Investigated the extent to which reports of situational threat are dependent on cultural and physical characteristics of the environment and on age and sex as moderator variables. Situational descriptions were obtained from 2,176 12-, 15-, and 18-yr-olds attending comprehensive schools in Hungary, India, Sweden, and Yemen. Variances and invariances with respect to anxiety appraisal of situations over cultures were studied. Comparisons were made regarding activating conditions in threatening situations, expected consequences, and resulting situation-outcome contingencies. A significant culture effect was obtained for 95% of the categories, a significant age effect for 60% of the categories, and a significant sex effect for 46% of the categories. Differences among cultures appeared first of all in connection with the expected consequences such as fear of inadequacy and separation anxiety. Results are discussed in terms of the importance of environmental characteristics for individuals' interpretations of different situations, sex differences in the appraisal of anxiety-provoking situations, developmental trends, and similarities and differences in anxiety appraisals across cultural groups.