AP PSYCHOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -The general adaptation syndrome (GAS) was first proposed by Hans Selye in his classic 1936 letter to the editor of Nature. The GAS consisted of three phases: (i) the alarm phase, (ii) the phase of adaptation, and (iii) the phase of exhaustion.

Detailed explanation-2: -He distinguished acute stress from the total response to chronically applied stressors, terming the latter condition ‘general adaptation syndrome’, which is also known in the literature as Selye’s Syndrome.

Detailed explanation-3: -It has three stages: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. If you do not resolve the stress that has triggered GAS, it can lead to physical and mental health problems.

Detailed explanation-4: -In 1936 Selye wrote about a stress condition known as general adaptation syndrome (GAS). He first observed the symptoms of GAS after injecting ovarian extracts into laboratory rats, an experiment he performed with the intent of discovering a new hormone.

Detailed explanation-5: -In Hans Selye’s theory, General Adaptation Syndrome had three stages. This is the immediate reaction to a stressor. In the initial phase of stress, humans exhibit a “fight or flight” response. This stage takes energy away from other systems (e.g. immune system) increasing our vulnerability to illness.