characteristics of phobias

Question 1

define phobias

Answer 1

excessive fear and anxiety triggered by an object, place or situation. the extent of the fear is out of proportion to any real danger presented by the phobic stimulus

Question 2

list and describe the three categories of phobias in the dsm

Answer 2

specific phobia (animal or object or body part etc), social anxiety (speaking in public, big crowds etc) and agoraphobia (phobia of being outside or in a public place)

Question 3

list the three behavioural characteristics of phobias

Answer 3

panic, avoidance and endurance

Question 4

describe panic as a behavioural characteristic of phobias

Answer 4

a phobic person may panic in response to the presence of the phobic stimulus. panic may involve a range of behaviours such as crying, screaming or running away

Question 5

describe avoidance as a behavioural characteristic of phobias

Answer 5

phobia sufferers will avoid the phobia stimulus. this can interfere with everyday life

Question 6

what are the three types of characteristics of phobias

Answer 6

behavioural, emotional and cognitive

Question 7

describe endurance as a behavioural characteristic of phobias

Answer 7

alternative to avoidance. some sufferers will remain in the presence of their feet and endure the high levels of anxiety

Question 8

why are phobias classed as anxiety disorders

Answer 8

as they involve an emotional repsonse

Question 9

define anxiety

Answer 9

an unpleasant state of high stress and arousal

Question 10

how is anxiety experience with phobias

Answer 10

response to phobic stimulus go beyond what is reasonable, persistent excessive unreasonable feelings cued by exposure to stimulus

Question 11

list the 4 cognitive characteristics of phobias

Answer 11

irrational beliefs, cognitive distortion? selected attention, self awareness

Question 12

describe irrational beliefs as a cognitive characteristic of phobias

Answer 12

phobic people struggle to be rational face to face with their phobia.

Question 13

describe cognitive distortion as a cognitive characteristic of phobias

Answer 13

people’s perceptions may be distorted, may think the stimulus is more dangerous than it is

Question 14

describe selected attention as a cognitive characteristic of phobias

Answer 14

a sufferer may find it hard to look away, because they feel by keeping their attention on their fear they have the best chance of reacting quickly to it

Question 15

describe self awareness as a cognitive characteristic of phobias

Answer 15

people with a phobia know that their fear responses are irrational and unreasonable but still can’t do anything about it