BEHAVIOURAL/EMOTIONAL/COITIVE Characteritics Of Phobias

Question 1

What are the 3 catogries of phobias that the DSM recognises

Answer 1

1)specific phobias- phobia of objects/situations

Example:animal/body parts/flying

2)social phobia- phobia of social situations

Example:public speaking/using public toilets

3)Agoraphobia-phobia of being ‘outside’/public spaces(being outside house)

Examples: public transport/enclosed places/open spaces

Question 2

The 3 characteristics of phobias

Answer 2

1)Behavioural - ways people may act (in response to the phobia)
2)Emotional -ways people feel (about to the phobia)
3)Cognitive -ways people think/percieve/believe (about the phobia)

Question 3

The 3 ways people may behave/act in response to a Phobia(Behaviour characteristics)

Answer 3

1) Panic - Some may panic in response to the phobic stimulus

By: crying/shaking/screaming

2)Enduring it-remaining in the presence of the phobic stimulus

3)Avoidance. (opposite to endurance)
Can make everyday life very hard

Question 4

The 3 emotional characteristics of phobias

Answer 4

1)Anxiety
anxiety is an emotional response to phobic stimulus for all phobias

2)Fear- in response to thinking about/encountering phobic stimulus

3)Irrational responses
High levels of fear/anxiety to a any amount of the phobic stimulus (disproportionate fear)
no matter the size of the phobia ur still very scared

E.G phobia of spiders- small spider will still stimulate a big emotional responses (of fear/anxiety)

Question 5

the 3 ways people with phobias may think (Cognitve characteristics)

Answer 5

1) selective attention(only looking/focusing on)the phobic stimulus

2)Irrational beliefs
Unrealistic/silly thoughts about the phobic stimulus

E.G social phobias- thinking ‘I have to sound intelligent’

3)Cognitive Distortions- unrealistic perceptions of the Phobia
E.G phobia of planes- ‘all planes crash’(a cognitive Disortion)

Question 6

A behaviour characteristic of someone with a specific phobia

Answer 6

Panic expressed by crying/shaking when there on a plane

Question 7

A behaviour characteristic of someone with Agoraphobia

Answer 7

Avoiding public transport

Question 8

A behaviour characteristic of someone with social (phobia)anxiety disorder

Answer 8

Avoiding having conversations or meeting new people(avoidance)

Question 9

A cognitive characteristic of someone with social anxiety disorder

Answer 9

Thinking u will be negatively evaluated in public ( Irrational beliefs)

Question 10

A cognitive characteristic of someone with a Agoraphobia

Answer 10

Thinking everyone is staring at u in when u in line(cognitive distortion)

Question 11

An emotional characteristic of someone with social anxiety disorder

Answer 11

Fearing public speaking

Question 12

An emotinal characteristic of someone with claustrophobia

Answer 12

Having high anxiety/fear on a train even though there’s barely anyone on it
(Anxiety/fest is disproportionate to any actual threat)

Question 13

How are irrational beliefs and cognitive distortions different

Answer 13

Irrational beliefs can lead to cognitive distortions

Irrational beliefs are about the phobic stimulus that cause(cognitive distortions) inacurate/crazy thoughts about the phobia