4.1.4 BEHAVIOURAL, EMOTIONAL, COGNITIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF PHOBIAS

Question 1

what is a phobia?

Answer 1

• an irrational fear of an object / place / situation that causes a constant avoidance of said object / people / situation
• all phobias are characterised by the excessive fear and anxiety caused

Question 2

the DSM-5 recognised 3 categories of phobias
what are these?

Answer 2

• specific phobia
• social phobia (social anxiety)
• agoraphobia

Question 3

what is a specific phobia?

Answer 3

• phobia of specific object / situation
  eg) needle / spider / flying

Question 4

what is a social phobia (social anxiety)?

Answer 4

• phobia of social situations
  eg) public speaking

Question 5

what is an agoraphobia?

Answer 5

• phobia of being outside / public place

Question 6

how do we respond to phobias?

Answer 6

respond to things / situations we fear by behaving in particular ways
- we feel high levels of anxiety and try to escape

Question 7

what are the three behavioural characteristics of phobias?

Answer 7

1) panic
2) avoidance
3) endurance

Question 8

how do we respond through panic?
BEHAVIOURAL

Answer 8

• we may panic in response to the presence of the phobic stimulus
• this could result in displaying a range of behaviour
  -> crying
  -> screaming
  -> running away
• children may react differently
  -> freezing
  -> clinging
  -> having a tantrum

Question 9

how do we respond in avoidance?
BEHAVIOURAL

Answer 9

• will avoid the phobic stimulus
• can make daily life complicated
  eg) fear of going outside = unable to function in their day to day life

Question 10

how do we respond through endurance?
BEHAVIOURAL

Answer 10

• alternative to avoidance
• individual chooses to remain in the presence of the phobia
• continues to suffer and experience high levels of anxiety

eg) may be unavoidable in some situations like flying

Question 11

what are the two emotional characteristics of phobias?

Answer 11

1) emotional responses
2) anxiety

Question 12

what are the emotional responses to phobias?
EMOTIONAL

Answer 12

• ones experienced in relation to phobic stimulus go beyond what’s reasonable
• is disproportionate to the danger they’re facing

eg) showing large amounts of fear towards a small spider although humans would beat said spider with ease

Question 13

how do we respond with anxiety to phobias?
EMOTIONAL

Answer 13

• will suffer from anxiety
• an unpleasant state of high arousal
• stops person being able to relax / feel any other emotion
• can be long term unlike fear which is an immediate response when coming into contact with the phobia feared

Question 14

what are the 2 cognitive characteristics of phobias?

Answer 14

1) selective attention to the phobic stimulus
2) cognitive distortions

Question 15

how do we respond to the selective attention to the phobic stimulus?
COGNITIVE

Answer 15

to the source of the phobia
- often when the person is near the phobias, they can’t focus on anything else
- usually keeping your attention on something dangerous gives you higher chance of survival
- this doesn’t apply when the fear is irrational
eg) phobias

Question 16

how do we respond through cognitive distortions to a phobia?
COGNITIVE

Answer 16

persons perception of the phobia can be distorted
eg) spider phobia can see spider as aggressive and angry looking and may feel the spider is running towards them to attack