Final answer:
Fear in the DSM-5 is described as an emotional response to an imminent threat, distinct from anxiety, which is related to future threats, and the correct answer is B) Emotional response to imminent threat.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), fear is defined as the emotional response to an imminent threat, which differentiates it from anxiety, which pertains to the anticipation of a future threat. Therefore, the correct answer to the question is B) Emotional response to imminent threat. Fear invokes a fight-or-flight response, involving sympathetic nervous system activity, which results in physiological changes such as increased heart rate, rapid breathing, and heightened sensory alertness. These responses prepare an organism to deal with threats effectively. In contrast, anxiety involves a state of heightened vigilance and concern over a future potential threat and may not always result in immediate physiological activation as fear does.