chapter 3 vocabulary Flashcards
panic disorder
type of anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of panic
anxiety disorder
type of psychological disorder where anxiety is the prominent feature
agoraphobia
a fear of places and situations from which it might be difficult or embarrassing to escape in the event of panicky symptoms or of situations in which help may be unavailable if such problems occur
generalized anxiety disorder
type of anxiety disorder characterized by general feelings of dread, foreboding, and heightened states of sympathetic arousal.
specific phobias
persistent but excessive fears of a specific object or situation, such as a fear of heights or small animals
acrophobia
excessive fear of heights
social anxiety disorder
excessive fear of engaging in behaviours that involve public scrutiny
obsession
an intrusive, unwanted, and recurrent thought, image, or urge that seems beyond a person’s ability to control
compulsion
a repetitive behaviour or mental act that a person feels compelled or driven to perform
adjustment disorder
maladaptive reactions to an identified stressor or stressors that occur shortly following exposure to the stressor(s) and result in impaired functioning or signs of emotional distress that exceed what would normally be expected in the situation. The reaction may be resolved if the stressor is removed or the individual learns to adapt to it successfully
acute stress disorder
traumatic stress reaction occurring in the days and weeks following exposure to a traumatic event
post-traumatic stress disorder
disorder involving impaired functioning following exposure to a traumatic experience, such as combat, physical assault or rape, or natural or technological disasters, in which the person experiences, for at least one month, such problems as reliving or re-experiencing the trauma, intense fear, avoidance of event-related stimuli, generalized numbing of emotional responsiveness, and heightened autonomic arousal
dissociation
feelings of detachment from oneself or one’s environment
projection
in psychodynamic theory, a defence mechanism in which one’s own impulses are attributed to another person
two-factor model
O. Hobart Mowrer’s theory that both operant and classical conditioning are involved in the acquisition of phobic responses. The fear component of phobia is acquired by means of classical conditioning, and the avoidance component is acquired by means of operant conditioning
prepared conditioning
belief that people are genetically prepared to acquire fear responses to certain classes of stimuli, such as fears of large animals, snakes, heights, or strangers. Although the development of such phobias have had survival value for prehistoric ancestors, such behaviour patterns may be less functional today
anxiety sensitivity
a “fear of fear,” or fear that one’s emotions or states of bodily arousal will get out of control and lead to harmful consequences
neuroticism
trait describing a general neurotic quality involving such characteristics as anxious, worrisome behaviour; apprehension about the future; and avoidance behaviour
gamma-aminobutyric acid
an inhibitory neurotransmitter believed to play a role in regulating anxiety
fear-stimulus hierarchy
ordered series of increasingly fearful stimuli. Used in the behavioural techniques of systematic desensitization and gradual exposure
flooding
type of exposure therapy in which subjects are exposed to intensely anxiety-provoking situations
cognitive restructuring
cognitive therapy method that involves replacing irrational or self-defeating thoughts and attitudes with rational alternatives
