Who termed the body's response to stressors as the general adaptation syndrome?

Correct option is C

Hans Selye, a pioneering endocrinologist, introduced the concept of the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) to describe the body's physiological response to stress. His research, published in the 1930s and 1940s, outlined a three-stage model of how organisms respond to prolonged stressors:

1. Alarm Stage – The body's initial reaction to stress, involving the activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the release of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol.
2. Resistance Stage – If stress continues, the body attempts to adapt, maintaining a heightened state of alertness while trying to return to normal function.
3. Exhaustion Stage – If stress persists beyond the body's ability to cope, it may lead to physical and psychological exhaustion, increasing vulnerability to diseases.

Selye’s work laid the foundation for modern stress research, influencing both psychology and medicine in understanding how chronic stress impacts health.

Additional Information:
Walter Cannon (Option 1): He coined the term "fight-or-flight response" and worked on the role of the sympathetic nervous system and adrenaline in stress responses. His work preceded Selye’s but did not propose a staged response model like GAS.

Richard Lazarus (Option 2): He developed the cognitive appraisal theory of stress, emphasizing that an individual's perception and interpretation of stressors play a critical role in their stress response. His work was more psychological than physiological.

Carl Lange (Option 4): Along with William James, he proposed the James-Lange Theory of Emotion, which suggests that physiological arousal precedes emotional experience, rather than focusing on stress responses.