Experience of stress and/or cortisol, the end-product of activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-interrenal (HPI) axis, may serve as a cue to trigger developmental plasticity. In fish, most research in this area has focused on effects of maternal stress or maternal cortisol levels on development, particularly with respect to the HPI axis and stress responses, and little attention has been paid to the effects of an endogenous stress response during early life. In the current study, zebrafish (Danio rerio) at four developmental stages (4, 7, 15 or 35 days post fertilization, dpf) were subjected to an air exposure stressor twice a day for two days. Individuals stressed early in life exhibited decreased survival and growth, increased whole-body Na+ and Ca2+ concentrations, and altered HPI axis activity associated with changes in anxiety-related behaviour at 7 to 35 dpf, with most effects diminishing with increasing age. Stress at 7 dpf was particularly effective at eliciting phenotypic changes, suggesting this age represents a critical window for cortisol to influence development. Finally, stress at 35 dpf induced masculinization, suggesting that cortisol influences sexual differentiation in zebrafish. These findings demonstrate that early-life stress in zebrafish triggers developmental plasticity, with effects on physiology and behaviour mediated by the HPI axis in an age-dependent manner.

This is a study of stress induced by the spatial configuration of outdoor space in three arctic communities. Stress inducing spaces are studied in this research in terms of a paradigm involving the spatial configuration of the space and the perceptual set and behavioral response of those experiencing the space. A stress inducing space is defined as one that is perceived to be uncontrollable, unpredictable, and inescapable. Two perceptual sets - Inuit and Kadlunat are assumed in this study. The data for this study was gathered in Pangnirtung, Igloolik and Pond Inlet in the Northwest Territories, Canada, over a two month period in 1974. Three research methods were used, researcher's unobtrusive observations, researcher informant interaction and informant generated data. Several techniques were developed under each method. The field work involved a trial and error process. Techniques were tried, resulting in hunches concerning the occurance of stress inducing spaces, that were tested against the definition of stressful space. This prompted the organic growth of a repertoire of findings and data collection techniques . / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

No description available.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--State University of New York at Binghamton, Department of Anthropology, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1965 A51 / Master of Science

There is a long history of visual preferences for natural environments over urban environments, as well as beliefs in the restorative value of time spent in natural environments. Diverse theoretical perspectives, such as information overload, learning and evolutionary theories, can be used to help explain these preferences and beliefs, and early empirical research has found tentative support for them. The present study capitalizes on a recovery-from-stress experimental paradigm developed by Ulrich. Subjects are presented with a brief videotaped stressor followed by a brief videotaped outdoor environment while psychological and physiological indicators of arousal and emotion are monitored. In this study, two stressors and four environments were manipulated between subjects. The environments differed along two dimensions that were derived from visual preference research and theoretical predictions: whether they were natural or urban in character, and the presence or absence of a river. Physiological indicators of arousal included heart rate, skin conductance, respiration rate and salivary cortisol levels. Facial electromyographic (EMG) placements were used to assess the emotional valence of subjects' responding. The Zuckerman Inventory of Personal Responses (ZIPERS) was used to assess psychological responding. Analyses yielded a limited and occasionally inconsistent pattern of results. Many of the inconsistent responses to the environments were found across stressors, suggesting that either arousal level or the particular nature of the arousal generated by the two stressors may have interacted with the recovery environments. Despite these inconsistencies, the tentative conclusions that could be reached were generally consistent with past research and theoretical predictions. Evidence from the arousal variables suggested that the Nature and Water environments elicited less arousal during the recovery phase than did the Urban and Non-Water environments; and, there was corraboration or partial corraboration for each of these findings from the self-report data. Similarly, data from the EMG placements favored the Nature environments over the Urban environments, and in particular suggested that the Non-Water Natural (meadow) environment was less likely to produce negative emotions than the other environments. Again, this finding received some support from the self-report data. Possible explanations for the limited and occasionally inconsistent nature of the findings are offered in the discussion section, with the most likely candidate being the relatively attractive Urban environments used in this study compared to those used in past research.

published_or_final_version / Psychology / Master / Master of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Anatomy / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

No description available.

M.A. / The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of an individualized holistic psychotherapy and synergistic stress management programme for the treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and stress, both of which are common disorders in this present day and age. IBS is a functional bowel disorder of the gastrointestinal tract that leads to change in bowel habits with the additional features of abdominal pain and distension (Drossman, 1994b). This functional disorder has been associated with stress since time immemorial and it is only recently that research has begun to examine how and by what mechanisms IBS and stress are related. A review of the literature suggests a resurgent interest in IBS and stress. Tantalizing questions like ‘IBS – irritable bowel, irritable body, irritable brain or irritable mind?’ gives one an idea of the genesis from which the disorder has come, the complications in which it has been mired and the directions in which it is aspiring to go (Farthing, 1995). Using both the historical context and the present level of understanding in the research literature, one becomes aware of the shifting paradigm from the dualistic Cartesian-Newtonian biomedical perspective, to the biopsychosocial and integrative mind-body approaches which reflect the move to a holistic and non-linear quantum scientific worldview. The ecosystemic paradigm on which the present study is based, represents this shift whereby systemic changes in cyclical rhythmic patterns within the psychophysiology of clients reflect new ways of conceptualizing psychosomatic (mind-body) ill-health (Weiner, 1992). Within the behavioural and medical health fields, both psychologists and physicians as well as a number of other disciplines are moving towards more integrative solutions which include the mind-body-spirit dimensions of the individual. Drossman, Whitehead and Camilleri (1997) have begun to consider the individualized expression of the illness in the patient and to situate him among his wider systems, as well as incorporating a referral team approach to the treatment of IBS. Salt (1997) extends the use of the biopsychosocial model to include the spiritual dimension in his treatment of IBS patients. Broom (1997) weaves the various internal systems of the person into the story of the client’s illness that integrates the mind and body. The psychologically based holistic intervention of this study was developed in response to the calls for more integrative approaches to treatment which incorporate whole-person care. The specific aim of this study is to compare a group of IBS participants who receive the holistic individualized psychotherapy and synergistic stress management intervention with a group of IBS participants who do not receive the treatment. The sample consisted of two groups, an experimental (N = 20) group and a control (N = 20) group. The IBS Client Questionnaire also known as the Functional Bowel Disorder Severity Index (FBDSI) (Drossman, Zhiming, Toner, Diamant, Creed, Thompson, Read, Babbs, Barreiro, Bank, Whitehead, Schuster & Guthrie 1995) was used to verify a diagnosis of IBS as well as a measure of the severity of symptoms. This index is based on the current international diagnostic criteria for IBS. The Occupational Stress Inventory was used as a measure of vocational stress and was developed to provide an integrated theoretical model linking sources of stress in the work environment, psychological strains experienced by individuals as a result of work stressors and the coping resources available to counterbalance the effect of stressors and alleviate strain. It consists of three scales, namely Occupational Roles, Personal Strain and Personal Resources scales respectively. Wilks’ Lambda was used for the between-groups comparisons between the intervention and non-intervention groups and Paired Samples t-test was used for the within-groups analysis. The comparisons were made in terms of improvement in symptoms, determined by the Functional Bowel Disorder Severity Index (FBDSI) and lowering of occupational stress, determined by two of the scales of the Occupational Stress Inventory, namely the Occupational Roles and Personal Strain scales and an increase in coping responses determined by the Personal Resources scale. Both of these were administered as pre- and post-test measures before and three months after the intervention was completed. The results of the study indicate that the experimental group of IBS participants who received the intervention improved in symptom severity, their occupational stress was lowered and they began utilizing more coping resources than the group of IBS participants who did not receive the intervention. Thus it is concluded that an individualized holistic approach for the treatment of IBS is indicated and that individuals with refractory IBS can be helped to manage their illness and their lives. In particular, this psychologically based study confirms a very definite and specific place for psychologists in the treatment of clients with IBS and stress. An invitation was extended to the control group to use the facilities for therapeutic intervention offered by the RAU Psychogastroenterology project once the post-tests had been completed, thus addressing any ethical questions that could have arisen. This was an initial investigation using an ecologically based meta-theoretical framework as well as specific stress techniques for the holistic treatment of clients. A number of recommendations arose from this particular intervention and are included for future studies.