Classical Conditioning and Phobias

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Questions and Answers

What is a phobia?

Anxiety disorder which interferes with daily living.

What percentage of the whole population of the UK had phobias in 2009?

2.6%

What is one diagnostic feature of phobias?

Intense, persistent fear of a particular object, event, or situation.

What is another diagnostic feature of phobias?

Response is disproportionate and leads to avoidance of phobic object, event, or situation. Signup and view all the answers

How severe must fear be to interfere with everyday life in phobias?

Fear must be severe enough to interfere with everyday life. Signup and view all the answers

What condition may accompany phobias?

Panic attacks. Signup and view all the answers

How does fear feel in the context of phobias?

Feel uncomfortable but wouldn't run away. Signup and view all the answers

What are some types of specific phobias?

Of animals, events (like flying), bodily (like blood), situations (like enclosed spaces). Signup and view all the answers

What are some types of social phobias?

Social situations, public speaking, parties, meeting new people, answering questions. Signup and view all the answers

Are phobias more common in men or women?

Women, particularly agoraphobia. Signup and view all the answers

At what stage of life is social phobia common?

Adolescence. Signup and view all the answers

At what age is agoraphobia more common?

Middle age. Signup and view all the answers

What does behaviorism explain?

Human behavior and responses of learned behaviors. Signup and view all the answers

What theory did Ivan Pavlov propose?

Classical conditioning. Signup and view all the answers

What does classical conditioning involve?

Using associations. Signup and view all the answers

What is operant conditioning?

Reinforcement. Signup and view all the answers

What is one evaluation point regarding flooding and systematic desensitization (SD)?

SD takes longer, while flooding is quicker but cannot be reassured and applied to other people. Signup and view all the answers

What does flooding in behavioral therapy involve?

Immediate exposure to the phobic stimulus, rather than gradual exposure. Signup and view all the answers

What are the two forms of flooding?

In vitro (imaginary exposure) Signup and view all the answers

What are the three critical parts of systematic desensitization?

Fear hierarchy, relaxation training, reciprocal inhibition. Signup and view all the answers

What type of learning does classical conditioning represent?

Linking two or more stimuli and anticipating events. Signup and view all the answers

Who proposed that psychology should be the study of behavior rather than the mind?

John Watson. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Phobias Overview

Phobia is an anxiety disorder that disrupts daily life.
Statistics indicate 2.6% of the UK population experienced phobias in 2009, equating to approximately 1.62 million people.

Diagnostic Features of Phobias

Characterized by intense and persistent fear triggered by specific objects, events, or situations.
Responses are disproportionate, leading to avoidance behavior concerning the phobic trigger.
Fear severity can hinder everyday functioning.
Associated symptoms may include panic attacks, which involve rapid heartbeat and flushed skin.

Types of Phobias

Specific Phobias: Include fears of animals, bodily functions (like blood), events (such as flying), and situations (like enclosed spaces).
Social Phobias: Involve fears related to social interactions, public speaking, attending parties, meeting new individuals, or answering questions.

Demographics and Prevalence

Phobias are more prevalent in women, particularly agoraphobia.
Social phobias commonly emerge during adolescence.
Agoraphobia predominantly affects middle-aged individuals.

Behavioral Theories

Behaviorism explains human behavior as a result of learned responses.
Ivan Pavlov is known for developing the concept of classical conditioning, which centers on forming associations to predict events.

Conditioning Types

Classical Conditioning: Involves linking two or more stimuli to anticipate an event. For instance, a child’s near-drowning experience could lead to a fear of water (aquaphobia).
Operant Conditioning: Focuses on behavior modification through reinforcement, including positive reinforcement (rewards) and negative reinforcement (avoidance of unpleasant consequences).

Evaluating Conditioning and Phobias

Classical conditioning effectively explains specific phobias but struggles with agoraphobia and social phobia.
Dinardo's findings show that many individuals bitten by dogs do not subsequently develop a phobia, challenging strict conditioning explanations.

Behavioral Treatments for Phobias

Systematic Desensitization (SD): A therapeutic technique aimed at unlearning maladaptive responses through reverse counter-conditioning.
- Key components: Fear hierarchy, relaxation training, and reciprocal inhibition.
Flooding: An extreme therapy method where patients face their phobia immediately, preventing avoidance behavior and negative reinforcement.
- Types of flooding:
  - In vivo (actual exposure).
  - In vitro (imaginary exposure).

Treatment Comparison

SD is time-consuming but often effective over a longer duration.
Flooding provides quicker results but should be treated with caution, as it may not be suitable for all individuals.

Learning Behavior Perspectives

John Watson asserted that psychology should focus on observable behavior instead of the mind, suggesting that all behaviors, whether normal or abnormal, can be understood through learned responses.

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Description

This quiz covers fundamental concepts related to phobias, including definitions, statistics, and diagnostic features. Explore the psychological aspects and the impact of phobias on daily living through classical conditioning. Test your knowledge with these flashcards!