Stress is any external stimulus that triggers a response and has a wide range of influence depending on the level an individual is exposed. According to previous studies, stress has a direct impact on the psychological and physical health of a person. However, contrary to popular opinion, scholars argue that stress has both positive and negative effects on the health of an individual. Multiple studies have been conducted to explore the specifics of this phenomenon.
Literature Review
Positive and Negative Effects of Stress
Stress can lead to positive or negative effects depending on the levels a person is being exposed to. Studies show that acute stress levels improve the mental performance (Sanders, 2013). Moderate levels of stress trigger the stem cells in the brain to develop into new nerve cells. Therefore, exposure to acute stress over short periods improves your level of optimal alertness, behavior, and cognitive performance. Based on a study conducted by Sanders (2013), exposure to acute stress levels leads to the production of corticosterone stress hormones in large quantities. The high hormone levels double the proliferation of new brain cells in the hippocampus, which is one of the two parts of the adult brain that produces new brain cells (Sanders, 2013). The new and increased number of brain cells facilitates greater brain performance and improved levels of adaptation.
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Stress can also cause serious negative effects on the brain and the entire human body. Exposure to chronic stress increases the production of glucocorticoid stress hormones (Yeribeygi et al., 2017). The conversion of short-term memories into long-term memories relies on the hippocampus. The hippocampus is the part of the brain with the highest density of glucocorticoid receptors (Yeribeygi et al., 2017). Therefore, the hippocampus part of the brain is the most affected by stress. The production of glucocorticoid hormones in large amounts suppresses the production of new neurons in the hippocampus part of the brain. High levels of stress can result in the structural and functional changes in the hippocampus. Due to the changes it causes on this part of the brain, stress has been associated with atrophy and neurogenesis disorders, which leads to memory relapses (Yaribeygi et al., 2013). Stress can also hinder the cognition function of the brain.
Aside from the effects it causes to the brain, stress has been linked to multiple diseases affecting other parts of the body. The production of hormones in large quantities as a stress response has detrimental effects on the entire body. Therefore, chronic stress can lead to obesity, heart disease, and depression (Sanders, 2013). Furthermore, studies show a link between stress and an impaired immune system. Chronic stress reduces an individual’s immune system, which results in these individuals suffering from illnesses more frequently.
Effect of Technological Advancement on Research on Human Behavior
Technological advancement has improved the level of specificity and accuracy in research about behavior. Sander (2013), used special cell labeling techniques to successfully establish that the new nerve cells developed as a result of exposure to stress were involved in new brain activities. In addition, new neural imaging and mapping when particularly in establishing the impact of stress on the brain has improved as a result of advanced tools and technologies. In the past, these investigations would have been difficult due to the lack of the necessary equipment. The advancement in technology has contributed to the testing and clarification of various misconceptions and inaccurate findings. Therefore, technological advancements have improved research on human behavior.
Impact of Biological Processes on Human Behavior
Previous studies put a strong connection between biological processes and human behavior. The biological process of producing glucocorticoid hormones in the hippocampus section of the brains affects various brain functions. The impairment of the brain performance will have effects on human behavior, in the form of memory loss and poor cognition. The outcome of previous studies on how stress affects human behavior has opened people’s minds to the idea that there is a connection between biological processes and human behavior.
From the analysis of previous studies, it is safe to say that stress can be good or bad to the brain and, subsequently human behavior depending on the level of exposure. Stress impacts on both the psychological and physiological health of an individual. Chronic stress has multiple negative effects on the brain and the entire human body. On the other hand, exposure to moderate levels of stress results in the increased proliferation of new nerve cells and the optimum performance of the brain.
Research Designs Employed in Previous Studies
The outcomes from previous studies were based on both descriptive and experimental research designs. The descriptive research design involved the analysis of previous studies and available literature on the effects of stress on human behavior. Piotrowski et al. (2019) would then make inferences based on the analysis of these works. Sanders (2013) and Yaribeygi et al. (2017) employed experimental research designs. The researches exposed lab rats to stressful conditions are observed the effect of the stressful condition on the performance of the brain. The studies were conducted on the assumption that the effect of stress on a rat’s brain would be the same as the effect on the human brain.
Studies that employed the experimental research design address multiple ethical issues. First, the study was performed on rats instead of humans. Due to the uncertainty of the unknown, the research could not risk the life of a human being in the study. Instead, the observed effect of stress on rats was assumed to be the same in humans. Furthermore, according to the ethical issues governing experimental studies, the rat could not be exposed to higher levels of stress. The lab rats were exposed to moderate stress or chronic stress over a short period of time.
Research Design
Although previous studies have identified that stress can have either good or bad effects on human behavior depending on the level of exposure, no investigation into stress level regulation has been done. How does research establish the appropriate mode of stress level management? What level of stress in humans is adequate to avoid the adverse effects of chronic exposure? Future studies ought to explore the gap to facilitate stress management in humans.
Research Question and Design
How does stress impact human behavior both positively and negatively?
The study will seek to explore the positive and negative impacts of stress and establish the specific levels that result in these effects. In order to establish accurate levels of stress and link them to these effects, an experimental research design will be employed. The research design will make it easy to monitor the stimulations to the brain, depending on different levels of stress. Lab rats will be exposed to different levels of stress, ranging from mild to chronic, and hormone production in the brain be observed. The observation on rats will be used to make inferences about the effect of stress on the psychological and physiological health of humans.
Conclusion
Studies show that stress can have positive or negative effects on the human brain as well as the entire body. While experimental outcomes show that moderate stress and chronic stress have good and bad effects on humans, respectively, little has been done to determine the specific levels of exposures that lead to these effects. In the next study, an experimental research design should be used to determine these specific stress levels. The outcome of the study will be key to stress level management, which is a key component of health management.
References
Piotrowski, N. A., & Hollar, D. W. J. (2019). Stress. Magill’s Medical Guide (Online Edition). Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ers&AN=89093561&custid=s6224580
Sanders, R. (2013). Researchers find out why some stress is good for you. Media relations .
Yaribeygi, H., Panahi, Y., Sahraei, H., Johnston, T. P., & Sahebkar, A. (2017). The impact of stress on body function: A review. EXCLI Journal , 16 , 1057.
