lec 2

Question 1

Anxiety as a basic emotion

Answer 1

Normal response to danger or thoughts
Has multiple subsystems
Cognitive
Behavioural
Physiological – part of ANS

Question 2

anxiety as a personality dimension
trait and association

Answer 2

Trait anxiety (People can be more prone to experiencing anxiety than others)
Positively associated with psychopathology (psychological disorders)
STAI-T shown to have 2 factors (state trait anxiety inventory)
Depression & Anxiety

Question 3

nature of anxiety

Answer 3

Cognitive and physiological preparation for future threats
Important to distinguish anxiety from other emotional states

Question 4

Content specificity hypothesis:

Answer 4

Different emotions have different content of thought and coping behaviours

Question 5

Cognitive & Somatic Anxiety: state anxiety Endler, Parker, Bagby & Cox (1991
dimensions

Answer 5

Large factor analysis– 2 dimensions of state-anxiety:
Cognitive (worry) - chain of negative, repetitive thoughts that start w “what if” question
Temporal dimension: future oriented
State anxiety has Autonomic component (emotional/physiological)
Cognitive component is more disruptive than emotional component

Question 6

causal factors - MZ & neuroticism

Answer 6

MZ Twin studies of Neuroticism = approx 25% variance in neuroticism due to genetic factors.
No reliable differences between high and low anxious-trait individuals in physiology
However: reliable cognitive differences

Question 7

Cognitive factors in anxiety: attention

Answer 7

Trait anxiety positively correlated with selective attention to threat stimuli:

Trait anxiety stronger predictor of attention than state anxiety (how we’re feeling)

Question 8

state anxiety and performance
+ test anxiety

Answer 8

State anxiety impacts performance more than trait anxiety (Eysenck, 1982).
State anxiety most detrimental in certain tasks (difficult, short-term memory tasks, dual tasks
test-anxiety: worry component linked to performance decrement more than somatic component

Question 9

Anxiety & attention bias
- stroop task

Answer 9

Trait anxiety and anxiety disorder show robust effects on attention.
Stroop Task:
arachniphobes presented 3 words: Phobics paid more attention to fear related words; bias towards fear stimuli

Question 10

dot probe task

Answer 10

Word pairs (threat and non-threat), follow by a dot probe in the same position as one of them.
Trait- anxious and anxious patient’s focus on threat word (e.g., MacLeod & Mathews,

Question 11

homophone spelling
+ who did study

Answer 11

Listen to words with 2 alternative meanings
Trait-anxious (those prone to anxiety) wrote threatening word (Eysenck, MacLeod & Mathews, 1987).

Question 12

Explanation of bias:
Williams et al (1988) Processing Stage Theory

Answer 12

Anxiety effecting automatic processing leading to bias
Anxiety is viewed a bottom up process

Stimulus input (threat) -> state effect -> trait effect

Question 13

Explanation of bias:
Eysenck (1992)
Hypervigilance Theory

Answer 13

Trait anxious scan environment for threat excessively and lock onto it
Unclear if this theory is bottom up or top down
Unclear if anxiety in this model is automatic or strategic

Question 14

Wells & Matthews (1994) S-REF Theory (self-regulatory executive functioning)

Answer 14

Anxiety associated with activation of Cognitive Attentional Syndrome (CAS)
CAS involves self-focus, worry, monitoring for threat and ironic coping responses (bias is a consequence of coping strategy)
First model to have both bottom-up and top-down process
Metacognitive beliefs drive and maintain CAS
Can link model back to trait anxiety

Question 15

S-REF and Trait anxiety

Answer 15

S-REF:similarities between disorders are important than the differences

Question 16

Metacognitive beliefs as a central factor in state/trait emotion & mechanism?
Nordahl

Answer 16

Metacognitive beliefs: Beliefs people hold about their thinking
Metacognitive beliefs predicted proneness to both domains of trait anxiety (anxiety and depression subscale)
metacognitive beliefs may be an underlying mechanism of vulnerability attributed to trait-anxiety

Question 17

anxiety disorders

Answer 17

–Specific phobia:
cluster around animals or objects
Panic attacks
Sudden increase in anxiety
Symptoms: Increased HR, sweating, dizziness, nausea, shortness of breath
Immediate sense of catastrophe
–Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Characterized by excessive worry
Chain of negative thinking that’s future oriented

Question 18

OCD & Related disorders
- obsession

Answer 18

Intrusive thought (image or urge)
Ego-dystonic  seen as disgusting/abhorrent
80% of people have ego-dystonic thoughts but doesn’t lead to disorder

Question 19

complusion

Answer 19

Overt or covert reaction
Aim is to decrease distress

Question 20

Acute Stress
Disorder

Answer 20

Within 4 weeks of exposure to trauma
Symptoms
i.e. memory difficulties, increased arousal
Normal response - Decreases within 4 weeks
Difficulties persist  Post traumatic stress disorder

Question 21

PTSD

Answer 21

Occurs after a trauma (experienced, witnessed)
Multiple types (complex PTSD, Delayed onset PTSD: experience it months/years after trauma)
DSM-V Criteria
Recurrent memories; flashbacks; marked physiological reactions
Avoidance (memories, thoughts, people, places etc)
Alternation in cognition and mood associated with trauma (amnesia, negative beliefs/mood,loss of interest;detachment)

Question 22

Social anxiety disorder (SAD)

Answer 22

Fear of performance or social situations in which person is subject to scrutiny
Exposure almost invariably causes anxiety
The situation is avoided or endured with intense anxiety/distress
Common symptoms: sweating, shaking, blushing, blank mind, fear of humiliation

Question 23

cognitive behaviours model (Clark & Wells, 1995)
of SAD

Answer 23

Draws on Beck’s schema theory and cognitive model by Wells
Coping responses and cognitive processes not deficits are central to anxiety maintenance

Question 24

Clark&Wells model - Why doesn’t social anxiety self correct

Answer 24

Self-focused attention
Processing of inner image
Safety behaviours & avoidance
Anticipatory processing
The post mortem

Question 25

description of clark and Wells model

Answer 25

Model distinguishes between vulnerability factors and in-situation factors.
It is assumed the person with social anxiety has underlying beliefs or assumptions about the social world,
This leads to negative thoughts in social situations.

Question 26

Anticipatory processing and post mortem
(clark and Wells)

Answer 26

Anticipatory - happens before entering feared situation
Hours or days ahead
Difficulty in having an experience that challenges negativity

post-mortem:
Upon leaving a feared situation
Ruminate and analyze their performance
Reinforces negative inner image even if the interaction was positive
Rumination biases cognition and maintains anxiety