General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) is Selye's theoretical model of physiological responses to stress. Which statement best describes GAS?

• A. A stimulus-based model
• B. Selye's model of physiological responses to stress
• C. Lazarus' transactional model
• D. Pearlin's process

Answer: (B)

GAS describes a non-specific, generalized pattern the body follows in response to stress, regardless of the particular stressor. It outlines three stages: alarm (activation of the fight-or-flight response), resistance (the body mobilizes resources to cope), and exhaustion (resources become depleted if the stress is prolonged). This concept is Hans Selye’s model of physiological responses to stress, focusing on how the body adapts rather than on how a person perceives or appraises the stressor. It contrasts with cognitive appraisal models like Lazarus’s transactional model, which emphasize interpretation and coping, and with other stress-process ideas that center on social and contextual factors. Because GAS captures the universal physiological pattern of stress response, the statement that best describes GAS is that it is Selye’s model of physiological responses to stress.