Pucker factor is a military slang phrase used to describe the level of stress and/or adrenaline response to danger or a crisis situation. The term refers to the tightening of the sphincter caused by extreme fear. The term applies only to an individual's response in a crisis situation; it does not pertain to an individual's stress levels outside of a crisis context.
Pucker factor (PF) is usually quantified on a scale of 1 to 10, with a higher value relating to higher anxiety. That said, neither a low nor a high pucker factor is necessarily good. A low value reflects an absence of a situationally appropriate stress response, which absence can be symptomatic of psychosis. Persons with low PF may make decisions "like a robot" without considering ethics or the long-term consequences of their actions. Conversely, if PF is excessive, then the person "puckers" – leading to panic, wherein the person is unable to think clearly and act effectively.
See also
References
- "Pucker Factor | Definition of Pucker Factor by Oxford Dictionary on Lexico.com also meaning of Pucker Factor". Lexico Dictionaries | English. Archived from the original on June 11, 2022. Retrieved 2020-08-26.
- ^ "Know Your Military Terminology: The Pucker Factor". SOFREP. 2013-07-17. Retrieved 2020-08-26.
- Safire, William (1988-07-07). "Opinion | ESSAY; The Pucker Factor". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
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