The Fight or Flight Response
An 11th-grade science worksheet exploring the physiological mechanisms and evolutionary significance of the fight or flight response.
Includes
Standards
Topics
The Fight or Flight Response
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Date:
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Read each question carefully and provide thorough answers. For multiple-choice questions, select the best option. For short answer and essay questions, use complete sentences and scientific terminology.
1. Which division of the nervous system is primarily responsible for initiating the fight or flight response?
Parasympathetic nervous system
Central nervous system
Somatic nervous system
Sympathetic nervous system
2. Which of the following hormones is NOT primarily involved in the immediate fight or flight response?
Adrenaline (Epinephrine)
Noradrenaline (Norepinephrine)
Cortisol
Insulin
3. The gland releases adrenaline and noradrenaline during the fight or flight response.
4. Increased heart rate and blood pressure are physiological changes mediated by the nervous system.
5. During a stress response, blood flow is redirected from non-essential organs, such as the digestive system, to the .
6. Describe the role of the amygdala and hypothalamus in initiating the fight or flight response.
7. Explain two physiological changes that occur in the body during the fight or flight response and how these changes are beneficial for survival.
8. The fight or flight response is a voluntary reaction to perceived threats.
True
False
9. Long-term activation of the fight or flight response can have negative health consequences.
True
False
10. Discuss the evolutionary advantages of the fight or flight response in early humans. How might this response be maladaptive in modern society when dealing with chronic stressors?