Looming Vulnerability: Theory, Research and Practice in Anxiety

Description

This stimulating resource presents the Looming Vulnerability Model, a nuanced take on the cognitive-behavioral conceptualization of anxiety, worry, and other responses to real or imagined threat. The core feature of the model—the perception of growing, rapidly approaching threat—is traced to humans’ evolutionary past, and this dysfunctional perception is described as it affects cognitive processing, executive functioning, emotions, physiology, and behavior. The LVM framework allows for more subtle understanding of mechanisms of and risk factors for the range of anxiety disorders as well as for more elusive subclinical forms of anxiety, worry, and fear. In addition, the authors ably demonstrate how the LVM can inform and refine cognitive-behavioral and other approaches to conceptualization, assessment, and treatment of these often disabling conditions. This important volume: · Introduces the Looming Vulnerability Model in its evolutionary, developmental, cognitive, and ecological contexts. · Unites diverse theoretical strands regarding anxiety, fear, and worry including work on wildlife behavior, experimental cognition and perception, neuroimaging, and emotion. · Defines the looming cognitive style as a core aspect of vulnerability. · Describes the measurement of the looming cognitive style, Looming Maladaptive Style Questionnaire, and measures of looming vulnerability for specific disorders. · Details diverse clinical applications of the LVM across the anxiety disorders. Spotlighting phenomena particularly relevant to current times, Looming Vulnerability, brings a wealth of important new ideas to researchers studying anxiety disorders and practitioners seeking more avenues for treating anxiety in their patients. Front Matter ....Pages i-xx Introduction (John H. Riskind, Neil A. Rector)....Pages 1-14 Evolutionary and Ecological Functions of Dynamic Perceptions of Looming Danger (John H. Riskind, Neil A. Rector)....Pages 15-29 Dynamic Information Is Integral to Perception, Cognition, and Emotion (John H. Riskind, Neil A. Rector)....Pages 31-41 Basic Postulates of the Looming Vulnerability Model (John H. Riskind, Neil A. Rector)....Pages 43-56 Dynamic Gains in Growing Threat and Threat Appraisal (John H. Riskind, Neil A. Rector)....Pages 57-72 Effects of Moving and Looming Stimuli on Attention, Memory, and Fear Conditioning (John H. Riskind, Neil A. Rector)....Pages 73-86 Experimental Studies Confirming the Emotional Impact of Dynamic Movement and Looming Manipulations (John H. Riskind, Neil A. Rector)....Pages 87-96 Introduction to Looming Cognitive Style: Construct and Measurement (John H. Riskind, Neil A. Rector)....Pages 97-117 Developmental Antecedents of the LCS, the LCS as an Overarching Theme of Anxiety, and Cognitive Vulnerability–Stress Interaction (John H. Riskind, Neil A. Rector)....Pages 119-130 Looming Cognitive Style Contributes to Etiological Processes in Anxiety Disorders (John H. Riskind, Neil A. Rector)....Pages 131-147 Looming Vulnerability in Generalized Anxiety Disorder (Stephanie E. Cassin, Neil A. Rector, John H. Riskind)....Pages 149-170 Looming Vulnerability in Panic Disorder and the Phobias (Stephanie E. Cassin, Neil A. Rector, John H. Riskind)....Pages 171-192 Looming Vulnerability in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (Stephanie E. Cassin, Neil A. Rector, John H. Riskind)....Pages 193-216 Exploring Potential Links Between Looming Vulnerability and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (Linda D. Chrosniak, John H. Riskind)....Pages 217-233 CBT for Reducing Looming Vulnerability Distortions: Translational Concepts and Clinical Applications (John H. Riskind, Neil A. Rector)....Pages 235-254 New Directions in Research: Anxiety and Beyond (John H. Riskind, Neil A. Rector)....Pages 255-265 Final Synthesis and Conclusions (John H. Riskind, Neil A. Rector)....Pages 267-281 Back Matter ....Pages 283-289