biopsychology: Fight or flight
1. Which of the following is triggered in 2. Which statement is a limitation of the fight or
response to acute (sudden) stress?
START
A. Pituitary gland
B. Sympathetic nervous system
C. Parasympathetic nervous system
D. Adrenaline
1 mark
12. Evaluate the fight or flight response in
stress.
4 marks
11. Explain one way in which the fight or flight
response may differ in different people.
4 marks
10. Explain the role of the adrenal glands in the
fight or flight response. Refer to the actions of
two hormones in your answer.
4 marks
AQA A Level Psychology: Assessment Mat
3. Identify and explain one example of acute 4. Briefly outline the role of the hypothalamus in
flight response? stress and one example of chronic stress. the body’s response to stress.
A. There are gender differences that are not considered
in the fight or flight response.
B. There is only one response when stress is
experienced.
C. The fight or flight response cannot be measured.
D. A consideration for gender differences is apparent.
1 mark 4 marks 3 marks
5. Explain the fight or flight process that
biopsychology Jennifer is experiencing. In your answer, refer
to the role of specific hormones and their
PART 1: Jennifer is a university student and is just about to deliver her final effects.
presentation, which makes up a lot of her final grade. She is very nervous
and doesn’t like public speaking. As she is waiting for her turn, she is
shaking and sweating profusely. As she makes her way to the front, she
turns bright red and becomes extremely thirsty.
4 marks
PART 2: After the presentation, Jennifer makes a sigh of relief. She goes for
a big lunch with her friends to celebrate.
6. Outline the role of the parasympathetic
nervous system referring to Part 2.
PART 3: Jennifer gained a 2:1 in her degree and was very happy with the
outcome of her presentation. She gains a place on a degree apprenticeship
with a very reputable, high profile company. She has been in the role for
five months now and finds it incredibly stressful. She has lost a lot of weight
and constantly seems to feel poorly and run down.
3 marks
9. Express those that were employed or in 8. There were 400 students on Jennifer’s course 7. Identify and briefly outline which stress
further study as a fraction. Show your working. and 89% of them went into employment or enrolled response has been activated in Part 3.
onto further courses for the following year. Calculate
how many people were unemployed or not studying
following the course. Show your workings.
3 marks 3 marks 3 marks
www.tutor2u.net/psychology
fight or flight suggested answers
1. Answer: B. Sympathetic nervous system
1 mark
12. Answer: While the fight-or-flight response may have been a
useful survival mechanism for our ancestors, who faced genuinely
life-threatening situations (e.g. from predators), modern-day life
rarely requires such an intense biological response. Furthermore,
the stressors of modern-day life can repeatedly activate the fight-
or-flight response, which can have a negative consequence on our
health. For example, humans who face high levels of stress and
continually activate the sympathetic nervous system repeatedly
increase their blood pressure, which can cause damage to their
blood vessels and lead to heart disease. This suggests that the
fight-or-flight response is a maladaptive response in modern-day
life.
4 marks
11. Answer: The fight-or-flight response is typically a male
response to danger; more recent research suggests that females
adopt a ‘tend and befriend’ response in stressful/dangerous
situations. According to Taylor et al. (2000), women are more
likely to protect their offspring (tend) and form alliances with
other women (befriend), rather than fight an adversary or flee.
Furthermore, the fight-or-flight response may be counterintuitive
for women as running (flight) might be seen as a sign of weakness
and put their offspring at risk of danger.
4 marks
10. Answer: The adrenal gland is divided into two parts: the adrenal
medulla and the adrenal cortex. The adrenal medulla is responsible
for releasing adrenaline and noradrenaline, which play a key role
in the fight-or-flight response. The adrenal cortex releases cortisol,
which stimulates the release of glucose to provide the body with
energy whilst suppressing the immune system.
4 marks
AQA A Level Psychology: Assessment Mat
2. Answer: A. There are gender differences 3. Answer: For Jennifer, acute stress is experienced when she 4. Answer: If the situation is deemed as stressful/dangerous,
is faced with a situation like public speaking. This is because the amygdala sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus. The
that are not considered in the fight or flight this is short-term stress that is over when she has finished her hypothalamus actives the sympathomedulary pathway (SAM
response. presentation. Later on, Jennifer also experiences chronic stress pathway) which runs to the adrenal medulla and the sympathetic
when she is working in a highly stressful environment for an nervous system, which eventually results in the release of
extended period of time (five months). This is chronic because the adrenaline and noradrenaline.
stress does not go away quickly, and she faces the same stressors
daily.
1 mark 4 marks 3 marks
EXTENSION ACTIVITY 5. Answer: Jennifer’s amygdala becomes activated when she
enters the stressful situation (just before she is about to speak in
Now you have checked your answers to the consolidation questions, public); this then sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus. This
complete the extension activity below. activates the SAM pathway, which runs to the adrenal medulla and
the sympathetic nervous system. This then stimulates the adrenal
medulla which causes the release of adrenaline and noradrenaline
that causes a number of physiological changes (e.g. she starts
13. During the events of the 9/11 attacks, people demonstrated incredibly brave and selfless sweating – to regulate temperature; she has a dry mouth –
because non-essential functions are shut down, etc.).
behaviour in an attempt at saving the lives of others.
Discuss how the fight or flight response could be used to understand why this happened. (4 marks)
4 marks
6. Answer: The role of the parasympathetic nervous system is
to return to the body to its normal resting state. It slows down a
person’s heart rate and reactivates functions that were previously
slowed down. This is why Jennifer goes for a big lunch, as her
digestive system would have been reactivated and she is likely to
feel hungry.
3 marks
9. Answer: 8. Answer: 7. Answer: In part three, Jennifer is experiencing chronic stress
that would activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system
44/400 400/100=4 (HPA Axis). This stimulates the release of cortisol that has a
=22/200 4x89=356 number of functions including the release of stored glucose from
the liver, which is important for energy.
=11/100 400-356=44
Answer = 44 were unemployed or not studying.
3 marks 3 marks 3 marks
www.tutor2u.net/psychology