What is the name of the three-stage response to stress: alarm, reaction, and recovery?

What is the name of the three-stage response to stress: alarm, reaction, and recovery?

• A. Homeostasis
• B. General adaptation syndrome
• C. Fight-or-flight response
• D. Stress reaction

Answer: (B)

The three-stage response to stress is captured by the General Adaptation Syndrome. It describes how the body reacts to a stressor in a progression: first, alarm, where the fight-or-flight systems are activated and stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol surge to mobilize energy; then a second stage of resistance (often called adaptation), where the body tries to cope with the ongoing stress by sustaining resources and function; and finally exhaustion, when those resources become depleted and vulnerability to illness or fatigue increases. This term is the best fit because it names the entire process as a coordinated syndrome rather than a single reaction. Homeostasis refers to the body's normal balance, which the GAS describes breaking and restoring over time. Fight-or-flight describes only the immediate alert response within the alarm stage, not the full three-stage sequence. The term stress reaction is too general and not the specific, widely used name for this model.

The three-stage response to stress is captured by the General Adaptation Syndrome. It describes how the body reacts to a stressor in a progression: first, alarm, where the fight-or-flight systems are activated and stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol surge to mobilize energy; then a second stage of resistance (often called adaptation), where the body tries to cope with the ongoing stress by sustaining resources and function; and finally exhaustion, when those resources become depleted and vulnerability to illness or fatigue increases.

This term is the best fit because it names the entire process as a coordinated syndrome rather than a single reaction. Homeostasis refers to the body's normal balance, which the GAS describes breaking and restoring over time. Fight-or-flight describes only the immediate alert response within the alarm stage, not the full three-stage sequence. The term stress reaction is too general and not the specific, widely used name for this model.