... me that one could look (at the experiments) from an entirely different angle. (Perhaps) there was such a thing as a non-specific reaction of the body to damage of any kind" (Selye, 1976, Psychology: A New Introduction, pg 68). Selye later confirmed that when rats are exposed to adverse conditions such an electric shocks, cold and surgical procedures the same reactions took place. Selye also noticed that the response to the various stressors was identical and not specific to the type of stressor. Selye labelled this the General Adaptation Syndrome (G.A.S). G.A.S has three stages which are Alarm, Resistance and Exhaustion. The first stage or the Alarm stage is triggered by the senses and the confirmation that the stimulus is a stressor. Once the body has confirmed that a stressor is present then the first of two smaller phases occur. The shock phase shows a drop in blood pressure and ...

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