FAA Fundamentals of Instructing (FOI)Human Behavior and Effective CommunicationHard
A student pilot has been under prolonged stress from juggling a demanding flight training schedule, a full-time job, and family obligations for several months. He now experiences chronic fatigue, frequent illness, and an inability to cope even with minor training setbacks. According to Hans Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome, which stage of the stress response is he experiencing?
- AAdaptation
- BAlarm reaction
- CExhaustion
- DResistance
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Exhaustion
The exhaustion stage occurs when prolonged stress depletes the body's coping resources, leading to fatigue, illness, and breakdown of the ability to handle even minor stressors. This follows the initial alarm reaction and resistance stages if the stressor continues too long.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Adaptation is not one of Selye's three official GAS stages.
- B. The alarm reaction is the initial, short-term fight-or-flight response, not months of chronic breakdown.
- D. Resistance is the body coping and adapting to ongoing stress while resources are still available, not yet depleted.
General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)
Hans Selye's model describing the body's three-stage response to prolonged stress: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion.
- Alarm reaction is the immediate fight-or-flight response
- Resistance is the body's attempt to cope and adapt over time
- Exhaustion results when stress persists too long and coping resources are depleted
Memory trick: A Rested Elephant (Alarm, Resistance, Exhaustion) eventually collapses under stress