Fear
Definition
Fear is an emotional response induced by a perceived threat which causes changes in brain function and behavior such as fleeing, hiding, or freezing from traumatic events.
Analogy
Fear is like your body's alarm system. When there's danger (real or imagined), it sounds off—making you alert and ready for action just like when smoke triggers fire alarms at home!
Related terms
Fight or Flight Response: The body's response to perceived threat or danger, involving physiological changes such as increased heart rate and adrenaline.
Phobia: An extreme, irrational fear of a specific object, situation, or activity.
Anxiety: A feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome.
"Fear" appears in:
Subjects (2)
Study guides (1)
Practice Questions (10)
- What theory would best explain a child's sudden fear of school after witnessing a schoolyard fight?
- Based on a comprehensive understanding of the topic, which strategy would be most effective in helping an individual with phobias overcome their fear?
- What ethical concern may arise in classical conditioning experiments involving fear and anxiety?
- Based on the principles of classical conditioning, which strategy would be most effective in helping a person overcome their fear of spiders?
- If you begin to fear snakes after seeing your friend scream at the sight of one, which theory is likely responsible for such learning?
- If a person experiences fear during a traumatic event and later feels afraid when thinking about it, which theory best explains this?
- What term in Freud's psychoanalytic theory refers to the fear a young boy has of being punished by his father for possessing sexual feelings toward his mother?
- Which disorder is characterized by excessive worry or fear?
- Which disorder tends to have symptoms such as intense worry or fear that is out of proportion to the situation?
- How does fear play a role in persuading people to change their attitudes?
Resources
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