Which of the following is a characteristic of the fight-or-flight response?

• A. Increased heart rate
• B. Decreased blood pressure
• C. Increased digestion
• D. Slowed breathing

Answer: (A)

When a threat is perceived, the sympathetic nervous system dominates and hormones like adrenaline surge through the body to ready you for action. A key feature of this response is an increased heart rate, so more blood can be pumped to muscles for quick energy and oxygen. Breathing tends to speed up as well, providing more oxygen, while blood flow is redirected away from digestion to support the muscles’ needs. Because of these shifts, digestion slows and blood pressure typically rises, not decreases, and breathing does not slow. So the rise in heart rate is the clear indicator of the fight-or-flight response.