Phobias Flashcards
What are phobias
Anxiety disorders characterised by extreme irrational fears
What are the behavioural symptoms of phobias
Avoidant response
Disruption of functioning
What are the emotional symptoms of phobias
- Persistent excessive fear
- Fear from exposure to stimulus
What are the cognitive characteristics of phobias ?
Recognition of exaggerated anxiety
What are the three sub types of phobias ?
Simple phobias (specific phobias)
Social phobias
Agoraphobia fear of leaving safe place
What is the two process model of explaining phobias
Onset of phobias is seen as occurring through classical conditioning
Maintenance seen as occurring through operant conditioning
Explaining phobias through classical conditioning
Neutral stimulus causes fear response
Operant conditioning and phobias
Learning through consequence
Negatively reinforcing phobia
E.g. Phobia of dark means sleep with lights on
What is an alternative explanation of phobias?
Cognitive ( attentional bias to focus upon anxiety generating stimulus ( teeth of dog
Evolutionary so phobias as survival value
Name two ways of treating phobias
Systematic desensitisation
Flooding
What is systematic desensitisation
Behavioural therapy for treating anxiety disorders
Sufferer learns relaxation techniques then faces progressive hierarchy of exposure to fear
What is flooding?
Direct confrontation of feared object
Straight to top of hierachy
Anxiety peaks at such high levels it cannot be maintained
