In abnormal psychology, free floating anxiety refers to anxiety that is experienced in what way by an individual?

Introduction / Context:
In clinical and abnormal psychology, anxiety disorders can present in different forms. Some anxieties are tied to specific objects or situations, while others appear more diffuse and generalized. The term free floating anxiety is used to describe anxiety that is not clearly attached to any particular object or event. This question asks you to identify the correct description of such anxiety.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- Anxiety can be tied to specific phobic objects, to clearly identified stressful events, or can be more general and vague.
- Free floating anxiety is often associated with generalized anxiety disorder.
- The question contrasts anxiety that has specific triggers with anxiety that does not.

Concept / Approach:
Free floating anxiety is characterized by a continuous or frequently recurring sense of tension, worry, or dread that is not focused on a single, identifiable cause. The person may feel anxious about many things or may not be able to pinpoint why they feel anxious at all. In contrast, a phobia involves anxiety tied to a specific object or situation, and normal fear is usually tied to realistic threats or upcoming events.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognize that free floating anxiety is not bound to a specific stimulus such as a dog, height, or closed space. Step 2: Understand that the person may feel anxious much of the time and have difficulty identifying a clear cause. Step 3: Compare this description with options that mention specific events, realistic sources, or single objects. Step 4: Identify the option that explicitly states that the anxiety is not related to any realistic, known source or specific trigger. Step 5: Select that option as the correct definition of free floating anxiety.

Verification / Alternative check:
Textbooks on anxiety disorders describe generalized anxiety disorder as involving free floating anxiety, meaning worry and tension that are diffuse and not limited to particular situations. Clinical descriptions often mention that the person cannot stop or control the worry and may have difficulty explaining exactly what they are anxious about, confirming the idea of a lack of clear source.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B: Anxiety related to a specific event, such as an upcoming exam, is situational and has a clear trigger; this does not match the idea of free floating anxiety.
Option C: Anxiety that is directly related to a realistic source of danger is a normal protective response, not free floating anxiety.
Option D: A fear focused on a specific object is characteristic of phobias, not of free floating anxiety, which is more generalized.

Common Pitfalls:
People sometimes think that all anxiety must be tied to something specific, but clinical experience shows that generalized anxiety can be present even when life circumstances seem stable. Another pitfall is to confuse free floating anxiety with normal worries. The key differences are the lack of clear triggers, the chronic nature of the anxiety, and the degree of distress or impairment it causes.

Final Answer:
The correct answer is as a persistent feeling of anxiety that is not clearly related to any realistic, known source or specific trigger because this description matches how free floating anxiety is defined in abnormal psychology.