Which stress response is more common in women and involves nurturing others and seeking social support rather than fighting or fleeing?

• A. Tend-and-Befriend Response
• B. Fight-or-Flight Response
• C. Social Support
• D. Problem-Focused Coping

Answer: (A)

When people face stress, different patterns of response emerge. The tend-and-befriend pattern is focused on nurturing others and seeking social support, and it’s seen more often in women. This approach uses care-giving and building or reinforcing social connections as a way to reduce stress, often aided by bonding hormones like oxytocin that promote calm and cooperation. This stands in contrast to the fight-or-flight pattern, which centers on immediate action to confront or escape danger. While seeking social support is important for coping, it’s the deliberate emphasis on bonding and helping others under stress that defines the tend-and-befriend approach. The other coping styles push toward direct problem-solving or aggressive action rather than the social and caregiving strategy described here.