Which idea explains anxiety disorders as arising from genetic factors and natural selection?

• A. Learning Perspective on Disorders
• B. Psychoanalytic Perspective on Disorders
• C. Cognitive Perspective on Disorders
• D. Biological Perspective on Disorders

Answer: (D)

Anxiety disorders explained through genetics and evolution fall under the biological perspective. This view holds that biological processes—especially genetic factors—play a key role in who develops these conditions. Research shows that anxiety has a heritable component, meaning genes contribute to risk alongside environmental influences. The idea of natural selection adds that anxiety-like responses—being alert to danger, avoiding risky situations—were advantageous for survival and reproduction in our ancestors. When these evolved tendencies become overactive or misdirected in today’s environment, they can produce anxiety disorders. So the biological perspective centers on genetic predisposition and evolutionary history as the foundation for these disorders, rather than focusing primarily on learning, unconscious conflicts, or distorted thinking.