Ravalier PhD Theis.pdf - Anglia Ruskin Research Online

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should the stress response not become inert following response, or are
overused by chronic challenges/stressors, the long-term effects may be
damaging and lead to cumulative ‘wear and tear’ on the aforementioned
physiological systems (Langelaan et al., 2007). This condition is known as
Allostatic Load, with over-exposure to repeated and cumulative load over
a period of time resulting in various organ diseases. The concept of
Allostasis reinforces the idea of ‘Exhaustion’ as a potential outcome of the
presence of chronic stressors, and so challenges the argument that the
basic premise of the GAS is incorrect.
One of the most prominent critiques of Selye’s GAS, and response
theories in common, relates to the general nature of the responses
demonstrated in the GAS. The GAS does not address the issue of
psychological response to stressors or that a response to a potential
threat may in turn become the stimulus for another response. It has
therefore been assessed as too simplistic, with Christian and Lolas (1985)
suggesting that although the GAS framework is still valid for some typical
stressors (e.g. physical factors such as heat and cold), it is not adequate
for the representation of psychosocial factors. It is also thought that the
stress reaction is adaptive instead of general, and as such response-based
theories have been criticised for this.
Other issues that are associated with the response-based approach
are that stress is considered as a generic term which takes into
consideration a wide range of manifestations. However, disagreements
exist about these actual manifestations, as well as about where within the
organism/system stress is manifested; with clarification of this second
issue problematic because individuals may adapt to any potential source
of stress, meaning the responses will vary over time. Finally, and maybe
most importantly, Selye’s approach (and the majority of other responsebased
definitions of stress) has also been criticised because they appear
not to consider environmental factors in the stress process. Therefore it
can be assumed that there is a tendency to ignore the stimulus
dimensions of stress experiences (Cooper, Dewe & O’Driscoll, 2001).