This perceived lack of control, Cannon postulated, resulted in an unmitigated physiological response, in which blood vessels constricted to such a degree that blood volume acutely dropped, blood pressure plummeted, the heart acutely weakened, and massive organ damage resulted from a lack of transported oxygen.
Pandangan kurangnya kontrol ini, seperti yang dikemukakan Cannon, dapat menghasilkan respons fisik ekstrem, di mana pembuluh darah menyempit hingga taraf volume darah menurun drastis, tekanan darah menurun drastis, jantung sangat melemah, dan organ tubuh rusak karena kurangnya oksigen yang beredar.