Characteristics of Phobias Flashcards
Behavioural characteristics of Phobias
Panic: The person might panic in the presence of the phobic object. They might show behaviours such as crying, running, screaming, freezing, fainting, collapsing, or vomiting.
Avoidance: The person with a phobia may avoid going to places where the phobic object could be encountered. This can interfere with the person’s normal daily life.
Endurance – The person may remain in the presence of the phobic object
frozen and unable to move
Emotional characteristics of Phobias
Fear: Feelings of terror/feeling scared in the presence of the phobic object.
Anxiety: When they encounter their phobic object the person with a phobia experiences feelings of worry/distress and is uncertain and apprehensive about what is going to happen next.
Cognitive characteristics of phobias
Irrational Beliefs: The person’s thoughts about their phobia do not make logical sense, and they will resist rational arguments that counter it. For example someone who is scared of flying will not listen to the fact that, “flying is the safest form of transport.”
Distorted Perceptions: People with a phobia perceive their phobic object in a way that is not consistent with reality. For example, a person with arachnophobia may view a small spider as huge and threatening.
Selective Attention: When the person encounters the phobic object, they will become fixated on it because of their irrational beliefs about the danger posed.
What is a phobia
A mental disorder characterised by high levels of anxiety in response to a stimulus. The anxiety interferes with normal living
