tend-and-befriend response

a proposed physiological and behavioral stress regulatory system that is an alternative to the classic fight-or-flight response and that is stronger in females than in males. Tending involves nurturant activities designed to protect the self and offspring, to promote a sense of safety, and to reduce distress, and befriending is expressed in the creation and maintenance of social networks that aid in this process. Neuroendocrinal evidence from research on both human and nonhuman animals suggests an underlying physiological mechanism mediated by oxytocin and moderated by female sex hormones and opioid peptide mechanisms. [proposed in 2000 by U.S. social psychologist Shelley E. Taylor (1946– ) and colleagues]

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Psychology term of the day

October 11th 2024

susto

n. a culture-bound syndrome occurring among Latinos in the United States and populations in Mexico, Central America, and South America. After experiencing a frightening event, individuals fear that their soul has left their body. Symptoms include weight loss, fatigue, muscle pains, headache, diarrhea, unhappiness, troubled sleep, lack of motivation, and low self-esteem. Also called chibih; espanto; pasmo; perdida del alma; tripa ida.