Understanding Psychology (10th Ed)

general adaptation syndrome 
(GAS) 
A theory developed by Selye 
that suggests that a person’s response 
to a stressor consists of three stages: 
alarm and mobilization, resistance, 
and exhaustion. 
feL82795_ch14_470-499.indd Page 478 8/6/10 7:28 PM user-f465
feL82795_ch14_470-499.indd Page 478 8/6/10 7:28 PM user-f465
/Users/user-f465/Desktop
/Users/user-f465/Desktop

---

 
Module 43 
Stress and Coping 
479
ill from overwork may be excused from their duties for a time, which gives them a 
temporary respite from their responsibilities. At least for a time, then, the immediate 
stress is reduced. 
Although the GAS has had a substantial impact on our understanding of stress, 
Selye’s theory has not gone unchallenged. For example, the theory suggests that the 
biological reaction is similar regardless of the stressor, but some health psychologists 
disagree. They believe that people’s biological responses are specifi c to the way they 
appraise a stressful event. If a stressor is seen as unpleasant but not unusual, then 
the biological response may be different than if the stressor is seen as unpleasant, 
out of the ordinary, and unanticipated. This perspective has led to an increased focus 
on psychoneuroimmunology (Taylor et al., 2000; Gaab, Rohleder, Nater, & Ehlert, 
2005; Irwin, 2008).
 PSYCHONEUROIMMUNOLOGY AND STRESS 
Contemporary health psychologists specializing in PNI have taken a broader approach 
to stress. Focusing on the outcomes of stress, they have identifi ed three main conse-
quences of it (see Figure 5 ). 
First, stress has direct physiological results, including an increase in blood pres-
sure, an increase in hormonal activity, and an overall decline in the functioning of 
the immune system. Second, stress leads people to engage in behaviors that are 
harmful to their health, including increased nicotine, drug, and alcohol use; poor 
eating habits; and decreased sleep. Finally, stress produces indirect consequences that 
result in declines in health: a reduction in the likelihood of obtaining health care and 
decreased compliance with medical advice when it is sought (Sapolsky, 2003; Bro-
man, 2005; Lindblad, Lindahl, & Theorell, 2006). 
Why is stress so damaging to the immune system? One reason is that stress may 
overstimulate it. Rather than fi ghting invading bacteria, viruses, and other foreign 
invaders, it may begin to attack the body itself and damage healthy tissue. When 
that happens, it can lead to disorders such as arthritis and allergic reactions.