unit 3- a os1

Question 1

what does the human nervous system do

Answer 1

the human nervous system enables the brain and body ti exchange neural messages (electro-chemical) and communicate with one another.

Question 2

what are the 3 types of neurons

Answer 2

• motor neurons
• sensory neurons
• interneurons

Question 3

what are motor neurons

Answer 3

• known as efferent neurons
• motor neurons transmit neural messages about motor movement from the central nervous system to the peripheral system

Question 4

what are sensory neurons

Answer 4

• known as afferent neurons
• transmit neural messages about bodily functions from the peripheral system to the central nervous system

Question 5

what are interneurons

Answer 5

which transfer neural messages between sensory neurons and motor neurons. the central nervous system, including the brain and the spinal cord, is made up of interneurons.

Question 6

what is a conscious response

Answer 6

conscious responses are deliberate and voluntary actions that are intentionally initiated by the brain
- involves the somatic nervous system

Question 7

what is an unconscious response

Answer 7

unconscious responses are automatic and involuntary actions that are performed without conscious awareness in a response to internal and external sensory stimuli.
- involves the automatic nervous system and the spinal reflex.

Question 8

what is the autonomic nervous system

Answer 8

the autonomic nervous system control visceral muscles, organs and glads, which are not connected to the skeleton and are predominately self-regulating, not requiring conscious control.

Question 9

what are the sub-divisions of the autonomic nervous system

Answer 9

1. sympatheitc ns
2. parasympathic nervous system

Question 10

what is the sympathic ns and what are physiological responses

Answer 10

The sympathetic nervous system is part of the autonomic nervous system that prepares the body for “fight or flight” in stressful situations. the physiological responses include, increases heart rate, widens airways, and redirects blood to muscles for quick action.

Question 11

what is the parasympathic nervous sytem and what are physiological responses

Answer 11

• this system promotes rest and physical inactivity. physiological responses include a steady heart rate, lung airways constrict as well as pupils constricting.

Question 12

what is a spinal reflex

Answer 12

a spinal reflex is an inconscious response to a sensory stimuli that is initiated by interneurons in the spinal.

Question 13

what is a pre-synaptic neuron

Answer 13

the neuron that sends the signal, it releases neurotransmitters into the synapse.

Question 14

what is a post-synpatic neuron

Answer 14

neuron that receives neurochemicals from the neural synapse. it has receptors on its dendrites that bind to the neurotransmitters.

Question 15

what is the synaptic gap

Answer 15

the space between the pre-synaptic neuron and the postsynaptic neuron

Question 16

what are neurochemicals

Answer 16

neurochemicals are substances that transmit neural information within the nervous system.

Question 17

what is an internal stressor

Answer 17

an internal stressor originates from within the individual, including attitudes, low self esteem and nervous system dysfunction.

Question 18

what is an external stressor

Answer 18

• originate from outside of the individual
  examples include exams, meeting new people, arguments with others, work pressure and financial difficulty.

Question 19

what is eurstress

Answer 19

eustress is a positive psychological stress response. it involes emotions such as being happy and excited. This usually occurs when the stressor provides a positive opportunity. High levels of eustress prompt an increase in performance and functioning.

Question 20

what is distress

Answer 20

Distress is a negative psychological stress response. It involves emotions such as being worried and upset. This usually occurs when the stressor is a negative circumstance.
* Distress also prompts high performance, however if it becomes so overwhelming that an individual cannot cope, performance may decrease. Ultimately, this demonstrates how certain levels of physiological and psychological stress can prompt a rise in productivity

Question 21

what is acute and chronic stress

Answer 21

acute stress- Acute stress is a form of stress characterised by intense psychological and physiological symptoms that are brief in duration. fight, flight, freeze response.
chronic stress- chronic stress if a form of stress that endures for several moths or longers. sustained release of cortisol.

Question 22

what is cortisol

Answer 22

a hormone that is released in times of stress to aid the body in initiating and maintaining heightened arousal.

Question 23

what is the GAS model

Answer 23

The GAS model is a biological model of stress that explains the various physiological reactions that occur in the presence of stressors. This model shows that every time you are confronted with a stressor, you progress through the stages and substages of the general adaption syndrome.

Question 24

what is the explanatory power of the GAS model -strengths

Answer 24

• The GAS model recognises the relationship between chronic stress and illness.
• The GAS model provides objective, empirical information about the biological processes involved in the stress response.

Question 25

what is the explanatory power of the GAS model- limitations

Answer 25

* The GAS model is based on research that was conducted on rats, reducing the generalisability of the model to the human population. * The GAS model only focuses on the biological aspects of stress. It ignores the important of psychological factors, including emotion and cognition.

Question 26

what is the explanatory power of the model for lazuras folkmans - strengths

Answer 26

- allows one to track the subjective stress response of an individual. - helps to explain why the same stressor may have different effects on different people.

Question 27

what is the explanatory power of the model for laxuras folkmans- limitations

Answer 27

* Some argue that the stages of primary and secondary appraisal can occur simultaneously and so ordering them chronologically may not always be reflective of the true stress response. * Individuals are not necessarily aware of why they feel certain kinds of stress, as suggested by primary appraisal.

Question 28

what are the two main categories of coping strategies

Answer 28

1. approach stratgies 2. avoifance strategies

Question 29

what is the approach strategy and give an example

Answer 29

* Approach strategies are coping strategies that directly confront the source of the stress and thus reduce or eliminate it. * These strategies generally deal with stress in a practical way. Example  Studying for a psychology SAC directly deals with the stressor by equipping an individual with the knowledge and skills to successfully complete it.

Question 30

what is the avoidance strategy

Answer 30

* Avoidance strategies are coping strategies that involve evading or distance oneself from the source of stress * These strategies often deal with the more emotional components of stress, channeling thoughts abd behavior away from the stressor.

Question 31

what is content- specific effectiveness and give example

Answer 31

Refers to when the coping strategy or mechanism used in appropriate for the unique demands of the stressor. Example  If the nervous system sac for psych is coming up, coping strategies for each person will differ, as everyone has their ways of learning and revising that is going to help them to receive the best outcome.

Question 32

what is coping flexibility and provide an example

Answer 32

Refers to the ability to adjust or change one’s coping strategies depending on the unique and changing demands of a stressor (to replace an ineffective strategy for an effective strategy). Example  if a student became sick a few days before the SAC, they may need to consider an alternative coping approach. Depending on how sick they are, they may need to ask their teacher if they can reschedule their SAC to a later date, spreading their study out over those extra days while making sure to eat and sleep well for optimal performance.

Question 33

what is the gut brain axis

Answer 33

The gut-brain axis involves looking at the connection between the gut and the brain, and how they may interact and influence each other.  The gut brain axis refers to the bidirectional connection between the gut and the brain through the enteric and central nervous system.

Question 34

what is the vegus nerve responsible for

Answer 34

It is responsible for bidirectionally conveying information between the gut and the brain. 10–20% of nerve fibres in the vague nerve are involved in conveying information from the brain to the gut and 80–90% are responsible for conveying information from the gut to the brain.

Question 35

what is the enteric nervous system

Answer 35

refers to the network of nerves in the gut and is a subdivision of the autonomic nervous system.