6: KKDP 10 Contributing factors to a phobia

Question 1

Biological Factors:

Answer 1

GABA Dysfunction
Role of stress response
Long Term Potentation

Question 2

GABA:

Answer 2

Inhibitory neurotransmitter, makes post-synaptic neurons less likely to be activated

Question 3

GABA Dysfunction:

Answer 3

A person with naturally lower levels of GABA may not be able to regulate their stress response, leading to anxiety and a higher chance of developing a phobia.

Question 4

Role of stress response:

Answer 4

Those with a phobic disorder have increased stress responses, meaning they respond excessively to simple stimuli that wouldn’t provide anxiety in others.

Question 5

Long-Term Potentiation:

Answer 5

Association of fear with a new stimulus creates a new memory circuit, with continued exposure strengthening this memory circuit.

Question 6

Psychological Factors:

Answer 6

Classical Conditioning
Operant Conditioning
Memory bias
Catastrophic Thinking

Question 7

Memory Bias:

Answer 7

Refers to distorting influences of present knowledge on recollection of previous experiences

Question 8

Catastrophic Thinking:

Answer 8

Involves repeatedly overestimating the potential dangers of an object or event and assuming the worst.

Question 9

Social Factors:

Answer 9

Specific Environmental Triggers

Stigma around seeking treatment

Question 10

Specific Environmental Trigger:

Answer 10

Several factors in the environment can predispose an individual to the development of specific phobias e.g. watching someone get attacked by a dog

Question 11

Modelling can also:

Answer 11

Occur

Question 12

Stigma:

Answer 12

Stigma means a mark of shame typically associated with a particular characteristic or attribute that sets a person apart.

Question 13

Stigma can result in:

Answer 13

Feelings of shame, causing suffers to hide their symptoms and not seek treatment