Lecture 6
Fight or flight
Explain it with examples and make class interactive
We humans don’t come with an instruction manual. If we did, I suspect we’d do a better job of getting through life with less pain and more joy.
Human behavior has evolved over time. What worked for us humans a few thousand years ago may not be as helpful today? So while our behavior adapts to the changing times and environment, it is thought that it never completely forgets its evolutionary roots. One of the driving forces of some human behavior is something called the “fight or flight response” (also known as the acute stress response). This is the psychology term that describes one of the ways we can react when under stress. Understanding the purpose of the fight …show more content…
Essentially, the response prepares the body to either fight or flee the threat. It is also important to note that the response can be triggered due to both real and imaginary threats.
By priming your body for action, you are better prepared to perform under pressure. The stress created by the situation can actually be helpful, making it more likely that you will cope effectively with the threat. This type of stress can help you perform better in situations where you are under pressure to do well, such as at work or school. In cases where the threat is life threatening, the fight-or-flight response can actually play a critical role in your survival. By gearing you up to fight or flee, the fight-or-flight response makes it more likely that you will survive the danger.
One thing to remember is that while the fight-or-flight response happens automatically, that does not mean that it is always accurate. Sometimes we respond in this way even when there is no real threat. Phobias are good examples of how the fight-or-flight response might be triggered in the face of a perceived threat. A person who is terrified of heights might begin to experience the acute stress response when he has to go the top floor of a skyscraper to attend a meeting. His body might go on high alert as his heart beat and respiration rate increase. When this response becomes severe,
Fight or flight
Explain it with examples and make class interactive
We humans don’t come with an instruction manual. If we did, I suspect we’d do a better job of getting through life with less pain and more joy.
Human behavior has evolved over time. What worked for us humans a few thousand years ago may not be as helpful today? So while our behavior adapts to the changing times and environment, it is thought that it never completely forgets its evolutionary roots. One of the driving forces of some human behavior is something called the “fight or flight response” (also known as the acute stress response). This is the psychology term that describes one of the ways we can react when under stress. Understanding the purpose of the fight …show more content…
Essentially, the response prepares the body to either fight or flee the threat. It is also important to note that the response can be triggered due to both real and imaginary threats.
By priming your body for action, you are better prepared to perform under pressure. The stress created by the situation can actually be helpful, making it more likely that you will cope effectively with the threat. This type of stress can help you perform better in situations where you are under pressure to do well, such as at work or school. In cases where the threat is life threatening, the fight-or-flight response can actually play a critical role in your survival. By gearing you up to fight or flee, the fight-or-flight response makes it more likely that you will survive the danger.
One thing to remember is that while the fight-or-flight response happens automatically, that does not mean that it is always accurate. Sometimes we respond in this way even when there is no real threat. Phobias are good examples of how the fight-or-flight response might be triggered in the face of a perceived threat. A person who is terrified of heights might begin to experience the acute stress response when he has to go the top floor of a skyscraper to attend a meeting. His body might go on high alert as his heart beat and respiration rate increase. When this response becomes severe,