More to Explore Acitivity

Physiological Psychology

More-to-Explore Activity 2

Positive and Negative Effects of Stress

Assignment: Ted Talks

How Stress Affects Your Brain and

How to Make Stress Your Friend

QUESTION of Video 1: How Stress Affects Your Brain

“Stress isn’t always a bad thing; it can be handy for a burst of extra energy and focus, like when you’re playing a competitive sport or have to speak in public. But when it’s continuous, it actually begins to change your brain. Madhumita Murgia shows how chronic stress can affect brain size, its structure, and how it functions, right down to the level of your genes.” (Time: 4:01)

QUESTION of Video 2: How to Make Stress Your Friend

• “Stress. It makes your heart pound, your breathing quicken, and your forehead sweat. But while stress has been made into a public health enemy, new research suggests that stress may only be bad for you if you believe that to be the case. Psychologist Kelly McGonigal urges us to see stress as a positive and introduces us to an unsung mechanism for stress reduction: reaching out to others.” (Time: 14:17)
• Purpose: The purpose of this assignment is to introduce you to a relevant and interesting topic related to physiological psychology that expands on the content we’re covering in the text.

Knowledge: You will learn about how chronic stress can affect your brain and how thinking about stress as a positive experience can change its effects.

Skills: You will summarize information, practice writing skills, and engage in critical thinking.

Task:

Listen to the two Ted Talks and answer the following questions.

Once you have completed the worksheet, enter the answers in the More-to-Explore Activity 2 Quiz.

After you answer questions 18-22, copy and paste the questions (18-22) and answers to the appropriate discussion board.

Respond to someone else’s post on this topic. See the discussion board for details about the response.

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Watch the video “How Stress Affects Your Brain” (click here to access the video or use the link provided at the bottom of the assignment). Use the information from the video and from your text (regarding the functions of the brain structures) to answer the following questions.

According to the video, what are three ways that chronic stress can affect your brain?  

What is HPA an acronym for?

3. What is the function of the HPA axis?

4.What is the main function of the amygdala?

5.How does chronic stress affect the amygdala?

6. What are the main functions of the hippocampus?

7.How does chronic stress affect the hippocampus? (Note: Not the functions of the hippocampus.)

8. What are the main functions of the prefrontal cortex?

1. 9.How does chronic stress affect the prefrontal cortex?

10. __________ changes affect which genes are expressed without directly changing the genetic code.

1. 11. Epigenetic changes, such as those associated with stress, can be inherited by subsequent generations.

True or False

1. 12. According to the video, what are two ways to reduce stress?

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1. Watch the video “How to Make Stress Your Friend” (click here to access the video or use the link provided at the bottom of the assignment). Use the information from the video to answer the following questions.

13. In the video, Dr. McGonigal describes a study conducted at Harvard University where participants were told to think about their stress and the associated physiological changes, such as increased heart rate and breathing, as helpful and preparing them to meet a challenge, and then they were put through a stress task. How did thinking positively about stress affect participants’ anxiety and confidence?

14. How does stress normally affect blood vessels?

15. How did stress affect the blood vessels of participants in the Harvard study?

16. What neurohormone, which is produced in response to stress, motivates you to seek support?

17. In the last study described in the video, the researchers found that experiencing a major life stressor increased the risk of dying by 30% in general. In the group of participants who reported helping others in their community, how did a major life stressor affect their risk of dying?

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1. After you answer the questions below, copy and paste the questions (18-22) and answers to the appropriate discussion board.
2. You will also need to respond to someone else’s post on this topic. See the discussion board for details about the response.

18. In a few sentences, what would you tell your friends about what you learned from these two videos? (Specifically talk about each video.)

19. What activities do you engage in to reduce stress?

20. Name one or more things that you will commit to doing three times in the next week to reduce your stress.

21. Name one thing that you will commit to doing to help others in the next week?

Link:

How Stress Affects Your Brain:

https://www.ted.com/talks/madhumita_murgia_how_stress_affects_your_brain#t-239259 (4:00)

How to Make Stress Your Friend

https://www.ted.com/talks/kelly_mcgonigal_how_to_make_stress_your_friend/discussion#t-639547