phobias

Question 1

define ‘phobia’

Answer 1

an anxiety disorder which involves an extreme and irrational fear towards something that may cause panic attacks and affects everyday life

Question 2

state the 5 different categories for phobias

Answer 2

• animal
• natural environment
• blood/infection/injury
• situational
• other

Question 3

describe the diagnostic criteria for a phobia

Answer 3

• persistent fear triggered by anticipation
• exposure provokes anxiety response
• recognises that the fear is unreasonable
• situation is avoided
• affects daily routine

Question 4

describe the acquisition of a phobia through classical conditioning

Answer 4

• associating a negative experience with a previously neutral stimulus
• likely to happen through one trial learning

Question 5

describe the maintenance of a phobia through operant conditioning

Answer 5

• avoids phobia through negative reinforcement e.g. avoiding public speaking
• avoids phobia through positive reinforcement e.g. running away from a spider

Question 6

what is a weakness for operant conditioning explaining phobias

Answer 6

does not suggest how to extinguish them

Question 7

how does social learning explain the acquisition of phobias

Answer 7

• observing and imitating a role model who has a phobia
• vicarious learning; watching a parent run away from a spider and feel better