What is a major criticism of both the stimulus- and response-based definitions of stress? These definitions provide a complete definition of stress. Response definition is the approach that focuses on the organism's reaction to a stressor (whether this is a human or an animal). Stimulus definition is the theory that focuses on external stressors such as violence. Stimulus- and Response definition is the interaction between individual responses and environmental stressors.
Stress is a circumstance that threatens/is perceived to threaten one's well-being (a pattern of disruptive physiological/psychological reaction to events that threaten the ability to cope).