Vaseem experienced excessive fear while flying because he interpreted his rapid heart rate,shallow breathing,and heavy perspiration as a reaction to the imminent danger of a plane crash.When his psychotherapist convinced him that this physical arousal was simply a harmless reaction to acceleration,cabin pressure,and confined space,his fear of flying was greatly reduced.The reduction in Vaseem's fear is best understood in terms of the

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The two-factor theory, proposed by Schachter and Singer, suggests that emotions are based on two factors: physiological arousal and cognitive labeling of that arousal. In Vaseem's case, his fear was reduced when he cognitively reinterpreted the cause of his physiological arousal (rapid heart rate, shallow breathing, heavy perspiration) not as a sign of imminent danger, but as a harmless reaction to flying conditions. This change in cognitive appraisal directly aligns with the principles of the two-factor theory of emotion.

Vaseem Experienced Excessive Fear While Flying Because He Interpreted His