A therapist tells a patient who is afraid of elevators that his rapid breathing while on an elevator is not due to fear but is a natural consequence of too little oxygen in a small,enclosed space. With this new interpretation of his arousal,the patient no longer dreads elevators. The reduction in the patient's fear is best understood in terms of the

A) sympathetic nervous system activity.
B) two-factor theory.
C) James-Lange theory.
D) subjective well-being.

Two-Factor Theory

The Schachter-Singer theory that to experience emotion one must (1) be physically aroused and (2) cognitively label the arousal.

Sympathetic Nervous System Activity

Part of the autonomic nervous system that prepares the body for "fight or flight" responses, increasing heart rate, blood flow, and energy release.

Subjective Well-Being

An individual's self-assessed happiness or satisfaction with life, incorporating emotional reactions and cognitive judgments.