Selye's GAS model

Describe Selye's GAS model (8 marks)

Selye investigated rats responses to situations he judged to be stressful:

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  • heat
  • fatigue
  • injury
  • drug overdose

Based on findings -- came up with General Adaptation Syndrome:

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  • 'General' -- same response produced regardless of stressor
  • 'Adaptation' -- responses shown to stressful stimuli = healthiest way for body to cope with extreme stress
  • 'Syndrome' -- responses to stress included range of physiological & behavioural effects rather than 1 single effect

• GAS theory defines what would happen to the body if it were to encounter an unavoidable stressor
• Suggests body will act generally normally regardless as to what is actually causing stress
  • a non-specific response of body to any demand made upon it
• Proposed there was one internal mechanism that produced same generalised response
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