Which of the following best illustrates the concept that stress is a subjective experience, meaning that a situation perceived as stressful by one person may not be stressful to another?

• A. Stress always results from major life changes, regardless of individual differences.
• B. A person experiences physical symptoms of stress after a traumatic event.
• C. Everyone in a group feels equally stressed during final exams.
• D. A student feels anxious about public speaking, while their classmate enjoys giving presentations.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of stress as a subjective experience, which means that different individuals can perceive the same situation in different ways—what is stressful for one person may not be for another.
2. Analyze each option by considering whether it reflects individual differences in perception of stress rather than a universal or uniform response.
3. Recognize that the option stating 'A student feels anxious about public speaking, while their classmate enjoys giving presentations' directly illustrates subjective experience because it shows two people reacting differently to the same situation.
4. Contrast this with other options that imply stress is the same for everyone or always linked to certain events, which do not capture the subjective nature of stress.
5. Conclude that the best illustration of stress as a subjective experience is the example where individuals have different emotional responses to the same event.