Biological Influences In Psychological Research

Imagine having the constant burden of worry and fear on a loved one’s shoulder. Knowing the possibility of being predisposed to the same psychological disorder, numerous people would have a hard time coping with this impediment—furthering the apprehension they face. Genetics plays a large role in the development and maintenance of anxiety disorders. Biological influences such as genes, neurotransmitter functioning and predisposition contribute exponentially to the development and maintenance of anxiety disorders. These biological dynamics influence when and how anxiety disorders emerge and begin to cause distress in the individual. An anxiety disorder is an “unfounded fear or anxiety that interferes with day-to-day functioning and produces clinically significant distress or life impairment” (Sue et al., 2013, p.?). The biological dimension states that there are 4 main ways anxiety disorders arise in an individual and they are as follows: overactive fear circuits in the brain, 5-HTTLPR genotypes, neurotransmitter abnormalities, and decreased serotonin activity. Furthermore, these physiological origins of anxiety symptoms, two foremost biological aspects impact the development of anxiety disorders: fear electric circuit in the brain and genetics. Anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder, primarily stem from biological dynamics.
The study claimed that “anxiety sensitivity is now widely regarded as a vulnerability factor in the development of anxiety disorders” (Zavos et al., 2012, p. 204). In other words, anxiety sensitivity is the genetic susceptibility to anxiety disorders. Previous research has found that genetic effects stabilize over time and contribute significantly to the endurance of anxiety indicators. The genetic predisposition or anxiety sensitivity to anxiety disorders largely contributes to the expansion and preservation of anxiety