PSYC 104 Final Writing Project Instructions
STUDENT
COURSE:
INSTRUCTOR
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INTRODUCTION
Social Anxiety Disorder
Social anxiety disorder is a psychological medical condition whereby the sufferer
undergoes periods of intense fear of being within public or social gatherings mostly because
they fear to be judged by others. The main causes of this condition is a blend of of many
issues including, genetic make up, genetic, social factors and and mental health factors.
Sufferers of this condition tend to be overly sensitive to any form of criticism whether
constructive or not and possess low levels of self esteem. These people are normally socially
awkward or inept and poor at building and sustaining relationships. This condition may affect
the normal working life of a person if not contained (Mayo Clinic, 2021)
The case of Jane can fit the description of social anxiety disorder. Looking at it from
the emotional theory point of view, Jane is most definitively having strong emotions of fear.
Fear is one of the human emotions which can be characterized as strong feelings
of
uncertainty, dread and apprehension. The symptoms Jane is experiencing; palpitations, heavy
breathing, perspiration and shaking point to fear as the cause agent. Furthermore, Jane’s act
of shying away from social gatherings or speaking publicly is an attempt at Additionally, her
behavior of avoiding social situations and public speaking can be seen as a means of
canvasing the fear.
James-Lange theory, is a phycological theory of emotion introduced in the 1880s by
William James and Carl Lange. The theory suggests that the emotions we experience are a
product of our bodies reacting to some external stimuli. This theory presupposes the feelings
of emotion that we experience emanate from an actual physical arousal. In their approach,
they hold the opinion that emotional response and physical stimuli do not occur independent
of one another but rather emotional response is strictly linked and dependent on physical
stimuli. For example, an individual scared of loud noise, will upon hearing a loud bang
experience heart palpitations and heavy breathing, which will ultimately heighten the sense of
fear for him. The James-Lange theory presupposes that the body’s natural response to
external stimuli predominates emotions feelings and not vice versa. This theory is in total
contrast to the general notion that emotional feelings are as a result of our thought process,
(Cherry, 2022)
Schacter-Singer two-factor theory is a psychological emotions theory first formulated
by by Stanley Schachter and Jerome Singer in 1962. It argues that physical stimuli we
experience is constant in every feeling of emotion and that all emotions regardless are
distinguished majorly by our ability to evaluate and interpret stimuli about our environment
and the source of the stimuli what they referred to as cognitive arousal, (Cherry, 2022)
The two-factor theory affirms that feelings of emotion are dependent on the intensity of
the external stimuli
being experienced but also how our cognitive brains evaluate the
situation dictates the nature of the emotion. Therefore according to this theory, emotions are
constituted by two factors working side by side, an arousal factor together with a cognitive
factor.
Lazarus’ cognitive appraisal theory is an emotions theory which looks at the thought
process that goes in peoples minds before they react to a certain situation. This theory is
credited to psychologist Richard Lazarus who first came up with it in the 60’s. The central
idea in this theory is that in the event that a person is presented by a challenging situation, he
carries out appraisal first using primary appraisal then secondary appraisal. Primary appraisal
involves narrowing down on the situation independently, then secondary appraisal where one
looks at the tools and methods to counter the situation. These tools and resources can be
intrinsic like individual skills and knowledge or external tools eg assistance from others
Upon evaluation of these two, then the individual is better placed to respond to the situation.
The James-Lange theory of emotion can reliably be used to explain Jane’s case. The
theory suggests that feelings of emotion are are as a result of physical stimuli to external
influence. In the case of Jane, her physiological symptoms ( the heart palpitations, heavy
breathing, shaking and sweating) corresponds to her body’s stimuli to social environments
and being compelled to speak in public when in school.
The physical stimuli
she
experiences in her body results into emotions of fear.
The Schachter-Singer theory of emotion states that emotions are a combination of
physiological and cognitive arousal which in Jane’s case; the physiological arousal the heart
palpitations, heavy breathing , perspiration and shaking
and her emotive fear are all
combined.
In Lazarus Cognitive Appraisal Theory, the primary appraisal for Janes case is social
anxiety disorder, the secondary appraisal could be seeking psychiatric help, therapy, talking
to close family, and building internal self confidence. Jane however in this situation has
appraised her situation negatively, which is building up her anxiety levels. She is feeling her
self confidence threatened, and has developed a negative perception towards her classmates
as judgmental and hostile. This makes her stay away from school because she also views the
school environment as not conducive , consequently her emotions of fear is overwhelming
her making it hard for her to speak in public and stay away from social gatherings.
QUESTION 2
Developmental psychology studies the development of an individuals personality and
character from childhood to adulthood and the influence their surrounding has on their
development. In Jane’s scenario, she is 19 years old and in her teenage/ adult years. During
this period most teenagers are full of life, independent, and are quite expressive. Their social
circles widen as they go through this stage. Jane, however, is exhibiting a tendency of being
shy and an introvert, these may have been with her from childhood. Her fear of social
interactions and public speaking shows that she was not exposed to such gathering in her
formative years, or was she given the opportunity to express herself or voice her opinion
when she was young. The fear she is experiencing is likely due to low self esteem as she
views herself as an outcast in the group and not likeable. The anxiety Jane is experiencing
can be seen as a developmental delay, as she is having difficulty adjusting to the expectations
of her age group. This delay is likely linked to her lack of socialization and development of
social skills prior to college, as well as her fears of rejection. Jane may benefit from therapy
to help her manage her anxiety and build her self-esteem and social skills so that she can
better adjust to her new environment.
In Jane’s case, some of the underlying nature vs nurture factors that may be an explainable
cause include;
Nature
Genetics; Jane’s introversion and shyness may actually be a hereditable trait she acquired
from one or both of her parents, since research says that such traits can actually be passed on
genetically .
Neurochemistry: Neurochemicals, such as serotonin and dopamine, can affect Jane's level
of anxiety and fear. Low levels of these chemicals can lead to increased anxiety and fear.
Nurture
Parenting: The parenting environment which Jane grew in could actually have influence her
personality. The parents may have protected her so much that she did not have time to
socialize with other children. Her parents or siblings may also may have bullied her and
prevented her from expressing herself and voicing her opinions.
Environment: Her environment growing up may have been lacking in terms of social
interraction and group and children activities which could have prevented her from bonding
with other children and socializing Jane's environment may have been lacking in positive
social experiences. She may not have had access to activities and groups that would have
helped her to develop social skills.
Life experiences: Jane might have had rough life experiences while growing up
especially around social circles. She may have been bullied or shamed and this could have
made her more anxious and shy around social groupings
The attachment theory explains how a person's early relationships with their primary
caregivers shape the way they relate to others and perceive themselves. People who
experience anxiety in relationships may have had a difficult relationship with their primary
caregiver, resulting in a feeling of insecurity in their relationships. Similarly, research on
temperament has found that certain temperamental traits, such as being more prone to
worrying, can be linked to increased levels of social anxiety. People with these
temperamental traits may be more likely to experience social anxiety due to their heightened
sensitivity to potential stressors and their tendency to interpret situations as more threatening
than they are. Together, these two theories can provide insight into how social anxiety
develops, as they both suggest that certain experiences and traits can increase the risk of
developing the disorder.
QUESTION 3
Clinical psychology focuses on treating mental health disorders through evidence-based
therapeutic approaches. For Jane, both behavioral and cognitive therapies could be used to
help her cope with her anxiety and stress.
A behavioral therapist would focus on changing Jane’s behavior by helping her to
gradually and systematically engage in activities that she finds intimidating. The therapist
could help her identify her fears and encourage her to confront them in a safe and
comfortable environment. The goal of this approach is to teach her that she can face her fears
and that her anxiety will not be as overwhelming as she expects. As she is gradually exposed
to the activities that she finds intimidating, the therapist would help her to set small goals to
build her confidence and inspire her to continuously work towards overcoming her anxiety.
A cognitive therapist would focus on helping Jane to identify and challenge negative
thought patterns that lead to distress and dysfunction. The therapist would help her identify
the irrational thoughts that she has about herself, her capabilities, and the world around her.
Through cognitive restructuring techniques, the therapist would help her to challenge these
irrational thoughts and replace them with more realistic and positive beliefs. This would help
her to reframe her thinking and develop a more positive outlook on life.
The combination of behavioral and cognitive therapies would be the most effective
approach for helping Jane to cope with her situation. The behavioral therapist would work on
helping her to gradually confront her fears and build her confidence. The cognitive therapist
would work on helping her to identify and challenge irrational thoughts and replace them
with more positive and realistic beliefs. This combination of techniques would help her to
reduce her anxiety and stress, and develop more positive coping strategies.
In conclusion social anxiety disorder is a medical condition affecting many people the
world over. Majorly it stems from our upbringing, socialization and from within. A lot of
research has been carried out to try and establish the correlation between our emotions and
the
physical stimuli and how one affects the other. Overall people experiencing this
condition should seek the help of specialist who can work them through it so that they can
live meaningful and productive lives.
References
Cherry, K. (2022, December 18). The Two-factor theory explains the key components of
emotions. Verywell Mind. Retrieved March 18, 2023, from
https://www.verywellmind.com/the-two-factor-theory-of-emotion-2795718
Cherry, K. (2022, October 20). How does the james-lange theory account for emotions?
Verywell Mind. Retrieved March 18, 2023, from https://www.verywellmind.com/whatis-the-james-lange-theory-of-emotion-2795305
Mayo Clinic. (2021, June 19). Social anxiety disorder (social phobia). Mayo Clinic.
Retrieved March 18, 2023, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseasesconditions/social-anxiety-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20353561
Walters, S. (2020), Psychology - 1st Canadian Edition. Thompson Rivers University.
https://psychology.pressbooks.tru.ca/