This document discusses alternative factors beyond an individual's psychology that can influence their stress response, namely social, cultural, and environmental factors. It provides an example from the textbook about how one's cultural background can impact the level of stress felt from a common stressor. The document then introduces the concepts of allostasis and allostatic load/overload as ways our bodies attempt to maintain stability and adaptability when facing stressors beyond normal homeostasis. Allostasis allows flexibility to changing environments, while frequent stressor activation through allostatic load can damage the body long-term if adaptation is not possible.

1. Lesson 7: Alternative Factors in the
Stress Response
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2. Lesson 6 Psychological
Determinants of the Stress
Response
EXAM QUESTION
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3. Model Response
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4. Social, Cultural & Environmental
Factors of the Stress Response
Of the theories we have looked at so far,
neither Selye’s GAS or Lazarus’
Transactional theories have accounted for
social, cultural or environmental factors
that contribute to the stress response.
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5. Consider the scenarios in the text book on
p 456, clearly ones cultural background
has a huge influence on the level of stress
a person feels given a common stressor
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6. 10 minutes :)
Quick Activity
Create your own scenario that illustrates
how social, cultural or environmental
factors changes the level of stress felt by
the individual
Some examples could include:
*receiving low school grades
*marrying some one of a different religion/
cultural background
*being a bikini model
*getting a tattoo
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7. Allostasis
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8. Remember way back in Semester 1 when we looked at
homeostasis???
Our body’s maintenance of balance in day-to-day
automatic functions.
Well just to confused you there is also a concept known
as allostasis which is our bodies ability to remain
flexible (variable) to allow us to adapt to future
challenges.
CONFUSED???? Its ok if you are because it super
confusing to get your head around!
Homeostasis is there to ensure we remain stable in
function whereas allostasis is there to ensure we can still
manage when life stressors jolt us into instability!
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9. Homeostasis Vs Allostasis
Homeostasis aims to maintain a ‘set point’
of bodily functions
Allostasis aims to maintain a ‘set point’ in
changing environments
e.g. You are sitting in class quietly, not alarmed
or nervous then you hear the teacher saying we
have a pop quiz and all of a sudden your heart
starts beating and you being to sweat -
allostasis body responding to environment
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10. Allostasis allows us homeostasis (stability)
when we are in flight or fight mode.
e.g. I am studying full time at uni whilst
working 30 hours a week when my partner
breaks up with me. I am extremely upset and
am freaking out about how to pay rent without
their input. Due to my high state of arousal,
allostasis is maintaining my ability to function
(work and study) until I can find a house mate
to elevate my financial concerns and return to
homeostasis.
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11. Allostatic load
Refers to the number of stressors that a
person may experience, leading to
recurrent arousal
Frequent activation of the flight-fight
response has a cumulative effect that can
result in long term damage to the body
e.g. Penny is a Year 12 student, she has a usual load of
5 subjects which is stressful enough, however she has
just been informed to gain her scholarship she needs
an average of 90% across her subjects. This pressure
adds to her allostatic load
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12. Allostatic Overload
As the name
suggests, too
many new
stressors, or
being unable
to adapt to
the new
stressors
results in an
inability to
‘cope’
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13. Essential Learning Activities
Activity 1:
Review Questions
1) Using your own words distinguish between
homeostasis and allostasis. Provide an example.
2) Describe what is meant by allostatic load.
3) Create a list of your allostatic load. Highlight points
that could lead to allostatic overload.
Activity 2:
Go to the VCAA website and search through past
psychology exams for any questions relating to allostasis.
a) What type of questions are common?
b) Which content that we have already studied is similar
to allostasis. How can you distinguish between these?
c) Write a question that you think may appear on this
years exam.
Sunday, 15 July 2012