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Selye described the physiological reactions of the general adaptation syndrome as nonspecific. What does nonspecific mean here?
AEach type of stressor produces a reaction pattern of its own
BThe reactions appear only when a stressor threatens survival
CThe reactions are psychological rather than physiological ones
DThe same pattern of reactions follows any type of stressor
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: D. The same pattern of reactions follows any type of stressor
1. Selye exposed rats to prolonged negative stimulation including extreme cold, surgical injury, excessive exercise and shock.
2. Whatever the stimulation, the rats showed the same signs: adrenal enlargement, thymus and lymph node shrinkage, and stomach ulceration.
3. He called the underlying reactions nonspecific, meaning that regardless of the type of stressor the same pattern of reactions would occur.
4. That is the exact opposite of each stressor producing its own distinctive pattern.
5. The reactions are physiological, so calling them psychological misstates the model.
6. Nonspecific says nothing about survival threat, so restricting the reactions to life-threatening stressors adds a limit the model does not carry.
_Source: OpenStax Psychology (1st ed., CC BY 4.0), Ch 14 "Stress, Lifestyle, and Health", section 14.1 What Is Stress?_
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