Anxiety and Fear

What is the main difference between Fear and Anxiety?

Although they are part of the same ‘family’, they represent two different types of emotions: primary emotions (fear) and secondary emotions (anxiety).

From a physical point of view, primary and secondary emotions use the same neuronal circuits as effector pathways and manifest themselves in the same way on a bodily level (certain neurophysiological indices: heartbeat, breathing rhythm, skin conductance, pupillary constriction-dilation, etc.), but differ appreciably in timing and processing.

Primary emotions are innate (expressive potential written into our genome) and depend on instinctive responses that are activated in the deep, ancient nuclei of our brain (paleocortex).

Primary emotions originate directly from circuits in the limbic system (especially the amygdala and anterior cingulate gyrus).

Secondary emotions are acquired (learned, imitated, contingency-related) and depend on associative relationships established on the basis of lived experiences. Compared to primary emotions, they are also processed by the cortices (neocortex), that is, in the genesis of secondary emotions, cortical cognitive and associative processes that mediate the activation of the ‘ancient brain’ are also involved.

What behavioural reactions do those who experience a primary emotion have, apart from facial expressions?

He may flee unreasonably from a fire and in a ‘panic’; he reacts angrily or attacks someone, following a serious wrong suffered; he spits and makes a grimace of disgust, immediately after putting something bitter or with a nauseating taste in his mouth.

Secondary emotions involve slowing down following cognitive analysis and subsequent mental processing of the stimulus. Behaviours related to secondary emotions may be, for example, being agitated before a demanding university exam; feeling a strong sense of embarrassment and shame at being publicly shamed by someone; feeling guilt at having betrayed the trust of someone who trusted us.

Secondary emotions involve a slowdown following cognitive analysis and subsequent mental processing of the stimulus.

It is indeed crucial to be able to distinguish which observable elements come into play during emotions, whether primary or secondary.

Because we cannot directly observe the neurological activating elements, we can direct our attention to what is communicated on the verbal, non-verbal and para-verbal plane.