Final answer:
The fight or flight response to perceived threats prepares the body to either fight or flee, which is internalized and expressed outwardly through fear and action. While once crucial for survival against physical threats, modern psychological stressors can trigger this response, leading to potential negative health consequences.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term fight or flight is used to describe a physiological response to a perceived threat that prepares the body to either confront the threat or escape from it. This response is internalized and can be expressed outwardly in a variety of ways, depending on the situation.
Option 3: We respond to external stimuli through fear and action is a description of how this response typically manifests. This option acknowledges that the fight or flight response involves both an internal physiological reaction and an outward behavioral expression characterized by actions informed by the sensation of fear or the need to take immediate action.
Although the original evolutionary purpose of the fight or flight response was to deal with real physical dangers, in the modern world, it can often be triggered by psychological stressors. These can lead to negative health consequences due to the chronic arousal of this stress response without the opportunity for physical action. The autonomic nervous system prepares the body by increasing heart rate and mobilizing energy, but modern threats may not require such physical responses, leading to a strain on our health and well-being.