Which term best describes a future-oriented emotion characterized by negative affect, bodily tension, and chronic apprehension?

• A. Anxiety
• B. Fear
• C. Panic
• D. Stress

Answer: (A)

This describes anxiety, a future-oriented emotional state marked by persistent worry, negative mood, and bodily tension. The tension and chronic apprehension reflect anticipatory concern about what might occur, rather than an immediate threat. Fear is an immediate reaction to a present danger and usually directed at a specific stimulus, so it doesn’t fit a pervasive, forward-looking worry. Panic is a sudden, intense surge of fear with pronounced physical symptoms that peaks quickly, not a steady, ongoing state. Stress refers to the body's response to demands and can include tension, but it isn’t defined primarily as a sustained, future-focused emotion. Thus, anxiety best captures the described pattern.