21 Questions
Which of the following is a specifier used to indicate the type of specific phobia?
Fear of situations that may cause vomiting
What is the mean age of onset for specific phobia?
10 years of age
According to Mowrer's two-factor theory, what is the explanation for the development of specific phobias?
Classical and operant conditioning
Which type of exposure involves immediately exposing a client to their most feared object or situation until their anxiety subsides?
Flooding
What is the main goal of using exposure and response prevention in the treatment of specific phobia?
To extinguish the conditioned anxiety response
Which type of exposure involves constructing a list of situations that cause anxiety and gradually exposing the client to them starting with a low level of anxiety?
Graded exposure
Which type of exposure has been found to be more effective for fear of heights and fear of flying?
Virtual reality exposure
Which of the following is NOT a specifier used to indicate the type of specific phobia?
Physical activity
What is the gender difference in the prevalence of specific phobia?
It is twice as common in girls than boys
What is the key feature of specific phobia that distinguishes it from normal fears?
All of the above
Which of the following is a potential advantage of using graded exposure in the treatment of specific phobia?
It is usually more comfortable for clients and reduces drop-out rates.
Which type of exposure has been found to be effective for fear of heights and fear of flying?
Virtual reality exposure
What is the recommended approach when treating a person with the blood-injection-injury subtype of specific phobia?
Applied tension
What is a potential advantage of using virtual reality exposure in the treatment of specific phobia?
It may be as effective as in vivo exposure for fear of heights and fear of flying.
Which type of exposure has been found to be more effective for fear of heights and fear of flying?
In vivo exposure
What is the mean age of onset for specific phobia?
Adolescence
Which of the following is a specifier used to indicate the type of specific phobia?
Blood-injection-injury subtype
What is the gender difference in the prevalence of specific phobia?
Higher in females
Which of the following is a key feature of specific phobia that distinguishes it from normal fears?
The fear or anxiety must be out of proportion to the actual danger posed by the object or situation
According to Mowrer's two-factor theory, what is the role of classical conditioning in the development of specific phobias?
Classical conditioning occurs when a previously neutral object or event becomes a conditioned stimulus and elicits a conditioned response of anxiety after being paired with an unconditioned stimulus that naturally elicits anxiety
What is the gender difference in the prevalence of specific phobia?
Specific phobia is about twice as common in girls than boys
Study Notes
Specific Phobia
- Specific phobia has several specifiers that indicate the type, including animal type, natural environment type, blood-injection-injury type, situational type, and other type.
- The mean age of onset for specific phobia is typically during childhood or adolescence, with a mean age of around 10 years old.
Development of Specific Phobias
- According to Mowrer's two-factor theory, the development of specific phobias involves classical conditioning, where a neutral stimulus is paired with an unconditioned stimulus to elicit an unconditioned response, leading to the formation of a conditioned response.
Exposure Therapy
- There are several types of exposure therapy used to treat specific phobia, including immediate exposure, graded exposure, and virtual reality exposure.
- Immediate exposure involves immediately exposing a client to their most feared object or situation until their anxiety subsides.
- Graded exposure involves constructing a list of situations that cause anxiety and gradually exposing the client to them starting with a low level of anxiety.
- Virtual reality exposure has been found to be effective for fears such as fear of heights and fear of flying.
- The main goal of using exposure and response prevention in the treatment of specific phobia is to help clients learn to manage their anxiety and avoidance behaviors.
Characteristics of Specific Phobia
- The key feature of specific phobia that distinguishes it from normal fears is the excessive or unreasonable fear or anxiety triggered by a specific object or situation.
- Women are more likely to experience specific phobia than men, with a female-to-male ratio of approximately 2:1.
Treatment of Specific Phobia
- When treating a person with the blood-injection-injury subtype of specific phobia, the recommended approach is to use applied tension, a technique that helps clients to tense and relax their muscles to help reduce feelings of faintness.
- A potential advantage of using graded exposure in the treatment of specific phobia is that it allows clients to gradually confront their fears at their own pace.
- Virtual reality exposure has an advantage in that it provides a more realistic and controlled environment for clients to confront their fears.
Test your knowledge of specific phobias with this quiz! Discover if you can correctly identify common objects or situations that trigger intense fear and anxiety. Challenge yourself to see if you can distinguish between rational concerns and irrational fears.
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