Question

In lines 92-99, the text compares the fight or flight impulse response in animals with humans. What is the primary difference between the two?

A) Humans typically respond with aggression, while animals respond with avoidance.
B) Animals and humans exhibit the same physiological response to stress.
C) Humans have a more complex and varied response compared to animals.
D) Animals are more likely to experience anxiety in response to stress.

Answer 1

Option C is correct option. The main difference is that humans exhibit a more complex and varied response to stress than animals. Humans face psychological stressors that trigger the same physiological fight or flight response designed for physical threats, leading to a range of adverse health consequences when this response is chronic.

Step-by-step explanation:

The primary difference between the fight or flight impulse response in animals and humans, as highlighted in lines 92-99 of the text, lies in the complexity and variability of human responses to stress, as opposed to the more uniform responses exhibited by animals. Option C, 'Humans have a more complex and varied response compared to animals,' is the correct answer to the student's question.

While humans and animals share the same basic physiological responses to stress, such as increased heart rate and preparedness for defensive or offensive behaviors, humans experience a wider range of psychological responses due to our more complex brain structures that modulate emotions and behaviors.

Moreover, unlike animals, humans often face modern stressors that are psychological in nature, like giving a presentation or taking a test, which are not directly life-threatening but still trigger the fight or flight response. This response, while crucial for survival in dangerous, physical situations, can lead to negative health consequences when persistently elicited by psychological stressors in the modern world.