phobias

Question 1

define phobia

Answer 1

an uncontrollable, irrational fear that causes extreme anxiety

Question 2

what are the 3 types of phobias?

Answer 2

• simple
• social
• agoraphobia

Question 3

define simple phobia

Answer 3

fears about specific objects, animals, situations or activities
- eg. arachnophobia, aerophobia, hydrophobia

Question 4

define agoraphobia

Answer 4

the fear of leaving home or a safe place, feeling vulnerable about being in open spaces.

Question 5

define social phobia

Answer 5

fear of social situations (eg. mixing with others, meeting new people)

Question 6

what are the 2 behavioural symptoms of phobias

Answer 6

• avoidant/anxiety response - attempts to avoid anxious response to feared stimulus
• disruption of functioning: interferes with everyday and social functioning

Question 7

what is a cognitive symptom of phobias

Answer 7

recognition of exaggerated anxiety
- aware of the anxiety but cannot control it

Question 8

name 2 emotional symptoms of phobias

Answer 8

• persistent, excessive fear due to presence or anticipation of stimulus
• fear from exposure to stimulus

Question 9

describe the two-process model to explain phobias

Answer 9

1. classical conditioning: how the phobia is acquired
2. operant conditioning: how the phobia is maintained

Question 10

what did Rachman (1984) conclude about the role of safe signals?

Answer 10

people don’t flee from fear, but flee towards ‘safe signals’

Question 11

what did Bounton (2007) say about the Two Process Model?

Answer 11

• neglects evolution - avoidant response learned quicker if required response resembles an animals natural defence behaviour

Question 12

evaluate the two process model overall (2 points)

Answer 12

• reductionist
• thought processes cannot be measured

Question 13

describe flooding as a way of treating phobias

Answer 13

• going straight to the top of the fear hierarchy
• anxiety peaks but physically cannot be maintained so the phobic calms down

Question 14

describe systematic desensitisation as a way of treating phobias

Answer 14

• progressing through stages of a fear hierarchy
• relaxation techniques are used throughout

Question 15

describe the potential role of the social learning theory in explaining phobias

Answer 15

• observing a role model = fear of the same stimulus

Question 16

what evidence did Ost & Hugdahl (1981) provide about the use of SLT in explaining phobias?

Answer 16

• boy developed fear of vomiting after watching his grandfather die while doing it
• anecdotal evidence

Question 17

what did King (1998) conclude about the development phobias in childhood?

Answer 17

children acquire stronger phobias through trauma - supports CC

Question 18

what did Di Gallo (1996) find about the development of phobias through car accidents?

Answer 18

• 20% of those in car accidents developed a fear of driving in a car

Question 19

evaluate Di Gallo’s (1996) research

Answer 19

• if phobia development is behavioural, why don’t all victims of car accidents develop them?
• more context is needed: how severe was the crash, did people die, how bad were the injuries
• singular traumatic events less likely to cause phobias than those classically conditioned

Question 20

what did Mowrer (1960) find about the maintenance of phobias through rats?

Answer 20

rats showed fear response to a buzzer sound that was previously paired with electric shocks
- supports OC