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Related Concept Videos

Psychology as a Science01:13

Psychology as a Science

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Psychology, as a scientific discipline, aims to understand the mind and behavior through rigorous and systematic methods. The foundation of psychological research is evidence-based, relying heavily on the scientific method to derive and validate knowledge. This structured approach ensures that findings are reliable, valid, and applicable to broader contexts.
The scientific method in psychology involves six critical steps: making observations, formulating hypotheses, conducting tests, analyzing...
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Introduction to Stress and Lifestyle01:27

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Stress is a multifaceted response to events perceived as challenging or threatening, highlighting physical, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral reactions. Physically, stress can lead to fatigue, sleep disruptions, and various health issues such as frequent colds, chest pains, and nausea. Emotionally, it can manifest as anxiety, depression, irritability, and anger triggered by both minor and major life events. Cognitively, it may result in difficulty in concentration, memory, and...
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Psychological Responses to Stress01:20

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Psychological responses to stress encompass the various cognitive and emotional reactions individuals experience when faced with challenging or threatening situations, such as a job loss. Prolonged exposure to stressors can disturb emotional balance, increasing negative emotions (e.g., anxiety and sadness) and diminishing positive emotions (e.g., joy and satisfaction). These persistent emotional shifts are associated with an increased risk of both physical illness and mental health issues, such...
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Physiological Foundation of Stress01:24

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Stress triggers a coordinated physiological response involving the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This dual activation ensures that the body is prepared for both immediate and prolonged stress management. The process begins with the perception of a stressor. This initial phase activates the SNS, leading to the rapid release of adrenaline (epinephrine) from the adrenal glands.
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Stress Concentrations01:13

Stress Concentrations

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The concept of stress concentration is crucial for understanding how materials respond under bending stresses, particularly when there are irregularities or discontinuities in the material's geometry. Normally, stress in a symmetric member subjected to pure bending is assumed to be uniformly distributed across the entire cross-section. However, this assumption does not hold when there are variations in the cross-sectional geometry or the presence of notches and holes.
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Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis01:37

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The response to stress—be it physical or psychological, acute or chronic—involves activation of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis. The HPA axis is part of the neuroendocrine system because it involves both neuronal and hormonal communication. Its function is to regulate homeostatic systems—metabolic, cardiovascular, and immune—providing the necessary means to respond to a stressor.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 20, 2025

Use of Galvanic Skin Responses, Salivary Biomarkers, and Self-reports to Assess Undergraduate Student Performance During a Laboratory Exam Activity
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Investigating Cortisol in a STEM Classroom: The Association Between Cortisol and Academic Performance.

Hyun Joon Park1, Kate M Turetsky2, Julia L Dahl3

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Stress in STEM education impacts students differently. For underrepresented minority (URM) students, higher cortisol levels correlated with better academic performance and course retention, unlike their non-URM peers.

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Area of Science:

  • Educational Psychology
  • Neuroendocrinology
  • Sociology of Education

Background:

  • Academic stress is prevalent in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields.
  • Uncertainty exists regarding cortisol's role in academic settings, especially for underrepresented racial/ethnic groups.
  • The relationship between cortisol responses and academic performance in STEM remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate cortisol levels in college STEM students concerning race/ethnicity.
  • To determine if cortisol responses predict academic performance.
  • To explore differential implications of cortisol responses for underrepresented minority (URM) and non-URM students.

Main Methods:

  • Salivary cortisol levels were measured in 271 students across four class sessions before the first exam in a gateway STEM course.
  • Cortisol levels were analyzed in relation to participants' race/ethnicity.
  • Statistical analyses examined the association between cortisol responses and academic performance (grades, course dropout).

Main Results:

  • Cortisol levels generally declined from the beginning to the end of class sessions and across the study period for all students.
  • Among URM students, higher cortisol responses were linked to better academic performance and reduced course dropout rates.
  • No significant associations between cortisol responses and academic performance were found for non-URM students.

Conclusions:

  • Cortisol responses in STEM education may have differential implications based on racial/ethnic group membership.
  • For URM students, higher cortisol might indicate engagement and striving, positively impacting academic outcomes.
  • Environmental context and individual experiences shape the interpretation of physiological stress responses in academic settings.