Psychopathology: Phobias

Question 1

What is a phobia

Answer 1

• an irrational fear of an object or situation

Question 2

What is a specific phobia

Answer 2

• a phobia of an object, such as an animal, or a situation such as having an injection

Question 3

What is a social phobia

Answer 3

• phobia of a social situation such as public speaking

Question 4

What is a agoraphobia

Answer 4

• phobia of being outside/in a public space

Question 5

What are the three behavioural characteristics of phobias

Answer 5

-panic - individual may freeze/cry/scream in response to the presence of a phobic stimulus
- avoidance - individual goes to a lot of effort to avoid confronting the stimulus
- endurance - individual remains in presence of phobic stimulus but experiences high levels of anxiety

Question 6

What are the emotional characteristics of phobias

Answer 6

• anxiety - phobias are anxiety disorders, anxiety is an unpleasant state of high arousal
• emotional responses are unreasonable - the emotional response we experience in response to a stimulus is beyond reasonable + disproportions to the threat

Question 7

What are the three cognitive characteristics of phobias

Answer 7

• selective attention to the phobic stimulus - if the individual can see the phobic stimulus ,they struggle to look away
• irrational beliefs - about stimulus
• cognitive distortions - individuals perception of the stimulus may be distorted