PSY340H5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Startle Response, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Anxiety Disorder
Document Summary
They don"t need to be learned, you see them right away in infants they"re built in. Anxiety: an unpleasant emotional state ranging from mild unease to intense fear. A certain amount of anxiety, however, is normal and serves to improve performance. It gears you up to face a threatening situation. It makes you study harder for that exam, and keeps you on your toes when you"re making a speech. Anxiety is adaptive; becomes maladaptive depending on frequency, intensity, and duration. When you"re so anxious that you can no longer study. Public speaking and aging are the most anxiety provoking situations. Psychophysiological: features symptoms such as palpitations and sweating. Psychological: characterized by irritability, lack of concentration and feelings of fear. Interpersonal: an inclination to cling to other people for reassurance. Physiological is easy to measure and is objective. Anxiety is generated when we perceive to be threatened (real or imagined)