Guest Editorial: Introduction to the special issue

The successful detection and confrontation of life's threats, challenges, and losses depend on many fundamental adaptive processes. These processes involve attentional systems that allow humans to alert and orient to events of adaptive significance. These processes also involve motivational systems that support motor control and action readiness. Cognitions and social understanding are also important to reflection and finding the best course of action under fast‐changing internal and external conditions, and to allow for the cooperative use of social partners for support and information. When taken together, these describe the complex processes involved in coping with threats and other stressful events.