Phobias

Question 1

Define phobia

Answer 1

An irrational fear of an object or situation

Question 2

What are the 3 categories of phobia (DSM-5)

Answer 2

Specific phobia: phobia of an object or situation

Social phobia: phobia of social situation

Agoraphobia: phobia of being in a public place

Question 3

What are the 3 behavioural characteristics of phobias

Answer 3

1) panic
2) avoidance
3) endurance

Question 4

Describe panic (behavioural characteristic)

Answer 4

Could include crying, screaming or running away

Question 5

Describe avoidance (behavioural characteristic)

Answer 5

This can make it hard to go about every day life

Question 6

Describe endurance (behavioural characteristic)

Answer 6

When people cannot avoid the phobia so they continue to experience high levels of anxiety

Question 7

What is the emotional response to phobias

Answer 7

Emotional response of anxiety and fear

Question 8

What are the 3 cognitive characteristics of phobias

Answer 8

1) selective attention to the phobic stimulus
2) irrational beliefs
3) cognitive distortion

Question 9

Describe selective attention to the phobic stimulus

Answer 9

Means people struggle to turn their attention away from phobia, making it hard to concentrate

Question 10

Describe irrational beliefs

Answer 10

People may hold irrational bellies in relation to phobia. For instance social situations “I must sound smart”

Question 11

Describe cognitive distortion

Answer 11

Phonics perception of stimulus may be distorted

Question 12

What is the behavioural approach to exposing phobias

Answer 12

1. Two processes model

2. Phobia acquired through classical conditioning and then maintained through operant

Question 13

Acquisition by classical conditioning

Answer 13

1. We learn to associate a NS with something at already triggers fear (US)
2. Little Albert scared of rats because loud noise presented at same time
3. Conditioning generalised to similar objects, white rabbit produced same response

Question 14

Maintained by operant conditioning

Answer 14

1. Takes place when behavior reinforced through reward or punishment
2. We avoid the phobia to avoid anxiety so negative reinforcement

Question 15

Good explanatory power of two process model

Answer 15

1. 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

Question 16

Incomplete explanation

Answer 16

1. Two P model does not reference evolutionary factors
2. We tent to be scared of things that are a potential threat (snakes spiders)
3. Rare to have phobias of cars or guns
4. Suggests biological factor
5. Does not explain cognitive factors

Question 17

Phibas don’t follow trauma

Answer 17

Sometimes people have phobias of things they’ve never seen

Question 18

What are the two behavioural approaches to treating phobias

Answer 18

1. Systematic desensitisation

2. Flooding

Question 19

Describe the principles that SD works on

Answer 19

1. Learn to relax around stimulus (counterconditioning)

2. It is impossible to be relaxed and afraid at the same time, called reciprocal inhibition

Question 20

What is the process used for SD

Answer 20

1. Anxiety hierarchy: from least to most
2. Relaxation: therapist teaches to relax as deeply as possible (Valium or mental imaging)
3. Exposure: work through anxiety hierarchy

Question 21

Evidence for effectiveness of SD

Answer 21

1. Followed up 42 patients who has been treated for spider phobias with SD
2. Spider phobias assessed with spider questionnaire
3. Control group who had not been exposed to phobia
4. At both 3 and 33 months the SD group were less fearful
5. Shows long lasting effects

Question 22

Diverse to many and more acceptable

Answer 22

1. Suitable for people with learning difficulties as they don’t have to fully understand. Cog therapies u need to engage with
2. Is not traumatic like flooding. Means less drop out and fewer refuse treatment

Question 23

How does flooding work

Answer 23

1. Stops phobic response very quickly as no option of avoidance
2. Thus they learn stimulus is actually harmless through classical conditioning (called extinction)
3. In some cases relaxation is achieved simply through exhaustion
4. Must give informed consent as very traumatic

Question 24

How is flooding cost effective

Answer 24

1. Highly effective and quick

2. Makes patients free of symptoms very soon

Question 25

What is the main weakness of flooding

Answer 25

1. Less effective for complex phobias such as social phobias
2. May be because these have cognitive aspects
3. These may benefit from cognitive therapies to tackle irrational thinking
4. Very traumatic so some don’t follow through