A long-term, ongoing source of stress with no clear resolution. Working three jobs while finishing a degree is chronic stress.
General adaptation syndrome (GAS)
Hans Selye's three-stage model of the body's response to prolonged stress:
Alarm: the initial fight-or-flight response. The body mobilises resources. Catherine seeing a grizzly bear and thinking clearly about how to escape is in the alarm stage.
Resistance: the body adapts and fights the stressor. Percy avoiding illness during finals because his body is actively combating stress is in the resistance stage.
Exhaustion: resources are depleted and the body becomes vulnerable to illness. Resistance to stress is lowest in the exhaustion stage.
SAM system (sympathetic adrenal-medullary system)
The fast stress pathway. The sympathetic nervous system triggers the adrenal medulla to release adrenaline (epinephrine) and norepinephrine. This produces the immediate fight-or-flight response.
HPA axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis)
The slow stress pathway responsible for chronic stress. The hypothalamus signals the pituitary gland, which signals the adrenal cortex to release cortisol. Hannah's high cortisol levels from chronic work stress are produced by the HPA axis.
In simple terms, the SAM system is the alarm bell; the HPA axis is the fire that keeps burning.
Cortisol
A stress hormone released by the adrenal glands (specifically the adrenal cortex, via the HPA axis). Celia's fight-or-flight response and cortisol release in anticipation of a presentation involve the adrenal glands within the HPA axis.
Psychoneuroimmunology
The study of how psychological factors, the nervous system, and the immune system interact. Chronic stress decreases lymphocyte activity, impairs wound healing, and can contribute to obesity and overall health decline.
Lymphocytes
White blood cells that fight infection. Chronic stress decreases their activity, weakening the immune system.
Resilience
The ability to adapt and recover from adversity. Yolanda losing her job and immediately looking for a new one demonstrates resilience. Darcy adjusting to an unplanned pregnancy and viewing it positively also demonstrates resilience.
Problem-focused coping
Addressing the stressor directly by taking practical action. Lester writing down his assignments and creating a timeline is positive problem-focused coping. Jonathan visiting his professor's office hours to develop a better study plan is problem-focused coping.
Emotion-focused coping
Managing the emotional response to the stressor rather than the stressor itself. Can be positive or negative.
Positive emotion-focused: healthy emotional regulation (Hannah going for a run to blow off steam).
Negative emotion-focused: unhealthy attempts to manage feelings (Becky drinking and dancing after failing an exam).
Relationship-focused coping
Seeking social support to manage stress.
Tend-and-befriend response
A stress response more common in women, characterised by caring for others (tending) and seeking social support (befriending). Research suggests men are more likely to show fight-or-flight, while women are more likely to show tend-and-befriend.
SAM system: fast, produces adrenaline and norepinephrine. Handles the immediate alarm reaction.
HPA axis: slow, produces cortisol. Responsible for the sustained stress response in chronic stress. Natalie's four months of unrelieved stress from a heavy course load is managed by the HPA axis.
Alarm – initial shock, fight-or-flight, resources mobilised (Catherine and the bear).
Resistance – body fights the stressor, adaptation (Percy during finals).
Exhaustion – resources depleted, vulnerability to illness, resistance at its lowest.
Chronic stress is decreasing overall health (not improving it, not neutral).
Chronic stress decreases lymphocyte activity (weakens immune function).
Possible physical side effects of chronic stress include obesity, impaired wound healing, decreased immune function, and sleep disruption.
Increased sleep, faster wound healing, and increased lymphocyte activity are NOT consequences of chronic stress.
Immune system functioning is affected by stress, nutrition, and depression (all of the above).
The statement that Natalie uses fight-or-flight while Todd uses tend-and-befriend is false. Research suggests the reverse: men are more likely to show fight-or-flight, women are more likely to show tend-and-befriend.
Problem-focused: tackle the source of stress directly (making a plan, visiting office hours).
Positive emotion-focused: manage feelings in healthy ways (exercise, taking a break to recharge).
Negative emotion-focused: manage feelings in unhealthy ways (drinking, avoidance).
Relationship-focused: leaning on social connections.
Andy scheduling a counselling appointment to deal with relationship stress = emotion-focused coping (addressing emotional distress, not the relationship problem itself, though this one is debatable; the exam answer is emotion-focused based on the framing).
Students confuse the alarm and resistance stages of GAS. Alarm is the initial shock and mobilisation. Resistance is the sustained coping phase where the body is actively fighting.
The HPA axis is the slow pathway (cortisol, chronic stress). The SAM system is the fast pathway (adrenaline, acute response). Students often reverse these.
Chronic stress does not increase lymphocyte activity. It decreases it.
The tend-and-befriend response is associated with women, not men. The Todd/Natalie question is designed to catch this reversal.
Resilience is not the same as resistance. Resilience is bouncing back after adversity. Resistance is the second phase of GAS where the body fights ongoing stress.
⚠️ Know the three GAS stages in order: alarm → resistance → exhaustion. Be able to match scenarios to the correct stage.
⚠️ The HPA axis = cortisol = chronic stress. The SAM system = adrenaline = acute/fast response.
⚠️ Cortisol is released by the adrenal glands (in the HPA axis). The question about Celia's cortisol from "her ______ in the HPA axis" = adrenal glands.
⚠️ The Todd/Natalie gender reversal question is FALSE (men = fight-or-flight, women = tend-and-befriend).
⚠️ Chronic stress decreases overall health and decreases lymphocyte activity. These are tested directly.
⚠️ A final exam = acute stressor. Three jobs + college = chronic stressor.
⚠️ Resistance to stress is lowest in the exhaustion stage (not the alarm stage).
⚠️ Problem-focused coping = practical action. Emotion-focused coping = managing feelings.
Fill in the blank: The stress pathway responsible for cortisol release during chronic stress is the __________. HPA axis.
True or False: Natalie is more likely to show fight-or-flight while Todd is more likely to show tend-and-befriend. False. Research suggests the opposite pattern.
Fill in the blank: The phase of GAS where the body's resistance to stress is lowest is __________. Exhaustion.
True or False: Chronic stress increases lymphocyte activity. False. Chronic stress decreases it.
Fill in the blank: Lester making a to-do list and timeline for his assignments is an example of __________ coping. Problem-focused.
Q: Percy avoids getting sick during finals because his body is actively fighting the stress. Which GAS phase is he in?
A: Resistance. His body has mobilised resources and is sustaining its defence against the stressor.
Q: Hannah goes for a run to de-stress before returning to study. What coping strategy is this?
A: Positive emotion-focused coping. She is managing her emotional response to stress through healthy physical activity.
Q: Which stress pathway involves cortisol release and has a slower response?
A: The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. It releases cortisol via the adrenal glands and handles the sustained, chronic stress response.
Q: Tina is working three jobs while finishing college. What is a possible physical consequence of her chronic stress?
A: Obesity. Other consequences include decreased immune function (lower lymphocyte activity), slower wound healing, and disrupted sleep.
The sympathetic nervous system (Neuroscience unit) drives the fight-or-flight response that initiates the alarm stage of GAS.
Sleep disruption from chronic stress ties back to the Consciousness unit (circadian rhythms, sleep architecture).
Coping strategies relate to the Personality unit: locus of control and self-efficacy influence whether someone uses problem-focused vs. emotion-focused coping.
The immune system effects of stress connect to health psychology and the biopsychosocial model in the Disorders and Treatment unit.
stress, acute stressor, chronic stressor, general adaptation syndrome, GAS, alarm, resistance, exhaustion, fight or flight, tend and befriend, SAM system, HPA axis, cortisol, adrenaline, adrenal glands, psychoneuroimmunology, lymphocytes, immune system, resilience, coping, problem-focused coping, emotion-focused coping, relationship-focused coping, positive coping, negative coping, PSYCH 1100, general psychology, Ohio State