GENERAL ADAPTATION SYNDROME

gas model

a three step physiological response to stress that occurs regardless of stressor encountered.

ALARM

first stage of gas model

• immediate response to stressor

shock

• resistence to stressor is below normal

• body goes into temporary shock and acts injured - increased hr, temperature drop, loss of muscle tone

• parasympathetic ns is dominant

counter shock

• body rebounds

• resistance to stress is above normal

• sympathetic ns is activated and fight flight response is activated

  • adrenaline is released

  • bp and hr increase

  • alert and ready

RESISTANCE

• body resistance increases above normal levels.

• adaptive stage:

  • body fights back by adjusting to stress

  • intense arousal diminishes but arousal is still above normal

  • cortisol is released to further energise the body

  • immune system is suppressed, more susceptible to getting sick

EXHAUSTION

• body can no longer sustain resistance

• the body is depleted of its resources due to the prolonged release of cortisol

• more vulnerable to major physical and mental disorders

explanatory power of gas

• developed for understanding relationship between stressful lives and disease

• limits its applications to the human stress

• doesn’t consider the physiological or intellectual aspects of stress

strengths

• provides rich info about the physiological processes involved in stress

• highlights a predictable pattern that can be measured in individuals

• established a strong connection between prolonged stress and disease

limitations

• overemphasis on biological processes, lack of emphasis on physiological and environmental factors

• doesn’t account for individual differences

• hard to generalise to humans