In a laboratory study, rats are kept at a high temperature for many weeks. Their bodies show the same pattern of bodily response in three steps. Step 1 is not given below.
Step 2: The parasympathetic nervous system calls for more cautious use of the body's resources.
Step 3: The body's resources are drained and the systems involved become ineffective.
Which of the following is Step 1?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Activation of the adrenal-pituitary-cortex system and release of hormones
Option (1) Psychological appraisal of the stressor as a threat to well-being — Incorrect. Psychological appraisal is how a person judges an event. It was raised by critics of Selye's model, who felt it got too small a role; it is not a bodily stage of the pattern.
Option (2) Production of antibodies by B cells to fight the stressor — Incorrect. B cells are white blood cells that produce antibodies against antigens such as viruses. This is part of the immune system.
Option (3) Mental overload that weakens the ability to make sound decisions — Incorrect. Mental overload is a cognitive effect of continued stress, where a person loses the ability to make sound decisions.
Option (4) Activation of the adrenal-pituitary-cortex system and release of hormones — Correct. This is the alarm reaction stage of Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome. The stressor activates the adrenal-pituitary-cortex system and hormones are released, so the body is ready for fight or flight. Resistance and exhaustion follow.
NCERT (2026-27): “General Adaptation Syndrome … “2. Resistance stage : If stress is prolonged, the resistance stage begins. The parasympathetic nervous system calls for more cautious use of the body’s resources. The organism makes efforts to cope with the threat, as through confrontation.” “3. Exhaustion stage : Continued exposure to the same stressor or additional stressors drains the body of its resources and leads to the third stage of exhaustion. The physiological systems involved in alarm reaction and resistance become ineffective and susceptibility to stress-related diseases such as high blood pressure becomes more likely.” |