Notes

The Biological perspective views state anxiety disorders are caused by chemical embalances. The Biological Theory also supports the idea personality and certain mental functions come from parents, so disorders like anxiety would be included in that. It's important with this approach to examine physical reactions that anxiety causes, like sweating, trembling, and shortness of breath. To summarize, anxiety disorders are caused by natural factors like heredity and chemicals that are almost entirely out of one's control.

Cognitive Theory suggests anxiety is the result of harmful thought processes and distorted perceptions of reality. Individuals with anxiety interpret situations incorrectly and blow possible dangers out of proportion, and see them differently than they truly are. To summarize, anxiety is caused almost completely caused by the individual and their distorted perceptions of reality and the severity of dangers.

From this standpoint, it can be said that it's human nature to want to fulfill one's personal potential. If the individual doesn't believe they've done that, it can cause variations of performance anxiety. Another possibility is the individual overworks themselves in an attempt to reach their "potential", which causes them to develop anxiety. To summarize, anxiety disorders are caused by the impulse to fulfill one's potential, and for the most part cannot be prevented because it's part of human nature.

The Behaviorism approach suggests behavior is a response to environmental stimuli. This method only studies response behaviors, as they are studied in an observable manner. If reactions are conditioned, that would mean the first time something that now induces anxiety happened, there was a negative outcome. The mind was conditioned to expect that outcome the next time. To summarize, anciety is simply a learned behavior that is partially in control of the individual to "unlearn".

Unlike other approaches, Psychodynamic Theory makes a distinction between two types of anxiety. The first, primary automatic anxiety, is said to be triggered by a traumatic situation where the Ego is overwhelmed and cannot come up with a rational response. Signal anxiety, which is activated in the Ego serves as a warning that a traumatic situation may happen, so that defensive measures can be manifested. These situations our brains tend to label as dangerous tend to revolve around the threats that arise from the prospect of being vulnerable. To summarize, anxiety is caused either as an overwhlemed reaction, or as a warning sign that danger may come.

The Sociocultural Theory resembles the Behaviorism Theory, in the sense that anxiety is a learned behavior. Instead of being learned by an individual's experiences, they're learned from society. This says people can learn how to behave in a situation, without ever having direct experience with that situation themselves. An individual learns how to respond by observing how others respond. Due to cept, that learning can take place without any direct experience, has important implications for the formation of Sociocultural Theory looks at the important contributions that society makes to individual thought development. This theory states human learning is largely a social process. Studies involve observing interaction between developing people and their cultures and the influence. The Sociocultural Theory resembles the Behaviorism Theory, in the sense that anxiety is a learned behavior. Instead of being learned by an individual's experiences, they're learned from society. This says people can learn how to behave in a situation, without ever having direct experience with that situation themselves. An individual learns how to respond by observing how others respond. Due to one not experiencing a situation for themselves, they can't judge if it's truly dangerous, so they go in with an illogical fear. To summarize, anxiety is formed by society when one learns without any direct experience.

The Biological Theory examines thoughts, feelings, and behaviors from a biological (physical) point of view. Meaining that this theory states everything that is psychological is caused physiologically.The Biological perspective views state anxiety disorders are caused by chemical embalances. The Biological Theory also supports the idea personality and certain mental functions come from parents, so disorders like anxiety would be included in that. It's important with this approach to examine physical reactions that anxiety causes, like sweating, trembling, and shortness of breath. To summarize, anxiety disorders are caused by natural factors like heredity and chemicals that are almost entirely out of one's control.