Philip is walking through a forest when he hears and sees a rustling in the leaves to his left. Philip initially believes that the rustling might be a snake, so he interprets this situation as being possibly threatening. Philip's interpretation would be considered by Lazarus as a:

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Lazarus's theory of stress includes the concept of primary appraisal, which is the initial decision regarding whether an event is harmful. Philip's interpretation of the rustling as possibly threatening is an example of primary appraisal, where he is assessing the potential danger of the situation.

Philip Is Walking Through a Forest When He Hears and Sees