10A- contributing factors to the development of specific phobia

Question 1

specific phobia

Answer 1

a persistent, intense, irrational fear of a specific object or event

Question 2

biological factor

Answer 2

a factor that relates to the physiological functioning of the body

Question 3

gamma amino butyric acid GABA

Answer 3

the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the nervous system, associated with anxiety, specific phobias and Parkinson’s disease

Question 4

glutamate

Answer 4

the main excitatory neurotransmitter in the nervous system, involved with learning and memory

Question 5

dysfunctional GABA system

Answer 5

a failure to produce, release or receive the correct amount of gamma- aminobutyric acid

Question 6

long term potentiation

Answer 6

the relatively permanent strengthening of synaptic connections as a result of repeated activation of a neural pathway

Question 7

psychological factor

Answer 7

a factor that relates to the functioning of the brain and the mind, including cognitive and affective processes such as thought patterns and memory

Question 8

behavioural model

Answer 8

phobias are learned through experience and may be developed, sustained or modified by environmental consequences such as rewards or punishments

Question 9

classical conditioning

Answer 9

a simple form of learning that occurs through the repeated association between a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus to produce a conditioned response

Question 10

precipitate

Answer 10

trigger the onset or exacerbation of a mental disorder

Question 11

operant conditioning

Answer 11

a type of learning process in which the likelihood of a voluntary behaviour occurring is determined by its consequences

Question 12

perpetuation

Answer 12

prolonging of the occurrence of a mental disorder and preventing recovery

Question 13

negative reinforcement

Answer 13

when a behaviour is followed by the removal of an undesirable stimulus, increasing the likelihood of the behaviour occurring again

Question 14

avoidance behaviour

Answer 14

actions a person takes to escape from difficult thoughts and feelings

Question 15

cognitive model

Answer 15

a model that describes how people’s perceptions of situations influence their emotional and behavioural reactions

Question 16

cognitive bias

Answer 16

the tendency to think in a way that involves errors of judgement and faulty decision- making

Question 17

memory bias

Answer 17

distorted thinking that either enhances or impairs the recall of a memory or alters its content

Question 18

catastrophic thinking

Answer 18

a cognitive bias that involves overestimating and exaggerating the worst possible outcomes to situations even though they are unlikely to occur

positive feedback loop

Question 19

social factor

Answer 19

a factor that relates to the social components of a person’s environment

Question 20

specific environmental trigger

Answer 20

an object, situation or circumstance that probably caused a direct, negative traumatic experience associated with extreme fear or discomfort, which then acts as a cue for future phobic fear responses

Question 21

stigma

Answer 21

the feeling of shame or disgrace associated with a personal characteristic that indicates you belong to a culturally devalued group in society – this can be real or imagined

Question 22

what is the most common mental health condition?

Answer 22

anxiety
it affects 1/4 people at some stage in their life

Question 23

what is anxiety characterised by

Answer 23

worry, fear and anxiety strong enough to interfere with daily activities

Question 24

what are some characteristics of a specific phobia

Answer 24

persistent, intense, irrational fear of a specific object or event leading to avoidance behaviour.

Question 25

how does specific phobia differ from ordinary fear

Answer 25

ordinary fear can protect us from dangerous situations but specific phobias are out of proportion to the actual danger, where individuals organise their lives to avoid the phobic stimulus due to excessive and unreasonable fear

Question 26

what is required

Answer 26

must be present for 6 months or longer
disrupt personal life, especially work and social relationships
causes serious distress

Question 27

what are 4 categories that phobias can be placed into

Answer 27

the natural environment- water/storms
animals- snakes/spiders
potential bodily pain or injury- needles/sight of blood
situations- heights/ confined or open spaces

Question 28

what is generalised anxiety disorder, GAD

Answer 28

Persistent and excessive worry, often about daily situations like work, family or health. This worry is difficult to control and interferes with the person’s day-to-day life and relationships

Question 29

what is a specific phobia

Answer 29

Extreme anxiety and fear of particular objects or situations. Common phobias include fear of flying, fear of spiders and other animals, and fear of injections

Question 30

what is a panic disorder

Answer 30

The experience of repeated and unexpected panic attacks – sudden surges of overwhelming fear and anxiety accompanied by physical symptoms such as chest pain, heart palpitations, dizziness and breathlessness. In panic disorder, these panic attacks come ‘out of the blue’ with no apparent trigger.

Question 31

agoraphobia

Answer 31

Involves intense anxiety in situations and places where the person feels it would be difficult for them to get out quickly or get help if needed. This includes situations such as using public transport, being in a lift or a cinema, standing in a queue, being in a crowd, or being outside of the home alone.

Question 32

obsessive compulsive disorder OCD

Answer 32

Recurring, persistent and distressing thoughts, images or impulses known as obsessions (e.g. a fear of catching germs), or feeling compelled to carry out certain repetitive behaviours, rituals or mental acts, known as compulsions (e.g. handwashing). Some people with OCD have both obsessions and compulsions. These thoughts and behaviours can take over a person’s life and, while people with OCD usually know that their obsessions and compulsions are an overreaction, they feel they are unable to stop them.

Question 33

social anxiety disorder

Answer 33

Severe anxiety about being criticised or viewed negatively by others. This leads the person to avoid social events and other social situations for fear of doing something that leads to embarrassment or humiliation.

Question 34

What are two key characteristics of a phobia?

Answer 34

Fear is excessive, unreasonable or out of proportion with the actual level of threat posed.
The person with a phobia feels compelled to avoid the phobic stimulus and may organise their life to avoid the phobic stimulus.

Question 35

Explain how a phobia is different from fear.

Answer 35

Ordinary fear can be rational and adaptive (i.e. it serves to protect us from harm), whereas the fear induced by a phobic response is disproportionate to the real risk involved, leading to avoidance behaviour.

Question 36

Explain how a specific phobia is different from other anxiety disorders.

Answer 36

A specific phobia involves extreme fear in response to one particular stimulus (although the type of stimulus can vary),whereas other anxiety disorders involve extreme fear in response to a broader range of stimuli.

Question 37

how can biological factors contribute to specific phobias

Answer 37

internal/physiologically based or determined factors which can lead to a predisposition or increased chance of developing a specific phobia

Question 38

what are some examples of biological factors that contribute to phobia development

Answer 38

GABA dysfunction and LTP

Question 39

how does GABA dysfunction lead to the development of a phobia

Answer 39

GABA dysfunction → increased activation of the flight, fight or freeze response → more likely to develop a phobia

Question 40

why is GABA an inhibitory neurotransmitter

Answer 40

GABA blocks or inhibits certain neural signals and decreases activity in the nervous system. it make s the post synaptic neurons less likely to fire an action potential, inducing a calming effect.

Question 41

what is excessive anxiety caused by

Answer 41

an elevated stress response caused by the release of glutamate in a FFF response

Question 42

what happens if GABA production is inhibited

Answer 42

if there is a failure to produce, release or receive the correct GABA signal, then there’s insufficient inhibitory signals to adequately regulate heightened arousal levels caused by glutamate. this causes exaggerated feelings of fear or anxiety

Question 43

how does low GABA increase vulnerability to anxiety

Answer 43

their FFF response may be easily activated when encountering the phobic stimulus, causing them to become more anxious to stimuli. this stress response may be severe and can persist for long periods, maintaining feelings of anxiety related to a fear of the object even if imaged

Question 44

how can LTP contribute to the development of specific phobia

Answer 44

LTP can strengthen the association between a phobic stimulus and a fear/anxiety response through repeated activation of the same neural pathways. when these connections are activated through different encounters or recalling the encounter, connections are further strengthened. any positive experiences are thought about less, resulting in positive memories being lost

Question 45

how can psychological factors contribute to specific phobias

Answer 45

thoughts and perceptions play a key role in developing and maintaining a specific phobia

Question 46

what are some examples of psychological factors that contribute to phobia development

Answer 46

behavioural models of phobia development - precipitation by CC and perpetuation by OC
cognitive bias
memory bias
catastrophic thinking

Question 47

define behaviourism

Answer 47

Behaviourism is a theory of learning based on the idea that all behaviours are acquired through an interaction with the environment.

Question 48

how can behavioural models result in phobia development

Answer 48

classical conditioning plays a role in the initiation or development of the phobia and operant conditioning plays a role in maintaining a specific phobia

Question 49

how can classical conditioning result in specific phobia

Answer 49

UCS- phobic stimulus
UCR- shock and fear
NS- no phobic stimulus
NS=CS
UCR=UCS
as such, when a stimulus that didn’t previously elicit a response is repeatedly paired with a stimulus that produces a naturally occurring response, the two stimuli will be linked and teh previously neutral stimlus will consistently produce an involuntary response

Question 50

how can specific phobias be perpetuated by operant conditioning

Answer 50

once a phobia is developed, it can be perpetuated by negative reinforcement. when confronted by or thinks they might be confronted by a phobic stimulus, using avoidance behaviour reduces the unpleasant feelings of fear or anxiety associated making them more likely to avoid the phobic stimulus

Question 51

what does the cognitive model suggest

Answer 51

describes how people’s perceptions of situations influence their emotional and behavioural reactions. When we are distressed, our perceptions are often distorted. Therefore, the cognitive model is used to examine distorted thinking in the development and maintenance of a specific phobia.

Question 52

how do cognitive biases contribute to specific phobia

Answer 52

The underlying assumption of the cognitive model is that people with a specific phobia often have one or morecognitive biases, a tendency to think in a way that involves errors of judgement and faulty decision-making.

Question 53

how can memory bias result in a specific phobia

Answer 53

a memory bias involves distorted thinking that either enhances or impairs the recall of a memory or that alters its content. those with a memory bias tend to distort and exaggerate fears relating to phobias by focusing more on the negative experiences. they may also minimise and forget the positive or contradictory information that may challenge the fear

Question 54

how does catastrophic thinking lead to a specific phobia

Answer 54

when thinking about an encounter with a phobic stimulus, those with a specific phobia tend to predict the worst outcomes that are unrealistic and irrational. they tend to feel heightened levels of anxiety and distress and underestimates their ability to cope with the situation or their symptoms of anxiety. this perpetuates the fear of the object or situation.

Question 55

Compare and contrast the behavioural and cognitive models.

Answer 55

The behavioural model emphasises that behaviour is influenced by learning processes, whereas the cognitive model emphasises that behaviour is influenced by internal mental processes.

Question 56

Using your own example, explain how a specific phobia can be precipitated through classical conditioning.

Answer 56

Before conditioning

The phobic stimulus (NS) initially produces no response.
The person experiences a traumatic event involving the phobic stimulus (UCS) and this causes them to feel scared/distressed as a result of the traumatic event (UCR).
During conditioning

There would be a repeated association of seeing/thinking about the phobic stimulus (NS) presented before the traumatic event (UCS), which caused the person to feel scared/distressed as a result of the phobic stimulus (UCR).
After conditioning

The phobic stimulus (CS) alone now produces feelings of fear and distress in response to the phobic stimulus (CR).

Question 57

Based on what you have learned about operant conditioning in Chapter 3, explain how a specific phobia could be precipitated through operant conditioning.

Answer 57

Antecedent: a child imagines they see a monster in the shadows being cast on their bedroom wall.
Behaviour: the child is frightened and cries.
Consequence: the child’s mother hugs the child and comforts them.
This positively reinforces the fear of the shadows being cast on the wall, making them more likely to be scared of the shadow on the wall in future.

Question 58

Define ‘cognitive bias’.

Answer 58

Cognitive bias is a tendency to think in a way that involves errors of judgement and faulty decision making

Question 59

Name and explain two types of cognitive biases associated with a specific phobia.

Answer 59

Memory bias: the distorting influences of present knowledge, beliefs and feelings on the recollection of previous experiences. For example, a person with a phobia of dog will tend to remember the one and only time they were chased by a dog but forget all the other times when a dog showed no response to their presence.
Catastrophic thinking: involves overestimating and exaggerating the worst possible outcomes to situations even though they are unlikely to occur. For example, a person with a dog phobia may think that any dog they encounter will attack them and leave them with permanent facial disfigurement.

Question 60

Explain how cognitive biases affect the progression of a specific phobia.

Answer 60

Cognitive bias makes an individual experience increased feelings of helplessness and underestimate their ability to cope with the situation. This makes them more likely to avoid any situation in which they perceive that they will be exposed to the phobic stimulus, which inhibits their ability to overcome the phobia.

Question 61

what does the social model suggest in relation to phobias

Answer 61

social factors are external factors that involve skills in interacting with others, and the range and quality of interpersonal relationships are examples of nurture in action.

Question 62

what are some types of social factors that may contribute to phobia development

Answer 62

specific environmental triggers
stigma around seeking treatment

Question 63

how can specific environmental triggers result in specific phobias

Answer 63

a specific phobia can be developed after a direct negative and traumatic experience with an object or situation of which produces extreme fear or discomfort. this encounter is often attributed to be the cause of their phobia. this is as it acts as a stimulus in a conditioned fear response seen through CC

Question 64

how can a traumatic experience be structured to avoid phobia development

Answer 64

if a person is exposed to a positive experience soon after the traumatic one, they are less likely to form an association between the fear object and response

Question 65

what are some common stigmas around those with a mental illness

Answer 65

nearly a quarter of people thought depression was a sign of personal weakness and would not employ such a person
about a third would not vote for a politician with depression
two-fifths thought people with depression were unpredictable
one-fifth said if they had depression, they would not tell anyone
nearly two-thirds thought people with schizophrenia were unpredictable
one-quarter thought people with schizophrenia were dangerous
stigmatising attitudes were highest towards people with schizophrenia.

Question 66

how can stigmatisation result in individuals not seeking treatment

Answer 66

those with a specific phobia are vulnerable to stigmatisation as the phobias are irrational and others may struggle to empathise with them. those with a specific phobia can be ridiculed and suffer belittling comments/disbelief as some phobic stimulus are typically perceived as hopeless.

Question 67

how can distress and symptoms be worsened

Answer 67

a lack of understanding by the community, which can make them feel shame and hopeless, creating a barrier to seeking treatment. this perpetuates a specific phobia

Question 68

Explain what a social contributing factor is with reference to an example.

Answer 68

Social factors are external factors that involve skills in interacting with others, and the range and quality of interpersonal relationships. An example of a social factor is when specific phobias can develop through observation and subsequent modelling of another person’s fearful behaviour towards a particular object or situation; for example, a child who observes a parent react with panic to the sight of a spider or mouse may imitate the same behavioural response.

Question 69

What effect does a specific environmental trigger have on the development of a phobia?

Answer 69

When a specific phobia develops after a direct negative (and traumatic) experience with an object or situation, the initial fear response to the environmental trigger may become a conditioned fear response through classical conditioning processes. The conditioned phobic stimulus can also be generalised to other similar stimuli.

Question 70

Why do some people experience a traumatic experience but not develop a phobia?

Answer 70

A single traumatic experience does not explain the origin of all phobias through direct experience. Two people may have a traumatic experience with the same object or situation, and one subsequently can develop a specific phobia while the other does not. This is mainly due to subsequent exposure to the object (i.e. whether it is positive or negative). If a person subsequently has a positive experience associated with a potentially phobic stimulus, they are much less likely to develop a phobia.

Question 71

Explain the term ‘stigma’ with reference to an example.

Answer 71

Stigma refers to shame, disgrace or disapproval typically associated with a particular characteristic or attribute that sets a person apart; for example, skin colour, cultural background or a mental health disorder.

Question 72

How does stigma allow a specific phobia to progress?

Answer 72

Phobias often involve irrational and unrealistic emotions and behaviours. People often do not understand their reaction, and this can lead to stigma (social disapproval), which can cause feelings of shame or hopelessness that result in them hiding their symptoms. This would prevent them from seeking help for their condition.

Question 73

Explain why a specific phobia falls under the category of an anxiety disorder.

Answer 73

A specific phobia is an excessive or irrational fear of a particular object or situation, leading to a disproportionate fear response and avoidance behaviour. It causes significant anxiety and distress and interferes with normal functioning; hence, it is a type of anxiety disorder.

Question 74

Discuss two characteristics of a mental disorder that could be used before deciding whether someone is suffering from a specific phobia.

Answer 74

Atypical behaviour: people with a specific phobia stop engaging in tasks that they normally would (such as seeing friends or exercising) due to avoidance of the phobic stimulus.
Psychological dysfunction: people with a specific phobia cannot function effectively in their environment; for example, they cannot go to work or leave the house because they are afraid of being exposed to the phobic stimulus.
Distress: people with a specific phobia often experience a heightened stress response accompanied by extreme fear.