Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) Practice Test

Who initially proposed the concept of general adaptation syndrome?

1. Sigmund Freud

2. Hans Selye

3. William James

4. Abraham Maslow

The correct answer is: Hans Selye

The concept of general adaptation syndrome was initially proposed by Hans Selye, a pioneering endocrinologist. He introduced this theory in the 1930s to describe the body's physiological response to stress. Selye outlined that the body responds to stressors in three stages: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. This framework helps in understanding how prolonged stress can lead to various health issues, as the body's adaptive resources can become depleted over time. In contrast to other thinkers, Selye's focus was specifically on the body's response to stress rather than on psychological theories or needs as outlined by Freud, James, or Maslow. Freud primarily concentrated on psychoanalysis and the unconscious mind, while William James was known for his work in psychology and functionalism. Abraham Maslow is famous for his hierarchy of needs, which concerns human motivation and personal fulfillment rather than physiological stress responses. Thus, Selye's contributions are essential for understanding how stress affects health, making his proposal the backbone of the general adaptation syndrome concept.