Phobias Flashcards
Define phobia
An irrational fear of an object or situation
What are the 3 categories of phobia (DSM-5)
Specific phobia: phobia of an object or situation
Social phobia: phobia of social situation
Agoraphobia: phobia of being in a public place
What are the 3 behavioural characteristics of phobias
1) panic
2) avoidance
3) endurance
Describe panic (behavioural characteristic)
Could include crying, screaming or running away
Describe avoidance (behavioural characteristic)
This can make it hard to go about every day life
Describe endurance (behavioural characteristic)
When people cannot avoid the phobia so they continue to experience high levels of anxiety
What is the emotional response to phobias
Emotional response of anxiety and fear
What are the 3 cognitive characteristics of phobias
1) selective attention to the phobic stimulus
2) irrational beliefs
3) cognitive distortion
Describe selective attention to the phobic stimulus
Means people struggle to turn their attention away from phobia, making it hard to concentrate
Describe irrational beliefs
People may hold irrational bellies in relation to phobia. For instance social situations “I must sound smart”
Describe cognitive distortion
Phonics perception of stimulus may be distorted
What is the behavioural approach to exposing phobias
- Two processes model
2. Phobia acquired through classical conditioning and then maintained through operant
Acquisition by classical conditioning
- We learn to associate a NS with something at already triggers fear (US)
- Little Albert scared of rats because loud noise presented at same time
- Conditioning generalised to similar objects, white rabbit produced same response
Maintained by operant conditioning
- Takes place when behavior reinforced through reward or punishment
- We avoid the phobia to avoid anxiety so negative reinforcement
Good explanatory power of two process model
- Good as explains why phobias are maintained
2. Important implications to therapy’s because explains why patients need to be exposed to stimulus to reduce phobia
Incomplete explanation
- Two P model does not reference evolutionary factors
- We tent to be scared of things that are a potential threat (snakes spiders)
- Rare to have phobias of cars or guns
- Suggests biological factor
- Does not explain cognitive factors
Phibas don’t follow trauma
Sometimes people have phobias of things they’ve never seen
What are the two behavioural approaches to treating phobias
- Systematic desensitisation
2. Flooding
Describe the principles that SD works on
- Learn to relax around stimulus (counterconditioning)
2. It is impossible to be relaxed and afraid at the same time, called reciprocal inhibition
What is the process used for SD
- Anxiety hierarchy: from least to most
- Relaxation: therapist teaches to relax as deeply as possible (Valium or mental imaging)
- Exposure: work through anxiety hierarchy
Evidence for effectiveness of SD
- Followed up 42 patients who has been treated for spider phobias with SD
- Spider phobias assessed with spider questionnaire
- Control group who had not been exposed to phobia
- At both 3 and 33 months the SD group were less fearful
- Shows long lasting effects
Diverse to many and more acceptable
- Suitable for people with learning difficulties as they don’t have to fully understand. Cog therapies u need to engage with
- Is not traumatic like flooding. Means less drop out and fewer refuse treatment
How does flooding work
- Stops phobic response very quickly as no option of avoidance
- Thus they learn stimulus is actually harmless through classical conditioning (called extinction)
- In some cases relaxation is achieved simply through exhaustion
- Must give informed consent as very traumatic
How is flooding cost effective
- Highly effective and quick
2. Makes patients free of symptoms very soon
