characteristics of phobias Flashcards
Phobia
An irrational fear of an object or a situation
Behavioural
Ways in which people act
Emotional
Related to a person’s feelings or mood
Cognitive
Refers to the process of knowing, including thinking, reasoning, remembering and believing
What are all phobias characterised by?
Excessive fear and anxiety triggered by an object, place or situation. Fear is out of proportion to any real danger presented by the phobic stimulus
Specific phobia
Phobia of an object, such as an animal or body part, or a situation such as flying or having an injection
Social phobia
Phobia of a social situation such as public speaking or using a public toilet
Agoraphobia
Phobia of being outside or in a public place
Panic
May involve a range of behaviours including crying, screaming or running away
Children may react differently eg freezing, clinging or having a tantrum
Avoidance
A lot of effort to prevent coming into contact with the phobic stimulus
Endurance
Person chooses to remain in the presence of the phobic stimulus
Emotional characteristics
Anxiety - unpleasant state of high arousal
Fear - immediate unpleasant response and we encounter a phobic stimulus - intense but shorter lived than anxiety
Emotional response is unreasonable
Behavioural characteristics
Avoidance
Endurance
Panic
Cognitive characteristics
Selective attention to the phobic stimulus - cannot look away from it
Irrational beliefs - unfounded thoughts in relation to phobic stimulus
Cognitive distortions - inaccurate and unrealistic
