Psychopathology- Phobias Flashcards
What is a behavioural characteristic?
the impact of a disorder upon how the person behaves/acts
What is an emotional characteristic?
how a disorder impacts upon the way a person feels
What is a cognitive characteristic?
the impact upon the way an individual thinks
Definition of a phobia?
A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder where the sufferer experiences an extreme irrational fear of an object or situation that is disproportionate to the situation.
Behavioural symptoms:
Avoidant/anxiety response
Disruption of functioning- anxiety and avoidance responses are so extreme that they severely interfere with the ability to carry out normal work and social activities.
Emotional symptoms:
Immediate Fear from exposure to phobic stimulus
Persistent Anxiety
Cognitive symptoms:
Recognition of exaggerated anxiety- generally phobics are consciously aware that they anxiety levels they experience are overstated and irrational.
Describe the behavioural approach of acquiring phobias:
assumes that phobias are acquired through classical condition and maintained through operant conditioning: behavioural model
what is the general pattern to explain the classical condition of phobias?
UCS——UCR (before conditioning)
UCS+NS———-UCR (during conditioning)
CS————-CR (after conditioning)
Are phobias maintained by positive or negative reinforcement?
Negative reinforcement
What is the watson and raynor (1920) experiment?
classical condition in the formation of phobias in Little Albert who was conditioned to have a fear of white rats
What did the DiGallo (1996) experiment find?
study found that 20% of people experiencing traumatic car accidents developed a phobia of travelling through association and classical conditioning
what is the cooke and mineka (1989) experiment?
lab-based research using lab-reared rhesus monkeys. shown clip of a real monkey with fear response to: snake flowers crocodile and rabbit
cognitive explanation: what is diathesis stress?
the theory that mental and physical disorders develop from a genetic or biological predisposition for that illness (diathesis) combined with stressful conditions that play a precipitating or facilitating role
2 behavioural approaches to treating phobias
- systematic desensitisation
2. flooding
what is systematic desensitisation?
a behavioural therapy designed to gradually reduce phobic anxiety through the principle of classical conditioning. aims to substitute the fear response with an alternative response whenever the phobic stimulus is present
what does SD involve the construction of?
an anxiety hierarchy going from least to most feared types of contact with the phobia object/situation
what is reciprocal inhibition?
it’s impossible to be afraid and relaxed at the same time so one emotion prevents the other
at each stage patients are taught what?
relaxation strategies- including visualisation, taught how to control their breathing and progressive muscle relation techniques
when is treatment successful in SD?
when the patient can stay relaxed in situations high on the anxiety hierarchy
what does Barlow (2002) experiment show?
SD is among the most effective treatments for phobias, 60-90% of patients who undergo show measurable improvements
why has SD been criticised?
failing to address the possible deeper psychological or emotional causes related to that disorder. the therapy concentrated on the symptoms
Why is SD limited in treating all phobias?
ineffective in treating evolutionary phobias
side effects of SD:
no negative side effects to SD:
Gives you tools to deal with a phobia long-term.
Drugs may only be effective whilst being taken and therefore may lead to side effects.
SD more effective ad more likely to complete treatment
