Adaptive bases of Anxiety Disorders

Question 1

Preparedness model

Answer 1

Certain stimuli respond faster to fear conditioning and are much harder to extinguish

Specific phobia – – best example of evolutionary significant stimuli
• e.g. snakes, heights, strangers

Question 2

Blood and Injury phobia

Answer 2

vasovagal syncope → fainting

triggers – needle, invasive procedure, witnessing injury

Functionality
*reduce blood pressure to limit blood loss
*increase clotting response
human universal, not outlier (e.g. like pedophilia)

• reaction is only present in this specific phobia, no other anxiety disorder
• precautions when conducting exposure, ensure a safe environment in case fainting occurs

Question 3

Social Anxiety Disorder

Answer 3

Fear of Negative evaluation

Adaptive function – those who cared and modified behavior survived and helped to mate
o those who did not didn’t survive

Appraisal theory – – what’s at stake?
o E.g. job interview, nervous – normal, functional

Dysfunction – so anxious that didn’t even go to the interview→Look at context, not feeling

Research shows that too large of a focus on self-esteem is dysfunctional and unsuccessful
o e.g. dating behavior – a lot at stake, increased anxiety

Question 4

OCD

Answer 4

Disgust – evolutionary benefit
o health status determination
o e.g. attractiveness based on skin – indicator of health status

Contamination subtype → EPM appraisals of disease

Most common form of OCD
o disgust is more common than anxiety
• though anxiety may be secondary to disgust
o secondary anxiety – e.g. “I’m going to get sick”

Question 5

GAD

Answer 5

Worry = What if ?

Future-oriented–potential future threats

Depressive Rumination = past oriented

Both intended to function as problem-solving mechanisms

Question 6

Panic Disorder: 2 broad themes

Answer 6

1. physical harm
   heart attack
   aneurysm
   suffocation
2. fear
   •imminent threat
   •loss of control–“going crazy”
   •death

GAD – “I might have a heart attack”

PD – “I’m dying”

Question 7

Emotions = Action Tendencies

4 components

Answer 7

Emotions are simply ways of behaving that solve problems

4 components

Affect – feeling state
• e.g. depressed versus sad versus angry
• you actually feel something different

Physiological responding
• consistent with solving problem

Cognitive
• what’s going through mind right now
• what are your beliefs about a particular stimulus
• how important is social threat

Behavior – solves problem
• E.g. anxiety – escape/avoidance
• urge to flee – functional behavioral inclination

Question 8

PTSD

Answer 8

Preoccupation with how someone behaved
o survivor guilt is a strong predictor of PTSD
o most people experience same trauma, but don’t develop PTSD

flexible alarm system – response to environment

One trial learning – in opposition to classical learning theory
o excess adrenaline burns into memory
o similar to taste aversion

*degree that you believed your life was in danger is directly correlated with likelihood of developing PTSD

Question 9

Agoraphobia

Answer 9

**agoraphobia is never fear of the stimulus itself

Typically, closely associated with panic disorder (separated in DSM – 5)
• fear of being trapped
• fear of not being able to get help
• fear of inability to escape

If you believe in a true threat, you need an escape
o e.g. local train versus express train

Evolutionary advantage – getting help when you needed

Interpersonal dependence is a hallmark of agoraphobia

Question 10

EPM outputs fluidity

Answer 10

e.g. Different behavioral response to fear of heights

Roof of tall building–root down

Edge of cliff–jump back

Question 11

PTSD–degree of threat to life

Answer 11

The segree that you believed your life was in danger is directly correlated with likelihood of developing PTSD

Prolonged exposure only does not address other components

e.g.Colin Ferguson shooting
o more males than females presented with PTSD
o felt more responsible – male identity