How an individual would react against stress depends upon the intensity of stress. Low intensity of stress motivates a person in reactions like eating, sexual behaviour, aggression eto. Low intensity stress leads a person towards the achievement of his goal and improves his performance. When the stress lasts for longer period, it leads the individual to maladaptive behaviour. As a result, the individual developes irritation, impatience and weakness. If a person controls high intensity stress, he will not have any sort of behavioural problem. This type of effects occurs occasionally only.
Due to high intensity stress, there are obstructions in behaviour. Sometimes, he feels repression and helplessness and becomes inactive also. Owing to cognitive perceptions and interpretation of stress, there is damage to a persons self – respect and self interest. In such situation, the person becomes more overwhelmed and it affects his cognitive functions very badly. The person becomes more attentive to the threatening situation which affects his ability to meet with the challenges very badly. It has negative effect on person's memory, creative thinking and decision making also. For example : a sailor stuck up in the storm with his boat remains indecisive; due to stress, an individual in a job interview commits errors in answering even easy questions.