What physiological response occurs regardless of the specific stressor encountered?

The General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) is the correct answer because it describes a consistent physiological response pattern that the body goes through when faced with stressors, regardless of their nature. Developed by Hans Selye, this model outlines how an organism responds to stress in three stages: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion.

In the alarm stage, the body identifies the stressor and prepares to face it through a series of physiological changes, such as increased heart rate and heightened alertness. During the resistance stage, the body attempts to adapt to the ongoing stressor, maintaining a heightened state of alertness and energy use to counteract the stress. Finally, if the stress persists for an extended period, the body enters the exhaustion stage, where resources are depleted, potentially leading to health issues.

This framework captures the universal aspects of the body's reaction to stress, which is why it is the best choice among the options provided. This response is not limited to any specific type of stress, making it broadly applicable in understanding how stress affects individuals.

Acute stress reaction, while also a physiological response, specifically pertains to immediate and intense stress reactions and is not a generalizable model like GAS. The flight or fight response is a more immediate reaction that represents