an external stimulus that posses the potential to elicit a response

a stimulus and stress is a response

a stimulus which disrupts some aspect of this steady state and the individual is motivated to act to restore comfort

Any entity, stimulus, or condition that can modulate normal functions of the organism or induce an adverse response (e.g., AGENT, lack of food, drought).

Any stimulus that produces stress or strain.

Any stimulus or condition that causes physiological arousal beyond what is necessary to accomplish the activity.

A force exerted upon a body that tends to strain or deform its shape, whose intensity is usually measured in pounds per square inch.

Any biological, chemical, physical, psychological, or social factor that contributes to a complaint. (Gobbell, 1994, p. 70)

an agent (physical, chemical, emotional or psychological) which causes the physiological state known as stress

Internal or external factors or stimuli that produce stress. They can be physical, biological, environmental, or psychological; each can activate central stress circuits in an individual. For example, worry about the untimely and unpredictable onsets of uncontrollable abdominal pain or an uncontrollable bowel movement qualify as stressors sufficient to activate the central stress system.

an external demand the environment makes on the individual. Stressors in the workplace can include those embedded in our social relationships: a bullying supervisor, for example. They can also be present in the roles we occupy or because of factors such as noise, dust, or heat in the physical settings we work in.

Any chemical, physical, or biological entity that can induce adverse effects on individuals, populations, communities, or ecosystems and be a cause of beneficial use impairments. Examples of stressors include: pathogens, fragmentation, and destruction of terrestrial and aquatic habitats, exotic nuisance species, and uncontrolled runoff and erosion.

Any physical, chemical, or biological entity that can induce an adverse response. Only chemical and physical stressors are subject to risk management decisions at Superfund sites (EPA 1997).

any physical or psychological event or condition that produces stress

Any life event or life change that may be associated temporally (and perhaps causally) with the onset, occurrence, or exacerbation of a mental disorder.

an event, person or object that causes a person to feel stress

any event that requires us to change or adapt.

An event that occasions a stress response in a person.

five stressors are identified as affecting coastal and marine ecosystems: pollution, invasive species, climate change, extreme events, and land or resource use.(back)