Aman and Tanvi are classmates preparing for the same board examination, and both say it is the only thing worrying them. Over the last month Aman has had frequent headaches and stomach upsets, and he lies awake most nights. Tanvi sleeps well, but she now misses school often, forgets what she read the day before and has sudden angry outbursts at home. Their class teacher is puzzled that the same examination seems to affect the two of them in such different ways.
Which of the following best explains why the two students show such different signs before the same examination?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Each person has an own pattern of stress response, shaped by personality, upbringing and life experiences
Option (1) Each person has an own pattern of stress response, shaped by personality, upbringing and life experiences — Correct. Every person has an own pattern of stress response, which depends on personality, early upbringing and life experiences. So the same examination brings headaches and poor sleep in Aman, but missed school, forgetting and outbursts in Tanvi.
Option (2) Aman faces physical and environmental stress, while Tanvi faces social stress from the people around her — Incorrect. Physical stress comes from demands on the body, such as overexertion or lack of sleep, and social stress comes from other people. Both students face the same source, the examination, so the difference lies in how each responds.
Option (3) Aman is in the alarm reaction stage, while Tanvi has already reached the stage of exhaustion — Incorrect. Alarm reaction, resistance and exhaustion are the stages of Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome; exhaustion comes only after stress has gone on for long. Both have faced the same stressor for the same month, so the stages do not explain their different signs.
Option (4) Aman is experiencing eustress, while Tanvi is experiencing distress that wears down the body — Incorrect. Eustress is the level of stress that is good for a person and helps peak performance. Headaches, sleepless nights and angry outbursts are all signs of harmful stress, so neither student is in eustress.
NCERT (2026-27): “Signs and Symptoms of Stress |