Mayers points out that anxiety-provoking situations may result in evasions or denials of anxiety. This may take the form of denial of the dangerous situation, delay and procrastination, endless preparation, retreat in the midst of a situation, panicky completion of a task and undoing. He draws upon the recent and remote past for historical incidents which, according to his interpretation, are illustrative of the various mechanisms enumerated above. Those who are sceptical of oversimplified explanations for complex situations may not accept this thesis, especially when adequate historical information is lacking.