Abstract
Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental illnesses, with huge attendant suffering. Current treatments are not universally effective, suggesting that a deeper understanding of the causes of anxiety is needed. To understand anxiety disorders better, it is first necessary to understand the normal anxiety response. This entails considering its evolutionary function as well as the mechanisms underlying it. We argue that the function of the human anxiety response, and homologues in other species, is to prepare the individual to detect and deal with threats. We use a signal detection framework to show that the threshold for expressing the anxiety response ought to vary with the probability of threats occurring, and the individual's vulnerability to them if they do occur. These predictions are consistent with major patterns in the epidemiology of anxiety. Implications for research and treatment are discussed.
DOI
10.1177/070674371105601202
Publication Date
2011-12-01
Publication Title
The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry
Volume
56
Issue
12
Publisher
Sage
ISSN
1497-0015
Embargo Period
2024-11-22
First Page
707
Last Page
715
Recommended Citation
Bateson, M., Brilot, B., & Nettle, D. (2011) 'Anxiety: An Evolutionary Approach', The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 56(12), pp. 707-715. Sage: Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/070674371105601202
