Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Clinical psychology > Chapter 6 > Flashcards

Chapter 6 Flashcards

1
Q

What is the difference between fear and anxiety?

A

Anxiety is defined as apprehension over an anticipated problem

Fear is defines as a reaction to immediate danger

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Anxiety often involves higher arousal and fear moderate arousal? true or false

A

false

Anxiety moderate
Fear higher

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

in what kind of shape would anxiety fits plotted against performance

A

U shape

when plotted against performance—an absence of anxiety is a
problem, a little anxiety is adaptive, and a lot of anxiety is detrimental.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

The onset of anxiety disorders tends to be ….

A

ealy in life. Most develop before the age of 32

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Specific phobia

A

Fear of objects or situations that is out of proportion to any real danger

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Social anxiety disorder

A

Fear of unfamiliar people or social scrutiny

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Panic disorder

A

Anxiety about recurrent panic attacks

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Agoraphobia

A

Anxiety about being in places where escaping or getting help would be difficult if anxiety symptoms occurred

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Generalized anxiety disorder

A

Uncontrollable worry

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

How do people with a specific phobia react to their fears

A

They recognize that the fear is excessive but still goes to great lengths to avoid the feared object or situation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

A person with a specific phobia for one type or object are very likely to….

A

have a specific phobia for a second object or situation.

specific phobias are highly cormorbid

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Defining Symptoms of Social Anxiety Disorder

A
  • Marked and disproportionate fear consistently triggered by exposure to potential social scrutiny
  • Exposure to the trigger leads to intense anxiety about being evaluated negatively
  • Trigger situations are avoided or else endured with intense anxiety
  • Symptoms typically last 6 months or more
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Defining symptoms of panic disorder

A
  • Recurrent unexpected panic attacks
  • At least 1 month of concern about the possibility that more attacks could occur or the possible consequences of an attack, or prob
    lematic behavioral changes to avoid attacks or their consequences
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Panic attack

A

a sudden experience of intense apprehension, terror, or feelings of impending doom, accompanied by at least four other symptoms.
- Physical symptoms can include shortness of breath, heart palpitations, nausea, upset stomach, chest pain, feelings of choking and smothering, dizziness, lightheadedness, faintness, sweating, chills, heat sensations, numbness or tingling sensations, and trembling. Other symptoms that may occur during a panic attack include depersonalization (a feeling of being outside one’s body); derealization (a feeling of the world not being real); and fears of losing control, of “going crazy,” or even of dying.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

How can we think about a panick attack?

A

as a misfire of the fear system: Physiologically, the person experiences a level of sympathetic nervous system arousal matching what most people might experience when faced with an immediate threat to life

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Should panic attacks triggered by specific situations, such as seeing a snake for a person with snake phobia be considered a panic disorder

A

No, should not be considered in diagnosing panic disorder.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Defining Symptoms of Agoraphobia

A

Disproportionate and marked fear or anxiety about at least two
situations where it would be difficult to escape or receive help in
the event of incapacitation, embarrassing symptoms, or panic-like symptoms, such as being outside the home alone; traveling on public transportation; being in open spaces such as parking lots,
bridges, and marketplaces; being in enclosed spaces such as shops,
theatres, or cinemas; or standing in line or being in a crowd.

  • These situations consistently provoke fear or anxiety
  • These situations are avoided, require the presence of a com
    panion, or are endured with intense fear or anxiety
  • Symptoms typically last 6 months or more
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What is the central feature of generalized anxiety disorder

A

Worry

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

How do the worries of people with GAD look like?

A

excessive, uncontrollable, and long-lasting. The worries of people with GAD center on the same types of threats that worry most of us: They worry about relationships, health, finances, and daily hassles—but they worry more about these issues, and the worry is accompanied by arousal-related symptoms

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Defining Symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder

A
  • Excessive anxiety and worry about multiple events or activities (e.g., family, health, finances, work, and school)
  • The person finds it hard to control the worry
  • The anxiety and worry are associated with at least three (or
    one in children) of the following:
    ▪  restlessness or feeling keyed up or on edge
    ▪ tiring easily
    ▪ difficulty concentrating or mind going blank
    ▪ irritability
    ▪ muscle tension
    ▪ sleep disturbance
  • Symptoms are present at least 50% of days for at least 6 months
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Three-quarters of people with an anxiety disorder meet the diagnostic criteria for

A

at least one other psychological disorder

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Why are women more likely to experience anxiety disorders than men?

A

Possible reasons include higher rates of trauma (e.g., sexual assault), gender roles, lower perceived control, greater neuroticism, and more biological reactivity to stress.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

How do gender roles affect anxiety treatment?

A

Men may feel more social pressure to face fears, which aligns with exposure-based treatments, potentially reducing reported anxiety.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What is taijin kyofusho?

A

A Japanese anxiety-related syndrome involving fear of embarrassing or offending others, distinct for its focus on others’ feelings.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
How does culture shape anxiety disorders?
Culture influences what people fear and how symptoms are expressed (e.g., kayak-angst in Greenland, dhat syndrome in South Asia).
26
How does income inequality relate to anxiety disorders?
Countries with higher income inequality have higher rates of anxiety, possibly due to increased social comparison and insecurity.
27
Influences That Increase General Risk for Anxiety Disorders
- Cultural and cross-national influences: exposure to war, persecution, and income inequality - Behavioral conditioning (classical and operant conditioning) - Genetic vulnerability - Disturbances in the activity of the amygdala, the medial prefrontal cortex, and other brain regions involved in processing fear and emotion - Decreased functioning of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and serotonin; increased norepinephrine activity - Behavioral inhibition - Neuroticism - Cognitive influences, including sustained negative beliefs, perceived lack of control, overattention to cues of threat, and intolerance of uncertainty
28
Mowrer’s two-factor model suggests two steps in the development of an anxiety disorder
1. Through classical conditioning (see Chapter 1), a person learns to fear a neutral stimulus (the conditioned stimulus, or CS) that is paired with an intrinsically aversive stimulus (the unconditioned stimulus, or UCS). 2. A person gains relief by avoiding the CS. Through operant conditioning (also discussed in Chapter 1), this avoidant response is maintained because it is reinforcing (it reduces fear).
29
What are two main problems with Mowrer’s original two-factor model?
(1) Many people with anxiety disorders don’t recall a triggering event; (2) Many people exposed to trauma don’t develop anxiety disorders.
30
What are three ways fear can be learned, besides direct experience?
Modeling, verbal instruction, and indirect observation.
31
What is a key difference in fear extinction between people with and without anxiety disorders?
People with anxiety disorders show slower extinction of conditioned fears.
32
What kind of threats are people with anxiety disorders especially sensitive to?
Unpredictable, diffuse, or remote threats.
33
What is the NPU threat task used for?
To measure responses to neutral, predictable, and unpredictable threats—people with anxiety disorders show heightened response to unpredictable threats.
34
What does genetic research reveal about anxiety disorders and their heritability?
Twin studies estimate heritability of anxiety disorders at 50–60%, meaning genetics account for about half the risk. Some genes increase risk across multiple anxiety disorders (e.g., phobias linked to other disorders). Other genes may be specific to one disorder type. Genetic vulnerability to GAD overlaps with major depressive disorder. This vulnerability is partly explained by higher neuroticism, which predicts both depression and multiple anxiety disorders.
35
What brain region is most associated with assigning emotional significance to stimuli and shows increased activity in people with anxiety disorders?
Amygdala — Think of it as the brain’s "alarm system." In anxiety, it’s on high alert.
36
How is the connection between the medial prefrontal cortex and the amygdala different in people with anxiety disorders?
It’s weaker, making it harder to regulate and extinguish fear. 🧠 Mnemonic tip: "PFC = Parent For Control" → weaker parental (PFC) control = overactive amygdala.
36
What role does the medial prefrontal cortex play in anxiety regulation?
It helps regulate the amygdala, extinguish fears, and process anxiety consciously — activity here is lower in those with anxiety disorders.
37
Name 3 other brain regions involved in threat processing and anxiety disorders and their roles.
- Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC): Focuses attention, anticipates threat. - Insula: Processes body signals (e.g., heart racing). - Bed nucleus of the stria terminalis: Extended part of amygdala, also responds to threats. 🧠 Think: Attention (ACC), Inner body (Insula), Backup fear system (Bed nucleus).
38
Which brain area encodes the context in which fear occurs?
The hippocampus — it helps tag where the fear happened. Useful in PTSD discussions.
39
What 3 neurotransmitters are key in anxiety disorders, and what are their roles?
Serotonin: Regulates mood/threat response GABA: Calms brain activity (especially in the amygdala) Norepinephrine: Activates fight-or-flight 🧪 Quick tip: Serotonin = Steady GABA = Grounded Norepinephrine = Nervous energy
40
What imaging studies support neurotransmitter roles in anxiety?
PET and SPECT scans show disruptions in serotonin and GABA, plus heightened norepinephrine activity and receptor sensitivity.
41
What are two major personality traits linked to anxiety disorders?
Neuroticism: Tendency to experience frequent, intense negative emotions. Predicts anxiety and depression. Behavioral inhibition: A temperament seen in infants (e.g., crying to new stimuli), strongly predicts social anxiety disorder later. 🍼 Study tip: Think of a neurotic baby who avoids toys = high risk of anxiety.
42
How much more likely are behaviorally inhibited infants to develop social anxiety disorder?
3.79× more likely by adolescence. Also: 45% of highly inhibited infants showed anxiety by age 7 vs. 15% of low-inhibited ones.
43
What 4 cognitive styles contribute to anxiety disorders?
1 Negative beliefs about the future ("I’ll die if my heart races") 2 Perceived lack of control 3 Intolerance of uncertainty 4 Attention to threat
44
How do safety behaviors maintain negative beliefs?
They prevent disconfirmation. E.g., avoiding activity during panic = belief "it saved me" persists. Even after 100 attacks, the fear stays because behavior reinforces the thought.
45
What life experiences increase anxiety via lack of perceived control?
- Childhood trauma, abuse, punitive parenting - Severe recent life events - Lack of mastery over feared object (e.g., dogs after bite) 🐒 Bonus Study Tip: In a monkey study, no control = anxious monkeys later in life.
46
What does intolerance of uncertainty predict?
Anxiety disorders, MDD, and OCD. These individuals can’t tolerate ambiguity—“What if something bad happens?”
47
How do anxious individuals process threatening cues?
Hyper-attentive to threats (even unconsciously) Struggle to disengage from them
48
How do biological and psychosocial factors interact in anxiety disorders?
- Fear conditioning + slowed extinction = central mechanisms - Traits like neuroticism and childhood adversity → ↑ amygdala activity - That, in turn, slows extinction and worsens anxiety 🧬 Summary: It's all connected—biology + behavior + life experience shape the disorder.
49
What personality trait is a strong predictor of anxiety and depression?
neuroticism
50
What early-life trait involves being distressed by new stimuli and is linked to social anxiety?
behavioral inhibition
51
This concept explains how people may develop fears without direct trauma, due to evolutionary biology.
Prepared Learning
52
Intolerance of Uncertainty
The tendency to interpret ambiguous situations as dangerous and worry about possible outcomes.
53
Alex avoids public speaking after freezing during a presentation. Over time, even thinking about speaking causes anxiety. What model explains this?
Two-Factor Model (Classical + Operant Conditioning)
54
Mia avoids looking people in the eye and stands far away at parties. What are these behaviors called, and what disorder are they associated with?
Safety behaviors; Social Anxiety Disorder
55
Jake has an intense fear of spiders but can’t recall any trauma. What might explain how he developed this phobia?
Prepared Learning or Forgotten Conditioning Experience
56
Ella blushes in a meeting and instantly thinks, “Everyone thinks I’m incompetent.” What cognitive process is this?
Harsh self-evaluation / Negative automatic thought
57
Why might someone not develop a phobia after a traumatic event?
Due to protective factors like low neuroticism, less fear conditioning sensitivity, or strong cognitive coping skills.
58
How does avoidance interfere with overcoming fear in phobias and social anxiety?
Avoidance prevents exposure, which means fear isn't extinguished and belief in danger stays unchallenged.
59
Why might people with social anxiety struggle in conversation even when they know what to say?
They're overly focused on internal cues (e.g., heart rate, blushing), which disrupts attention to others and impairs performance.
60
How does evolution explain common phobia targets like snakes or heights?
These were historically life-threatening; our ancestors who feared them were more likely to survive, so we inherited this sensitivity (Prepared Learning).
61
How do cognitive, behavioral, and genetic factors interact in social anxiety disorder
Genetic vulnerability (e.g., behavioral inhibition) may lead to anxiety → interferes with developing social skills and confidence → leads to fear of judgment → avoidance increases anxiety → focus on internal states interferes with social interaction → perpetuates the disorder.
62
What neurobiological structure plays a key role in panic disorder, and how?
The locus coeruleus, which releases norepinephrine. Surges in norepinephrine trigger sympathetic activation (e.g., heart racing), and in panic disorder, this response is exaggerated, potentially triggering panic attacks.
63
What is interoceptive conditioning in panic disorder?
Panic attacks become classically conditioned to internal bodily sensations (e.g., rapid breathing or heart rate). These sensations are feared because they have been paired with panic before, creating a persistent cycle.
64
What cognitive pattern drives panic disorder according to Clark’s model?
People catastrophically misinterpret normal bodily sensations (e.g., “My heart is racing → I’m having a heart attack”), which increases anxiety and creates a self-reinforcing loop of fear and panic.
65
What is anxiety sensitivity and why is it important in panic disorder?
It’s the fear of bodily sensations related to anxiety. High anxiety sensitivity predicts panic attacks and can be measured with the Anxiety Sensitivity Index, which correlates with genetic risk and long-term onset of panic disorder.
66
What do carbon dioxide studies reveal about panic disorder and cognition?
People warned about the effects of CO₂ are less likely to panic. This supports the idea that catastrophic beliefs, not just bodily changes, are key triggers of panic attacks.
67
What does the contrast avoidance model say about worry in GAD?
People with GAD worry to avoid sharp emotional contrasts (e.g., calm → sudden fear). Sustained worry maintains a stable, though unpleasant, emotional state they prefer over unpredictability.
68
How does worry affect emotional reactivity to stressors in GAD?
Worry reduces the volatility of emotional reactions. People who worry before a stressor experience smaller mood shifts afterward, supporting the idea that worry serves an emotional “buffering” function.
69
What shared cognitive trait contributes to both panic disorder and GAD?
Intolerance of emotional volatility. People with panic or GAD often find bodily/emotional unpredictability very aversive, leading to worry (GAD) or catastrophic misinterpretation (panic)
70
What is the common core element across effective psychological treatments for anxiety disorders?
Exposure—facing feared stimuli to reduce avoidance and extinguish fear responses
71
What does an “exposure hierarchy” in CBT involve?
A graded list of anxiety triggers ranked by difficulty, used to guide gradual exposure in therapy.
72
How does exposure therapy help from a behavioral and a cognitive perspective?
Behaviorally, it extinguishes fear responses. Cognitively, it challenges beliefs about threat and coping ability.
73
How is exposure therapy adapted for panic disorder and agoraphobia?
Panic disorder: Exposure to bodily sensations (e.g., rapid breathing). Agoraphobia: Gradual exposure to feared public situations, often with partner support.
74
What emerging or supplemental methods enhance CBT for anxiety?
Virtual reality, internet-based CBT, mindfulness/acceptance techniques, and the Unified Protocol.
75
What are the main types of anxiolytics, and why are SSRIs/SNRIs preferred over benzodiazepines?
SSRIs and SNRIs are effective and have fewer long-term risks. Benzodiazepines can be addictive and cause cognitive/motor side effects. SSRIs/SNRIs may cause mild side effects but are generally safer.

Clinical psychology (7 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions