Characteristics of Phobias

Question 1

What are the 3 behavioural characteristics of phobias?

Answer 1

Panic, Avoidance and Endurance

Question 2

Explain Panic

Answer 2

The patient suffers from heightened psychological arousal upon exposure to the phobic stimulus, caused by the hypothalamus triggering increased levels of activity in the sympathetic branch of autonomic nervous system

Question 3

Explain Avoidance

Answer 3

Avoidance is negatively reinforced (in classical conditioning) because its carried out to avoid the unpleasant consequence of exposure to the phobic stimulus. Avoidance severly impacts the patients ability to continue with their day to day lives

Question 4

Explain Endurance

Answer 4

Happens when the patient remains exposed to the phobic stimulus for an extended period of time, but also experiences heightened levels of anxiety

Question 5

What are the emotional characteristics towards phobias?

Answer 5

Anxiety and an unawareness that the anxiety is irrational

Question 6

What are the cognitive characteristics towards phobias

Answer 6

Selective attention, Irrational beliefs and cognitive distortions

Question 7

Explain Selective attention

Answer 7

The patient remains focussed on the phobic stimulus, even when it causes anxiety. This is the result of irrational thoughts or cognitive distortions

Question 8

Explain irrational beliefs

Answer 8

The cause of unreasonable responses of anxiety towards the phobic stimulus du to the patients incorrect perception of fear

Question 9

Explain cognitive distortions

Answer 9

The patient doesn’t perceive the phobic stimulus accurately therefore it often appears irrational