ABSTRACT
Anxiety, part of an individual’s emotional structure, is most commonly used in modern psychology to denote a ’transitory emotional state or condition characterized by feelings of tension and apprehension and heightened autonomic nervous system activity” (Spielberger, 1972, p. 24). This emotional state has been attributed to causing both negative and positive effects--effects which motivate and facilitate as well as disrupt and inhibit cognitive actions such as learning. Although many feel that anxiety is synonymous with fear, this is an incomplete perception. Izard (1972) defined anxiety as being comprised of a combination of interacting fundamental effects: neurophysiological (such as tremors, sweating hands, flushing, increased heart rate, high blood pressure) behavioral-expressive, and phenomenological or subjective. He proposed, therefore, that anxiety includes fear reactions plus two or more basic emotions: distress, anger, shame (including shyness and guilt), on the negative side, and interest and excitement representing the positive side. Individuals differ in the intensity of their reactions to anxiety depending on their predisposition to experiencing anxiety and the level of anxiety-causing stimuli. Three types of anxiety were defined:
Trait Anxiety--This denotes an anxiety that is a general personality trait, a semipermanent predisposition to experience a similar level of anxiety across a number of situations. The more trait anxiety individuals possess, the more likely they are to become anxious in many different situations.
State Anxiety--This relates to anxiety that varies depending on an event or combination of events experienced at the time. It represents a transient emotional mood or condition. State anxiety is determined by the interaction of trait anxiety and the situational threat perceived, and so is responsive to situational factors. An individual who generally responds to any number of situations with low anxiety may react with high anxiety if there are multiple anxiety-causing conditions present.
Situation-Specific Anxiety--This describes anxiety that occurs consistently over time in a given situation. Taking tests might cause situation-specific anxiety in some students, whereas for others, it may be giving an oral report that causes the anxiety.
