Which term refers to the cause of stress?

• A. The body's reaction to stress
• B. Stress
• C. Anxiety
• D. Stressor

Answer: (D)

The cause of stress is the stressor—the thing that triggers the stress response. A stressor can be an external event, like an upcoming exam or a heavy workload, or an internal thought or worry. It’s the source that starts the process. The body’s reaction to stress describes what happens inside the body after a stressor is perceived (such as increased heart rate and release of stress hormones). Stress refers to the overall state or experience, combining the trigger and the bodily response. Anxiety is a feeling that can arise from stress, but it isn’t the cause itself. So the term for the thing that causes stress is stressor.