Phobias

Question 1

Phobias

Answer 1

An anxiety disorder
Characterised by uncontrollable and irrational fears
Anxiety levels out of proportion

Question 2

Behavioural characteristics

Answer 2

Panic - involve range of behaviours e.g screaming crying kids may react differently e.g freezing

Avoidance- when faced with object immediately avoid it to reduce anxiety hard to go about daily life

Endurance - remain in presence of stimuli experience high level of anxiety may be unavoidable

Question 3

Emotional characteristics

Answer 3

Anxiety - state of unpleasant high arousal can’t relax or experience positive emotions

Unreasonable response - disruptive not appropriate to danger by phobic stimulus

Question 4

Cognitive characteristics

Answer 4

Selective attention - hard to look away attention stay on danger not useful when fear irrational

Irrational beliefs - incorrect or distorted ideas held by a person despite there being evidence show otherwise

Cognitive distortions - phobic perception stimulus may be distorted seem it as aggressive looking or alien like

Question 5

Tow process model

Answer 5

Explains how phobias are learnt

Classical conditioning - how phobia is acquired

Operant conditioning - how phobia is maintained

Question 6

Explaining phobia using behavioural approach

Answer 6

Aim - human emotional response learn through cc

Procedure - baby shown lots of stimuli’s e.g white rabbit cotton wool show no response then has steel bar smacked behind head 3 months

Findings - when shown the stimuli’s stared crying crawling away

Shows human emotional response can be learned through cc

Question 7

Strength of behavioural approach to explaining phobias

Answer 7

Supportive research
Watson and rhyner baby
Shows cause and effect process

Question 8

Limitation of behavioural explanation for phobias

Answer 8

Simplistic neglect other explanations

Sigman - could be evoulutionary through biology inheritance from ancestors danger to them

Shows not a complete explanation for how phobias developed

Question 9

Systematic desensitisation

Answer 9

Reverse counter conditioning to unlearn maladaptive response to relaxation

1. Anxiety hierarchy
2. Relaxation Techniques
   3 . Gradual exposure

Question 10

Flooding

Answer 10

Client fully exposed to phobia until anxiety goes away and reaction is extinct one long lesson thrown in deep end

Question 11

Counter conditioning

Answer 11

Learning new response occurs new response to phone stimulus is learned

Question 12

Reciprocal inhabitation 

Answer 12

Idea can’t feel afraid and relaxed at same time one emotion prevent the other

Question 13

Extinction

Answer 13

Anxiety and fear time limited response
Person in a state of extreme anxiety but body become exhausted
Threat level drops

Question 14

Are the treatment effective

Answer 14

Both very effective
Systematic desensitisation
Is effective long term

Wolpe - drove girl Around in a car for hours still fear was extinct and was calm now enjoys car rides

Question 15

Cost of treatment

Answer 15

SD more expensive takes multiple sessions cost NHS more
Flooding less expensive only one session seen as cost Effective

Question 16

Are treatment suitable for all

Answer 16

SD yes all ages gradually exposed and are in control

Flooding no very intense for kids and elderly more harm than good

Question 17

Are treatment ethical

Answer 17

SD more ethical give patron all control over treatment at all times
Flooding less ethical have to gone consent lots of psychological distress can’t withdraw

Question 18

Attribution (drop out rate)
Of treatment

Answer 18

SD more session feel making more progress with each one motivating to carry on
Flooding most drop out finding out whole idea oh being exposed to phobia