Final answer:
The most common, normal emotional response to a stressor is anxiety, which helps prepare the body for 'fight or flight' situations, but is distinct from anxiety disorders that affect a person's life more deeply.
Step-by-step explanation:
The common, normal emotional response to a stressor is c) Anxiety. Anxiety is a natural reaction that prepares our body for a 'fight or flight' response to perceived threats. It is a part of our evolved survival mechanism and is not necessarily harmful in short instances. By contrast, depression is typically a more persistent and pervasive mental health issue, panic can be a more acute and intense reaction, and fear, while related to anxiety, usually pertains to a specific known threat, rather than a potential or imagined one.
While the fight-or-flight response helped our ancestors survive real physical threats, in the modern world, this response is more often triggered by psychological stressors. Persistent exposure to stress can lead to chronic health issues, such as heart disease and weakened immune function. However, occasional feelings of anxiety are completely normal and differ from anxiety disorders, which are prolonged and severe disruptions to a person's life.