CONCEPTUAL DIFFERENTIATION OF «WORRY» AND «ANXIETY»

Abstract

Theoretical analysis of the terms «worry» and «anxiety» was carried out in the article in order to clearly differentiate them. It is noted that in English, worry and anxiety are indicated in one word — anxiety, therefore, to determine the essence of terms should pay attention to the context in which it is used. In the Ukrainian words «worry» and «anxiety» have different meanings. The lack of a single interpretation of the terms «worry» and «anxiety» predetermines the fact that psychologists differentiate these two concepts on different grounds. During the analysis it was determined that the term «worry» is most often used to describe the process of waiting for a hazard or anxiety state that is not connected with a particular object, less often — to describe the result of frustration or as a mechanism and component of stress. The essence of the term «anxiety» was revealed, as a result it was determined that the vast majority of authors use it when describing the personality trait and personality factor or discomfort; few of authors — when describing emotional discomfort as a feeling of fear or as a combination of fear with one or more other emotions. In the process of theoretical analysis of two terms, the following generalizations were made: in psychology there is no general consensus about the correlation of worry and anxiety; when interpreting the term «worry», most researchers use it to describe the process of waiting for a hazard or condition that is characterized by a subjective sense of worry, and «anxiety» is also used to describe the personality trait and personality factor or discomfort; a number of authors in describing the terms «worry» and «anxiety» contend that it is an emotional state, persistent property, personality trait or character. The obtained conclusions will make possible to reveal the main methodological points of applied aspects development of the problem of reducing the anxiety of future practical psychologists.