Specific Phobias

Question 1

DSM-5

Answer 1

Irrational fear of an objectively harmless stimulus

Question 2

Eysenck 1992

Answer 2

The primary function of anxiety is to facilitate the detection of danger or threat in potentially threatening environments

Question 3

Phobia lifetime prevalence (specific phobia)

Answer 3

More than twice as common in women than men

Question 4

Learning theory

Answer 4

Behaviourist learning principles have had an undeniable and extensive impact on our understanding of phobia

Question 5

What causes a phobia

Answer 5

According to contemporary learning theory

Selective associations

Question 6

Cook and Mineka 1990

Answer 6

Monkeys readily associate sight of snake but not flowers with fear in another monkey

Question 7

Retrospective studies

Answer 7

McNally and steketee 1985
Structured interview focussing on experiences round the start of phobia
Results linked to concept of anxiety sensitivity common I. Many anxiety disorders. Afraid of being afraid

Question 8

Rachman 1990

Answer 8

Phobics can’t always recall an experience where phobic stimulus paired with traumatic event
People who experience stimulus> trauma don’t always end up developing a phobia of that stimulus
People can have phobias o things they’ve not experienced

Question 9

Rachman continued

Answer 9

3 pathways to fear
Conditioning
Vicarious (observing another person expressing fear of a stimulus )
information/instructions (stories/warnings)

Question 10

Treatment

Answer 10

Psychoanalytic
Biological
Cognitive behaviourist approach

Question 11

CBT treatment

Answer 11

Watson and raynor (1920) little Albert - conditioning fear
Counter conditioning
Flooding
Systematic desensitisation (wolpe 1958)
Cognitive additions

Question 12

Systematic desensitisation

Answer 12

Teach subject to relax
Create a hierarchy of feared situations, from least to most
Work through situations, while maintaining relaxation

Rat example:
Seeing a picture of a rat
Seeing a rat in a cage
Holding realistic rubber rat
Holding real rat

Question 13

Cbt treatment

Answer 13

Identification of the precise nature of the phobia and suitability for treatment
Goal setting
Measurement.
Exposure

Question 14

Cbt effectiveness

Answer 14

Cbt focuses on exposure
Exposure has cognitive as well as behavioural effects
Exposure per se is not predictive of outcome but duration of exposure in general is