A biological and psychological phenomenon where small amounts of stress or challenge actually strengthen an organism or person, while larger amounts would be harmful. In psychology, this refers to how manageable stressors can build resilience and coping capacity.
From Greek 'hormaein' meaning 'to set in motion' or 'to excite.' Originally a toxicology term from the 1940s describing how low doses of toxins could be beneficial, it was later applied to psychology to explain how mild stress exposure builds psychological strength.
Hormesis explains why overprotecting children from all stress actually weakens them - like muscles that atrophy without resistance training, our psychological resilience needs small challenges to grow stronger. It's the difference between a greenhouse flower and a wildflower; one wilts at the first sign of adversity while the other thrives because it's been gradually conditioned by manageable hardships.
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