Which of the following statements about the male and female experience of stress is true?

• A. There are no significant differences between males and females in physiological responses to stress.
• B. Males are more likely than females to experience the 'tend-and-befriend' response to stress.
• C. Females are generally more likely than males to seek social support when experiencing stress.
• D. Females are less likely than males to report psychological symptoms related to stress.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of stress responses and how they can differ between males and females. Stress responses include physiological reactions, behavioral patterns, and psychological symptoms.
2. Step 2: Review research findings on physiological responses to stress, noting that males and females generally show similar physiological stress reactions, such as activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and sympathetic nervous system.
3. Step 3: Examine behavioral responses to stress, particularly the 'tend-and-befriend' model, which suggests that females are more likely to seek social support and nurture others under stress, whereas males are more likely to exhibit 'fight-or-flight' responses.
4. Step 4: Consider psychological symptom reporting, where evidence shows females tend to report higher levels of psychological symptoms related to stress compared to males, not less.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the statement 'Females are generally more likely than males to seek social support when experiencing stress' aligns with established psychological research on gender differences in stress responses.