Clinical psychology reviewHumansFearMotivationAnxiety DisordersAvoidance Learning
The motivational anatomy of fear: A closer look at core threats.
Elad Zlotnick, Jonathan D Huppert
Published: 202510.1016/j.cpr.2025.102655
Abstract
"Core threats" are the ultimate feared consequences motivating avoidance behaviors and underpinning surface-level fears. For example, the surface fear of contamination may stem from core threats such as death, suffering, or harming loved ones. Wherea…
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