Performing under Pressure; on the Biology, Psychology and Sociology of stress in high-performance
professions
III - ON THE PSYCHOLOGY OF STRESS

Stress as a subjective experience
uLike many evolved behaviours, the phenomenological expression of stress (how people behave in
response to stress) may vary widely, while the underlying physiology is universal.
uOften the behavioural expression depends heavily on the context in which stress is experienced.
uPanic / Hyper focus
uEgocentrism / altruistic care for others
uEnabling others / taking on the problem at hand
u

On the role of physiological stressors in the appraisal of psychological stress: How rational is
our experience of stress really?


The importance of the preceding minutes to hours
uAre you hungry or thirsty?
u
uDid you get enough sleep?
u
uAre you ill / in pain?
u
uAre you deficient in something
uDehydration
uMagnesium
uEtc.
u
uDid something else stress you in the receding minutes
Bublitz, J. C. (2020). What is wrong with hungry judges ? A case study of legal implications of
cognitive science. In R. Waltermann & J. Hage (Eds.), Law, Science and Rationality (Vol. 124, pp.
727–749). The Hague: Maastricht Law Studies.
Sapolsky, R. M. (2017). Behave! The biology of humans at our best and worst. In Penguin Press (1st
ed.). https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8357.00356

Feedback loops: The perception of stress without a direct stressor
uNeurotransmitter metabolism takes time
uTransferred anger
u
uNon-stressor related cortisol functioning and its psychological effects
uInflammation raises cortisol levels to push immune system
uNightmares and morning cortisol levels
uExcessive carbohydrate intake
Sapolsky, R. M. (2004). Why zebras don’t get ulcers: A guide to stress, stress related diseases,
and coping. In Natural History. https://doi.org/10.1002/cir.3880060119

Throughout this course we will see examples of feedback loops and how they can be utilised to
optimise function under stressful conditions!!!


Nutritional deficiencies
uA deficiency in vitamins, minerals or water can have serious effects on neurological functioning.
If you are feeling stressed or frustrated and cannot figure out why it may make sense to get
bloodwork done to see if you are not deficient in anything. Common deficiencies to look out for:
uMagnesium
uCalcium
uIodine
uIron
uVitamin D, A, B12,
u

Experience: we react in line with what we have tried before



Anticipation of future problems based on previous experiences
uTriggers for stress reactions
uWhat were your parents like
uWhat were your peers in early life like
uWhere did you grow up (place and social strata)
u
uExperiences with specific individuals
uHow did they react previously?
u
uWhich responses worked in the past to get you out?
uFamiliar reactions and behaviours
uCertainty of outcome (the devil you know)
u
Sapolsky, R. M. (2017). Behave! The biology of humans at our best and worst. In Penguin Press (1st
ed.). https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8357.00356

Your family’s past: how those before you set you up for life



The importance of your family’s past
uTransmission of trauma through generations
uStressed out mommy rat
uHolocaust survivors and the shock wave through the generations
u
uGrooming behaviour by mom
u
u
Matthews, S. G., & Phillips, D. I. W. (2010). Minireview: Transgenerational inheritance of the
stress response: A new frontier in stress research. Endocrinology, 151(1), 7–13.
https://doi.org/10.1210/en.2009-0916
Krippner, S., & Barrett, D. (2019). Transgenerational trauma: The role of epigenetics. Journal of
Mind and Behavior, 40(1), 53–62.
Sharp, H., Pickles, A., Meaney, M., Marshall, K., Tibu, F., & Hill, J. (2012). Frequency of Infant
Stroking Reported by Mothers Moderates the Effect of Prenatal Depression on Infant Behavioural and
Physiological Outcomes. PLoS ONE, 7(10). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0045446
Strathearn, L. (2011). Maternal neglect: Oxytocin, dopamine and the neurobiology of attachment.
Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 23(11), 1054–1065. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2826.2011.02228.x

The importance of culture
uWhat does your culture eat?
u
uWhere did it emerge?
u
uHow do you arrange inheritance
u
u
Sapolsky, R. M. (2017). Behave! The biology of humans at our best and worst. In Penguin Press (1st
ed.). https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8357.00356