Phobias - Behavioural, Emotional And Cognitive Characteristics Flashcards
What are phobias?
Anxiety disorders characterised by excessive fear and anxiety which is triggered by an object, place, or situation.
The extent of the fear is out of proportion to any real danger presented by the ______ ________.
Phobic Stimulus.
What are the two emotional characteristics of phobias?
1) Anxiety.
2) Unreasonable Emotional Response.
What is ‘anxiety’ in terms of phobias?
An unpleasant state of high arousal we experience when we encounter or think about the phobic stimulus - makes it difficult to experience positive emotions.
What is ‘unreasonable emotional response’ in terms of phobias?
The fear experiences is disproportionate to the actual danger owed by the phobic stimulus.
What is an example of ‘unreasonable emotional response’?
An individual’s fear of spiders will involve a very strong emotional response to a tiny, harmless spider.
What are the two cognitive characteristics of phobias?
1) Irrational Beliefs.
2) Selective Attention.
What are ‘irrational beliefs’ in terms of phobias?
Beliefs that are not logical and do not make sense to others - individuals are very resistant to rational arguments.
What is an example of ‘irrational beliefs’?
A person who fears flying is not helped by arguments that flying is actually the safest form of transport.
What is ‘selective attention’ in terms of phobias?
Sufferers will often find it difficult to focus their attention away from the phobic stimulus and this can interfere with day to day life.
What is an example of ‘selective attention’?
Someone with a phobia of spiders may find it difficult to concentrate on what they’re doing if someone has mentioned there’s a spider nearby.
What are the two behavioural characteristics of phobias?
1) Avoidance
2) Panicking
What is ‘avoidance’ in terms of phobias?
Where sufferers go out of their way to avoid the phobic stimulus which can interfere with their day to day life.
What is an example of ‘avoidance’?
Someone with a social phobia may avoid certain social situations which may affect their job, relationships and social activities.
What happens when a sufferer remains in the presence of the phobic stimulus?
They experience an endurance of their anxiety (remains at a high level for the duration of the experience).
