The endocrinologist Hans Selye defined stress as the "response of the body to any demand, whether it is caused by, or results in, pleasant or unpleasant conditions." Selye's definition is considered response-based because it conceptualizes stress chiefly in terms of the body's physiological reaction to demands placed on it.

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Response-based definitions of stress focus on the physiological reactions that arise when an individual is confronted with demanding or threatening circumstances. This approach characterizes stress as the body's response to environmental conditions, such as increased arousal. A prominent example is the definition by endocrinologist Hans Selye, who described stress as 'the response of the body to any demand, whether it is caused by, or results in, pleasant or unpleasant conditions.'

Response-Based Definition of Stress

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

A significant limitation of response-based definitions is their inability to offer a complete definition of stress. This is because the physiological reactions they focus on are not unique to stressful situations; similar bodily responses can be triggered by experiences that are not perceived as stressful.

Problems with Response-Based Definition of Stress

A researcher defines stress purely as a physiological response pattern, such as an increased heart rate and the release of certain hormones, that occurs whenever the body must adapt to a new situation. Based on this specific definition, which of the following scenarios would the researcher classify as an instance of stress?

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