Final answer:
The body's predictable response to trauma that prepares it to confront or escape danger is called the fight-or-flight response. This response, which is a part of the alarm reaction stage of the general adaptation syndrome, is characterized by physiological changes that enhance the body's ability to handle threats.
Step-by-step explanation:
When trauma occurs to the body, it alerts protective mechanisms, and the body responds in a predictable manner, called the fight-or-flight response. This is an involuntary human body response mediated by the nervous and endocrine systems that prepares the body to fight or flee from perceived danger. The fight-or-flight response is part of the general adaptation syndrome, which begins with the alarm reaction, a phase that triggers a cascade of physiological reactions enabling the body to respond to immediate threats.
During this alarm reaction stage, there's an increase in heart rate and various other physiological changes. These changes provide the body with energy to either confront the danger or escape from it. This response includes the secretion of adrenaline from the adrenal glands, increasing the body's alertness and readiness to handle the perceived threat. After the threat subsides, the body typically returns to its normal state.