GAS posits nonspecific bodily responses shared by all people. Which description best fits GAS?

• A. Specific responses to each stressor
• B. Nonspecific bodily responses shared by all people
• C. Cognitive responses only
• D. Emotion-based responses

Answer: (B)

General Adaptation Syndrome describes the body's nonspecific, universal response to stress, regardless of the particular stressor. When a threat arises, the body activates the sympathetic nervous system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, releasing catecholamines and cortisol. This produces common physiological changes such as increased heart rate, higher blood pressure, faster breathing, and energy mobilization, all aimed at coping with whatever stress is present. Over time, the body goes through stages of alarm, resistance, and eventually exhaustion if the stress continues and resources become depleted. Because these responses are generic and not tied to any single stressor, the description that best fits GAS is the nonspecific bodily responses shared by all people. The other ideas—that responses are specific to each stressor, or that they are purely cognitive or purely emotional—do not capture this universal physiological cascade.