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stress
psychology and biology
Also known as: nervous tension, tension
Category:
Science & Tech
- Key People:
- Temple Grandin
- Hans Selye
- Related Topics:
- loneliness
- health
- general adaptation syndrome
- type-A behavioural pattern
stress, in psychology and biology, any environmental or physical pressure that elicits a response from an organism. In most cases, stress promotes survival because it forces organisms to adapt to rapidly changing environmental conditions. For example, in response to unusually hot or dry weather, plants prevent the loss of water by closing microscopic pores called stomata on their leaves. This type of adaptive stress is sometimes described as eustress. However, when an organism’s response to stress is inadequate or when the stress is too powerful, disease or death of an organism may result. Such maladaptive stress is sometimes referred to ...(100 of 781 words)