Lecture 3 - Introduction to anxiety disorders, specific phobia and social anxiety disorder

Question 1

Anxiety

Answer 1

A mood state characterized by strong negative emotions and physical symptoms of tension in anticipation of future danger or misfortune.

Question 2

Anxiety Disorders

Answer 2

A group of mental illnesses where the primary symptom is excessive or unrealistic anxiety and fearfulness, disproportionate to the actual threat.

Question 3

Specific Phobia

Answer 3

An excessive, unreasonable, and persistent fear of a specific object or situation.

Question 4

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)

Answer 4

Fear of social situations or interactions where negative evaluation is possible, leading to overwhelming anxiety.

Question 5

Co-morbidity

Answer 5

The presence of one or more additional medical or psychological disorders co-occurring with a primary condition.

Question 6

Displacement (in psychology)

Answer 6

A defense mechanism where emotions or impulses are redirected from their original target to a less threatening substitute.

Question 7

Oedipus Complex

Answer 7

In psychoanalytic theory, a stage of psychosexual development (phallic stage) where a child develops unconscious sexual desires for the opposite-sex parent and rivalry with the same-sex parent.

Question 8

Castration Anxiety

Answer 8

In psychoanalytic theory, an irrational fear in boys that their father will castrate them as punishment for their desire for their mother.

Question 9

Conditioning

Answer 9

A learning process where a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a meaningful stimulus, eliciting a specific response.

Question 10

Mowrer’s Two-Factor Model

Answer 10

A theory of phobia development that suggests fear is acquired through classical conditioning and maintained through operant conditioning.

Question 11

Biological Preparedness

Answer 11

The theory that humans are predisposed to fear certain stimuli that posed threats to our ancestors, facilitating survival.

Question 12

Non-Associative Fear Acquisition

Answer 12

The development of fear towards biologically relevant stimuli without prior learning or conditioning.

Question 13

Habituation

Answer 13

A decrease in response to a stimulus after repeated exposure.

Question 14

Amygdala

Answer 14

A brain structure involved in processing emotions, particularly fear and anxiety.

Question 15

Exposure Therapies

Answer 15

Therapeutic approaches based on principles of classical conditioning, involving gradual or sudden exposure to feared stimuli to reduce anxiety.

Question 16

Counterconditioning

Answer 16

A technique where a feared stimulus is paired with a positive stimulus to reduce the fear response.

Question 17

Systematic Desensitization

Answer 17

A type of exposure therapy where individuals are gradually exposed to a hierarchy of fear-inducing stimuli while practicing relaxation techniques.

Question 18

Flooding

Answer 18

A type of exposure therapy where individuals are directly exposed to the most feared stimulus for a prolonged period, preventing avoidance and promoting extinction of the fear response.

Question 19

Cognitive Therapy Techniques

Answer 19

Therapeutic approaches focusing on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and beliefs that contribute to anxiety.

Question 20

Cognitive Restructuring

Answer 20

A cognitive therapy technique that involves identifying and challenging negative or distorted thoughts and replacing them with more realistic and helpful ones.

Question 21

Self-Focused Attention

Answer 21

A tendency to focus inward on oneself and one’s anxiety responses during social situations, exacerbating anxiety.

Question 22

Information and Interpretation Bias

Answer 22

A cognitive bias where individuals selectively attend to and interpret information in a way that confirms their existing beliefs or anxieties.

Question 23

Selective Attention

Answer 23

The process of focusing on specific stimuli while ignoring others, often influenced by anxiety or fear.

Question 24

Behavioural Inhibition (BI)

Answer 24

A temperamental trait characterized by distress and withdrawal from unfamiliar situations, people, or environments, often considered a precursor to social anxiety.

Question 25

Safety Behaviours

Answer 25

Actions or strategies used by individuals with anxiety to avoid or minimize perceived threats, often maintaining or exacerbating anxiety in the long run.

Question 26

Modeling Behaviours

Answer 26

Learning by observing and imitating the behaviour of others, particularly influential figures like parents.

Question 27

Social Skills Training

Answer 27

A therapeutic approach that teaches individuals with social anxiety specific social skills and techniques to improve their interactions and reduce anxiety.

Question 28

Pharmacological Treatment

Answer 28

The use of medications to treat mental health conditions, such as anxiety disorders.

Question 29

Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs)

Answer 29

A class of antidepressants that block the enzyme monoamine oxidase, increasing levels of neurotransmitters like serotonin and norepinephrine.

Question 30

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)

Answer 30

A class of antidepressants that block the reuptake of serotonin, increasing serotonin levels in the brain.

Question 31

What are the three components of fear and anxiety, and how do they differ in fear and anxiety responses?

Answer 31

The three components are: Cognitive/subjective (“I am in danger!” for fear, “I am worried about what might happen” for anxiety), Physiological (increased heart rate and sweating for fear, tension and chronic overarousal for anxiety), and Behavioural (desire to escape for fear, general avoidance for anxiety). Fear responses are immediate and focused on the present threat, while anxiety responses are future-oriented and involve anticipation and worry.

Question 32

Briefly explain Freud’s psychoanalytic explanation of phobia development using the case of Little Hans.

Answer 32

Freud believed phobias represented repressed id urges displaced onto symbolic external objects. In Little Hans’ case, his fear of horses was interpreted as a displacement of his Oedipal desire for his mother and fear of castration by his father, symbolized by the powerful horse.

Question 33

Explain Mowrer’s two-factor model and its relevance to understanding phobias.

Answer 33

Mowrer’s two-factor model proposes that phobias are acquired through classical conditioning (pairing a neutral stimulus with a fear-inducing one) and maintained through operant conditioning (avoidance of the feared stimulus reducing anxiety, reinforcing the avoidance behaviour).

Question 34

How does the “biological preparedness” theory explain the development of specific phobias?

Answer 34

Biological preparedness suggests that humans have evolved to quickly develop fears towards stimuli that posed threats to our ancestors (e.g., snakes, spiders), as this enhanced survival. These innate predispositions make us more susceptible to developing phobias related to these evolutionarily relevant threats.

Question 35

Describe the two pathways in the brain involved in detecting danger and triggering fear responses, highlighting the differences between them.

Answer 35

The fast, direct route (Evolved Fear Module) sends sensory information directly to the amygdala, triggering immediate fear responses. The slower, indirect route involves processing information through the cortex, allowing conscious evaluation of the threat before triggering a fear response if deemed necessary. People with specific phobias tend to have an overactive direct route.

Question 36

What are the core principles of exposure therapies, and how do they aim to reduce fear and anxiety?

Answer 36

Exposure therapies are based on the principle of habituation, where repeated exposure to the feared stimulus in a safe environment leads to a decrease in fear. They aim to break the cycle of avoidance and fear by promoting direct confrontation with the feared object or situation.

Question 37

Differentiate between systematic desensitization and flooding as exposure therapy techniques.

Answer 37

Systematic desensitization involves gradual exposure to a hierarchy of fear-inducing stimuli while practicing relaxation techniques, whereas flooding involves prolonged and intense exposure to the most feared stimulus, preventing avoidance and promoting rapid extinction.

Question 38

What are some common cognitive factors that contribute to social anxiety disorder?

Answer 38

Cognitive factors contributing to SAD include self-focused attention (excessive focus on one’s anxiety responses), negative self-evaluation, information and interpretation bias (selectively attending to and interpreting information in a negative way), and difficulty processing positive social feedback.

Question 39

How can parental behaviour and interactions influence the development of social anxiety in children?

Answer 39

Parents can influence SAD development through direct instruction (teaching children that social situations are threatening), modeling behaviours (demonstrating avoidance and safety behaviours), and their interactive style (overly controlling or critical parenting can increase anxiety).

Question 40

Briefly describe two types of pharmacological treatments used for social anxiety disorder and their mechanisms of action.

Answer 40

MAOIs block the enzyme monoamine oxidase, increasing levels of neurotransmitters like serotonin and norepinephrine. SSRIs specifically block the reuptake of serotonin, increasing serotonin levels in the brain. Both classes of medications help regulate mood and reduce anxiety.