Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
Stressors are specific events or chronic pressures that place demands on a person or threaten the person's well-being.
Related terms
Environmental Stressor: These are external factors in our environment such as noise, crowding, pollution which cause us stress. They're like annoying pop-up ads while playing your video game - they distract and frustrate you.
Psychological Stressor: These are internal factors such as fear, uncertainty about future events which cause us stress. They're like difficult levels in your video game - they make you anxious because they're hard to overcome.
Life Event Stressor: These are significant life changes such as death of loved one, divorce, loss of job which cause us stress. They're like boss fights in your video game - they're major challenges that require a lot of effort and can significantly impact your progress.