Phobias

Question 1

What are the 3 chracteristics of phobias?

Answer 1

Behavioural
Emotional
Cognitive

Question 2

Give an example of a behavioural characteristic

Answer 2

Panicking e.g. crying screaming running away

Avoidance e.g. go out of their way to avoid coming into contact with stimuli

Question 3

Give an example of an emotional characteristc?

Answer 3

Anxiety and fear.

Emotional responses are unreasonable. E.g. wildly disproportionate to the danger posed by phobic stimulus

Question 4

give an example of a cogniitve characeterstic?C

Answer 4

Selective attention. e.g. only focusing on the STIMULUS and nothing else if it can be seen

Irrational beliefs. E.g. beliefs about the stimulus are not rational

Question 5

What are the two process models used to explain phobias?

Answer 5

Classical conditiong and operant conditioning

Question 6

How does classical conditioning leadexplain phobias?

Answer 6

It its how we ACQUIRE the phobia.

Phobic stimulus starts off as a NS which is’t associated with fear

UCS may be an experience which would lead to a UCR of fear

The UCS paired with the NS leading to the UCR of fear

The NS then becomes the CS creating a CR of fear.

Question 7

Explain how operant conditioning explains phobias?

Answer 7

This explains how we MAINTAIN the phobia.

When a person moves AWAY from the phobic stimulus, their anxiety DECREASES.

This is NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT

So we will continue to AVOID the phobic stimulus, which REINFORCES the phobia

Question 8

what are the two methods of treating phobias?

Answer 8

Systematic desensitisation
Flooding

Question 9

what are the 3 processes of systematic desensitisation. (Use the example of a phobia of dogs to help)

Answer 9

1. Construct an ANXIETY HIERARCHY with patient and therapist. Includes a list of situations including the phobia that PROVOKE anxiety from least to most frightening.
2. Patient trained in RELAXATION techniques. E.g. imagining scenarios or breathing techniques.
3. Patient is then EXPOSED to the phobic stimulus whilst practising the relaxation TECHNIQUES as feelings of anxiety arise.

Keep going with all levels of the anxiety hierarchy. Successful treatment is when they can stay relaxed in situations HIGHER up in the hierarchy.

Question 10

Explain the process of flooding?

Answer 10

exposes the patient to their phobia WITHOUT a gradual buildup. Involves IMMEDIATE exposure to a frightening situation.

Individuals SENSES flooded with thoughts, images and actual experiences of their phobia.

Without the option for AVOIDANCE, patient quickly learns that the phobic stimulus is HARMLESS.

This process is called EXTINCTION.