Chapter 4C

Question 1

what are the three stages of the GAS model

Answer 1

alarm reaction, resistance, exhaustion

Question 2

what are the two divisions of the alarm reaction

Answer 2

shock and counter shock

Question 3

biological symptoms of shock

Answer 3

-acute stress response
-loss of muscular tone, lowering of body temp and blood pressure

Question 4

biological symptoms of counter shock

Answer 4

-F/F/F response occurs to deal with the stressor.
-adrenaline and cortisol initially released
-muscles tense, heart and breathing rate increase, pupils dilate.

Question 5

biological symptoms of resistance

Answer 5

-cortisol levels at their highest
-increased energy because of higher blood sugar levels.
-immune system functioning impaired
-physical signs of wear and tear begin to appear, such as colds, flu symptoms, headaches and lethargy.

Question 6

biological symptoms of exhaustion

Answer 6

-energy stores depleted
-increased susceptibility to several physical conditions such as infection, peptic ulcers, sleep disturbances and fatigue

Question 7

explanatory power of the GAS

Answer 7

-it was conducted on rats limiting its application to human stress response
-doesn’t consider the psychological aspects of stress

Question 8

strengths of the GAS

Answer 8

• suggests a predictable pattern of responses that can easily be tested in a lab
  -identifies various biological processes that occur as a part of the stress response.
  -one of the first theories that suggest stress can weaken the body’s resistance to illness.
  -there is research and evidence to suggest that the three stages of the GAS exist and that the body’s non-specific response to a stressor is a physiological reality

Question 9

limitations of the GAS

Answer 9

-cannot be generalized to humans
-does not acknowledge the psychological or cognitive processing involved in the human stress response.
-does not account for individual differences in stress responses (e.g. PTSD and major depression)