Phobias Flashcards
Phobia
extreme, irrational fear leading to intense anxiety and avoidance of an object or situation. extent of fear out of proportion to any danged posed by phobic stimulus
types of phobias (DSM)
specific phobia –> object (e.g. clowns) or situation (e.g. flying)
social phobia –> fear of a social situation (e.g. public speaking or eating in front of others)
agoraphobia –> environmental fear of being outside or in a public space
emotional characteristics of phobias
fear –> marked, persistent, excessive and unreasonable
anxiety –> unpleasant state of high arousal
behavioural characteristics of phobias
avoidanceof fear (unless trying to face fear), which then interferes with normal life
panic in response to phobic object/situation –> may lead to crying, freezing, or running away (F/F/F, mainly latter two)
endurance –> alternative to avoidance, where person chooses to stay in presence of phobic stimulus even while anxious as they are able to monitor it.
cognitive characteristics of phobias
irrational beliefs
selective attention to phobic stimulus
Cognitive distortions
2 process model explaining phobias (Mowrer)
states phobias are learned through classical conditioning and maintained through operant conditioning
how are phobias learned through CC?
we learn to associate something we are not initially afraid of (NS) with something that causes a natural fear response (UCS=UCR) which results in a fear of the original NS (now a CR)
how is a phobia maintained through +ve reinforcement
if given attention when showing fear of stimulus, fear response reinforced (rewarded) so is likely to be repeated and maintained
how is a phobia maintained through -ve reinforcement?
when we avoid feared stimulus, we don’t feel anxious so avoidant behaviour is repeated (-ve feeling is removed)
2 treatments of phobias
systematic desensitisation
flooding
systematic desensitisation psychologist and definition
Joseph Wolpe (1950s)
reducing or eliminating fears/phobias by substituting a new, contradictory response or relaxation that prevents anxiety response
reciprocal inhibition
idea that two opposing emotions cannot occur at the same time
3 steps of SD
1.anxiety hierarchy of feared stimulus created
2.deep relaxation techniques taught to client
3.progressive exposure to each stimulus on hierarchy until no fear shown
two means of exposure in SD
in vivo (in real life)
in vitro (through imagination and visualisation)
flooding
immediate prolonged exposure to extreme phobic stimulus until anxiety has been extinguished (exhaustion)
3 strengths of SD
evidence of its effectiveness –> Gilroy found that 3 and 33 months after treatment, those treated with SD showed less fear than those who’d just been treated with relaxation and no exposure –> quick and long-lasting
less ethical issues than flooding and often preferred by clients as less traumatic. relaxation procedures also pleasant
works well with other treatments –> many phobics also struggle with anxiety or depression. these can often be treated together as when anxiety treated, phobia easier to confront so results in less anxiety etc.
3 weaknesses of SD
ignores deeper psychological/emotional issues that may cause it, treating symptoms not cause (Wolpe study with women with insect phobia where SD didn’t work)
evidence that flooding is more effective –> suggests SD not the best treatment for phobias
potentially time-consuming and requires commitment and motivation
3 strengths of flooding
highly effective –> Kapli (2011) - 65% phobic patients showed no symptoms 4 years after receiving 1 flooding session –> suggesting good treatment
quick, cost-effective –> Ourgin, comparing flooding and cognitive therapies found flooding more effective and quicker
Marks –> people with specific phobias can lose fear after just three sessions –> very efficient
2 strengths of behavioural explanation of phobias
supported by Watson and Raynor (Little Albert)
practical applications, important for therapies –> explains why people must be exposed to stimulus and prevented from avoiding it as this prevents reinforcement of fear
3 weaknesses of behavioural explanation of phobias
may be incomplete (another theory is…) –> Bounton –> evolutionary factors likely part of phobias but aren’t in the model; innate predisposition for some fears but not others (genome lag)
may not be valid: research into phobia origins shows many phobias didn’t have traumatic event associated –> Menzies and Clarke found only 2% of children with water phobia had direct traumatic conditioning effect with water –> however may be indirect
can’t explain all symptoms of phobias, e.g. cognitive characteristics like irrational thoughts – may not be entirely valid
evaluate SD (6 points)
1.evidence of effectiveness –> Gilroy (3 and 33 months) –> long-lasting
2.acceptable for clients, less ethical issues
3.can be used with other treatments –> upward spiral
4.ignores deeper psychological and emotional issues that may be causing phobia (treats symptoms not cause)–> Wolpe with insect phobic
5.evidence flooding more effective
6.potentially time-consuming and requires commitment and motivation
Explanation of phobias evaluation
Rats and apps predispose origin of symptoms
SD evaluation
Gilroy’s ethical causes of flooding time
Flooding evaluation
Kaplin’s cheap and specific ethics are complex
