Question

What role does evolution play in our modern reactions to stressors (and what we currently find stressful in our lives)?

Answer 1

Evolution is a process where physiological responses to stress are shaped (affected) by natural responses. Evolutionary history becomes important if we need to understand any trait, how it helped in trade-offs, what was the cost involved and what selective advantage it has given. In the history of life, stress responses emerged early and like all other traits it has costs and benefits. The utility of stress response is usually neglected because it is associated majorly with negative events.

Some researchers suggest that life today is more stressful than it was in the time of ancestors. Factors that contribute to this are like living in the ghetto, driving to work, working in the factory and running corporations- these all lead to activation of the physiological stress response. But the ancestors had stressors like no food reserve, no police, no law, no medicines, rampant infections and danger could come at any time. But the social groups were close, people almost spent all time together and kin groups were also stronger. none was alone. Life was hard but the stressors were more physical and thus the activation helped. Today, the stressors are more mental and social threads which make the activation of physiological responses have net costs. This has also led to the development of drugs to block the activation of physiological response to stress.