Phobias

Question 1

What are phobias?

Answer 1

Phobias are an irrational or excessive fear and anxiety of an object, place, or situation.
* The fear experienced is out of proportion to any real danger presented by the phobic stimulus.
* Phobia are classified as anxiety disorders.

Question 2

What are the behavioural characterstics of phobias?

Answer 2

• Panic- A range of behaviours in repsonse to the phobic stimulus, such as crying, running way, freezing.
• Avoidance- Go to a lot of effort to avoid coming into contact with the phobic stimulus or a situation lilkely to present the phobic stimilucs.
• Endurance- Remains in the presence of the phobic stimuli but continues to experience high levels of anxiety, usually when its unavoidable.

Question 3

What are the emotional characterstics of phobias?

Answer 3

• Fear- An immediate and extremely unpleasant response to the phobic stimulus.
• Anxiety- An unpleasant state of high arousal in a situation associated with the phobic stimulus, which prevents them from relaxing and experiencing positive emotions. This is longer term.

Question 4

What are the cognitive characteristics of phobias?

Answer 4

• Selective attention to phobic stimulus - keeping your focus and attention on the phobic stimulus, finding it difficult to focus on other things.
• Irrational beliefs - holding irrational beliefs in relation to the phobic stimulus.
• Cognitive distortions - perceptions of the phobic stimulus may be distorted.

Question 5

What is the behaviourist explanation for phobias?

Answer 5

Mower’s Two-Process Model of Phobias: Hobart Mower (1960) proposes an explanation for depression based on the behaviourist approach.

Question 6

What does the Two-Process Model say about how phobias come about?

Answer 6

Phobias are acquired by classical conditioning and maintained through operant conditioning. These are the two ‘processes’ in his model.