Which statement about stressors and individuals is true?

• A. They affect everyone equally
• B. They change across the life span
• C. They cannot be measured
• D. They are identical across cultures

Answer: (B)

Stressors shift as people move through life because development changes what challenges are most real and what resources are available to cope. What troubles a teenager—like school pressures or social dynamics—doesn’t map directly onto what a middle-aged adult finds stressful, such as career demands or caregiving, or what an older adult worries about, like health or bereavement. Because both situations and coping resources evolve, the same event can be more or less stressful at different ages, and individuals differ in how they perceive and respond to these pressures. There are established tools that measure stress exposure and perceived impact, which shows that stressors are not just abstract ideas but can be quantified and studied. Cultural context also shapes what’s considered stressful and how people cope, so stressors aren’t identical across cultures. The consistent takeaway is that stressors change across the life span.