General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS): a biological model involving three stages of physiological reactions that a person experiences in response to a persistent stressor.
Alarm Reaction
Alarm reaction: the first stage of the GAS involving the initial decrease and subsequent increase in bodily arousal in response to an immediate stressor.
Broken up into 2 sub-stages:
1. Shock
2. Countershock
Shock
Shock: the first substage of the alarm reaction stage involving decreased bodily arousal for a brief period of time following the initial exposure to a stressor
Countershock
Countershock: the second substage of the alarm reaction stage in which sympathetic nervous system responses occur that mobilise the body to respond to the stressor
Resistance
Resistance: the second stage of the GAS involving maintaining high levels of bodily arousal in response to a persistent stressor
Exhaustion
Exhaustion: the third stage of the GAS involving the depletion of energy levels and bodily resources, resulting in an inability to cope with the stressor
Role of cortisol in GAS
Alarm reaction: cortisol levels rise to mobilise the body to respond to the stressor
Resistance: cortisol levels are sustained at a heightened level to maintain an increased ability to respond to the stressor
Exhaustion: cortisol levels are depleted and the body's ability to respond to the stressor is reduce