How does the body respond to a stressor at both a biological and psychological level?
the fight-flight-freeze response to acute stress, the role of cortisol in chronic stress, Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome as a biological model, and Lazarus and Folkman's Transactional Model of stress and coping as a psychological model
A focused answer to the VCE Psychology dot point on stress. Covers the fight-flight-freeze response and the role of cortisol, Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome (alarm, resistance, exhaustion) as a biological model, and Lazarus and Folkman's Transactional Model (primary and secondary appraisal) as a psychological model, with strengths and limitations.
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What this dot point is asking
VCAA wants the biological stress response (fight-flight-freeze and the role of cortisol), the biological model of stress (Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome), and the psychological model (Lazarus and Folkman's Transactional Model), including the strengths and limitations of each model.
The answer
Stress is a state of physiological and psychological arousal produced by an internal or external stressor that a person perceives as challenging or threatening to their ability to cope.
The fight-flight-freeze response (acute stress)
When the body faces an acute (sudden, short-term) stressor, the sympathetic nervous system triggers the fight-flight-freeze response. Adrenaline is released, heart rate and breathing increase, pupils dilate, and energy is mobilised so the body can either confront the threat (fight), escape it (flight), or become momentarily immobile (freeze). The freeze response is a brief state of heightened alertness and muscular tension that can precede fight or flight. This response is adaptive in the short term but harmful if prolonged.
The role of cortisol (chronic stress)
For longer-lasting chronic stress, the body releases cortisol, a stress hormone, from the adrenal glands. Cortisol provides sustained energy by raising blood glucose, but at high levels for long periods it suppresses the immune system, leaving the body more vulnerable to illness. This explains why chronically stressed people get sick more often.
Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome (a biological model)
Hans Selye proposed the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), a biological model describing the body's non-specific physiological response to any prolonged stressor across three stages.
- Alarm reaction. This has two sub-phases. In shock, the body briefly drops below normal resistance as if injured (blood pressure and temperature fall). In countershock, the sympathetic nervous system activates the fight-flight-freeze response and resistance rises above normal.
- Resistance. The body's resistance stays above normal as it adapts and tries to cope with the ongoing stressor. Cortisol levels remain high. The body appears to be coping, but resources are being depleted.
- Exhaustion. Resources are depleted, resistance drops below normal, and the person becomes vulnerable to stress-related illness such as high blood pressure, ulcers and a weakened immune system.
Strengths of GAS. It identifies a predictable biological pattern, and it is supported by experimental evidence (Selye's research on rats).
Limitations of GAS. It was based on animal (rat) studies, so generalising to humans is questionable. It does not account for psychological factors such as how a person interprets the stressor, treating the response as purely biological and the same for everyone.
Lazarus and Folkman's Transactional Model (a psychological model)
Richard Lazarus and Susan Folkman proposed the Transactional Model of stress and coping, which emphasises that stress depends on the transaction between the person and their environment, specifically how the person appraises the situation.
- Primary appraisal. The person evaluates the significance of the stressor: is it irrelevant, benign-positive, or stressful? If stressful, they judge it as harm/loss, threat, or challenge.
- Secondary appraisal. The person evaluates their coping resources and options: can I deal with this?
If demands exceed resources, the person experiences stress. Coping may be problem-focused (acting to change the stressor) or emotion-focused (managing the emotional response).
Strengths. It accounts for individual differences, since the same event can be stressful for one person and not another, and it explains why stress is subjective.
Limitations. Appraisal can occur unconsciously, making it hard to measure or test scientifically, and the two appraisal stages can be difficult to separate and may overlap.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of VCAA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
2023 VCAA1 marksIdentify one role of cortisol in chronic stress.Show worked answer →
One mark for one accurate role of cortisol during chronic (prolonged) stress. Any one of the following is acceptable:
- it releases stored energy by increasing blood glucose, helping the body sustain a prolonged response to a stressor
- it maintains heightened physiological arousal over an extended period
- in the short term it suppresses non-essential functions such as the immune response and inflammation
The mark is awarded for one correct physiological role; this question is from a study in which prolonged stress raises cortisol levels measured in hair.
2023 VCAA1 marksWhile crossing a busy road Alex was nearly hit by a car. The car came towards them and they remained still on the spot, briefly unable to move. After reaching the other side safely, Alex realised their hands were shaking and their breathing was increased; they felt angry and wanted to yell at the driver. Which of the following correctly identifies Alex's experience? A. When the car came: sympathetic, freeze; When hands shaking: sympathetic, flight. B. When the car came: sympathetic, flight; When hands shaking: parasympathetic, freeze. C. When the car came: parasympathetic, fight; When hands shaking: parasympathetic, freeze. D. When the car came: parasympathetic, freeze; When hands shaking: sympathetic, fight.Show worked answer →
Answer: A. This is a 1 mark multiple-choice item.
Remaining still and briefly unable to move is the freeze response, which is driven by the sympathetic nervous system as part of the acute stress reaction. Shaking hands and increased breathing, together with the urge to confront the driver, reflect the flight (or fight) mobilisation, also driven by the sympathetic nervous system. A correctly lists both as sympathetic.
The freeze and flight or fight responses are sympathetically driven during acute stress, so options that attribute them to the parasympathetic system (B, C, D) are incorrect.
2023 VCAA1 marksAccording to Hans Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome, a person is most likely to enter the stage of exhaustion when they A. appraise the situation as being beyond their coping abilities. B. have experienced chronic stress and then encounter an acute stressor. C. perceive themselves as not having the resources to cope with chronic stress. D. experience shock and their parasympathetic nervous system is unable to function.Show worked answer →
Answer: B. This is a 1 mark multiple-choice item.
In Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome the exhaustion stage occurs when the body's resources have been depleted by prolonged (chronic) stress, so it can no longer maintain resistance. A person is most likely to tip into exhaustion when, already worn down by chronic stress, they then face an additional acute stressor that their depleted resources cannot meet. B captures this.
GAS is a biological model, so A and C (which describe cognitive appraisals from the Transactional Model) do not define entry into exhaustion. D describes the shock phase of the alarm reaction, not exhaustion.
2023 VCAA1 marksPeta's job interview was unsuccessful and they decide to call and ask for feedback. Referring to Lazarus and Folkman's Transactional Model of Stress and Coping, correctly identify Peta's primary and secondary appraisals. A. Primary: it was irrelevant; Secondary: they did not have the resources to cope. B. Primary: it could potentially harm their future employment prospects; Secondary: they had the resources to cope with this setback. C. Primary: they had resources to improve their chances; Secondary: they felt stressed and unable to apply for future jobs. D. Primary: they did not have the ability to cope with this setback; Secondary: they demonstrated coping flexibility.Show worked answer →
Answer: B. This is a 1 mark multiple-choice item.
In the Transactional Model, primary appraisal judges whether an event is stressful and how (harm, threat or challenge). Peta judges the rejection as potentially harmful to their future employment, which is a primary appraisal. Secondary appraisal evaluates the resources available to cope; by deciding to seek feedback, Peta appraises that they do have the resources to cope with the setback. B correctly orders both appraisals.
A misstates the primary appraisal as irrelevant. C and D place coping resources or coping flexibility in the wrong appraisal or contradict Peta's constructive response.