4. Psychopathology

Question 1

Phobia

Answer 1

Mental disorder

Question 2

What are 2 behavioural characteristics of an individual with a phobia?

Answer 2

1. Avoidance
2. Panic

Question 3

Avoidance

In the context of a behavioural characteristic of phobias

Answer 3

• Individual avoids phobic stimulus
• Negatively reinforces phobia, as avoidance is carried out to avoid unplesant consequence of seeing stimulus

Question 4

Panic

In the context of a behavioural characteristic of phobias

Answer 4

• Patient suffers from heigtened psychological arousal in the presence of stimulus
• Hypothalamus triggers increased levels of activity in the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system

Question 5

What is the main emotional characteristic of an individual with a phobia?

Answer 5

Anxiety

Question 6

Anxiety

In the context of a behavioural characteristic of a phobia

Answer 6

• The emotional response, triggered by the behavioural characteristic of panic

Question 7

What are the two main cognitive characteristics of phobias?

Answer 7

1. Selective attention
2. Irrational beliefs/Cognitive distortions

Question 8

Selective attention

In the context of a cognitive characteristic of phobias

Answer 8

• Patient remains focused on phobic stimulus, even when it is causing them severe anxiety
• This could mean the patient is ignoring other stimuli in their environment
• This may be the result of irational beliefs or cognitive distortions

Question 9

Irrational beliefs/Cognitive distortions

In the context of a cognitive characteristic of phobias

Answer 9

• A patient doesn’t have an accurate preception of the danger phobic stimulus can cause
• Patient may have irrational and distorted thoughts that make the danger seem amplified