Cognitive Behavior Theory
The cognitive behavior theory, developed by Aaron Beck, suggests that anxiety is a learned or conditioned response to a stressful event or perceived danger. According to this theory, conceptualization or faulty, distorted, or counter-productive thinking patterns accompany or precede the development of anxiety. For example, individuals may perceive certain somatic sensations, such as heart palpitation or jittery feelings, as considerably more dangerous than they truly are. The individuals then intcrpret these sensations as indicating that they are about to experience sudden, imminent danger. Further, these misinterpretations may arise from fear and other emotions or from stimuli such as caffeine or exercise. Clinical Example 19-1 illustrates two different cognitive reactions to the same stressful event.