Final answer:
The correct answer is d) Social anxiety disorder, which is characterized by a persistent fear of social or performance situations where one might be judged. It differs from other anxiety disorders like generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and specific phobias in its specific focus on social interactions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Social anxiety disorder is characterized by an intense, persistent fear of being watched and judged by others. This fear can affect work, school, and other everyday activities. It can also cause people to avoid places or situations to prevent feeling embarrassed, self-conscious, or worried about being judged. Unlike generalized anxiety disorder, which involves general persistent worrying about a variety of things, social anxiety disorder is specific to social interaction and situations that involve the potential for being evaluated or scrutinized by others. Moreover, while panic disorder is associated with sudden and intense fear or discomfort that peaks within minutes, and specific phobias involve a marked and persistent fear and avoidance of a specific object or situation, social anxiety disorder involves a broader range of social contexts.
It's important to consider the cognitive aspects of anxiety disorders. For instance, cognitive theories suggest that social anxiety disorder involves an overestimation of danger in social situations, highlighting the importance of cognitive processes in the maintenance of the disorder.