Understanding Phobias
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Questions and Answers

What is a defining characteristic of a phobia?

  • Persistent fear out of proportion to danger (correct)
  • No recognition of the fear
  • Temporary anxiety
  • Rational fear response

    • Agoraphobia is characterized by anxiety in situations that can be easily exited.

    False

    What is Mowrer's two-process model used to explain?

    The acquisition and maintenance of phobias

    Phobias can be categorized into three types: specific, social, and __________.

    <p>agoraphobia</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the phobia type with an example:

    <p>Specific = Fear of heights Social = Anxiety in a restaurant Agoraphobia = Fear of being in a crowded place</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a symptom of phobias?

    <p>Happy feelings</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Classical conditioning involves the association of a neutral stimulus with a fear response.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the Little Albert experiment, what was used as the unconditioned stimulus (UCS)?

    <p>Loud noise</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The behavior of avoiding the phobic object provides __________ reinforcement.

    <p>negative</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary response of a phobic person when confronted with their phobia?

    <p>Avoid the situation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the unconditioned stimulus that contributed to Jo's phobia of flying?

    <p>Turbulence</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Operant conditioning helps explain how Jo's phobia of flying is maintained.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What term describes Jo's fear of flying?

    <p>Aerophobia</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the two-process model, the pairing of an unconditioned stimulus with a neutral stimulus leads to a __________ response.

    <p>conditioned</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following components of conditioning with their definitions:

    <p>Unconditioned stimulus = A stimulus that naturally triggers a response Conditioned stimulus = A previously neutral stimulus that elicits a response after conditioning Unconditioned response = An unlearned, naturally occurring response to the unconditioned stimulus Conditioned response = Learned response to the conditioned stimulus</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Martin Seligman, why might some phobias be more common than others?

    <p>Some fears are evolutionarily programmed for survival.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Everyone who suffers from a phobia has experienced a triggering event.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What technique did Wolpe introduce for treating phobias?

    <p>Systematic desensitization</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Reciprocal inhibition occurs because one cannot be in a state of __________ and fear at the same time.

    <p>relaxation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The behavioral approach primarily focuses on which of the following in understanding phobias?

    <p>Environmental factors and learned behaviors</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary goal of flooding therapy?

    <p>To force the individual to confront their fear until the response reduces</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In vivo exposure is considered less effective than in vitro exposure for treating phobias.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the principle of extinction pertain to in the context of flooding therapy?

    <p>Breaking the association between the conditioned stimulus and the conditioned response.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In behavioral therapies, the effectiveness of treatment relies heavily on the individual's level of ______.

    <p>motivation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the therapy techniques with their characteristics:

    <p>Flooding = Inescapable exposure to fear Systematic Desensitization = Gradual exposure and relaxation techniques Implosion Therapy = Imaginary confrontation with fear Counterconditioning = Changing the conditioned response</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which therapy is less effective according to research findings?

    <p>Implosion Therapy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The side effects of flooding therapy are reported to be high.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Name one alternative treatment for phobias other than behavioral therapy.

    <p>Benzodiazepines or beta-blockers.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Behavioral therapies are most effective when the source of the phobia can be ______.

    <p>clearly identified</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a critical component to the success of the flooding therapy sessions?

    <p>Allowing the fear response to reduce before concluding the session</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Phobias

    • Phobia is an irrational and fearful anxiety response to specific objects or situations.
    • Everyone experiences fear in threatening situations, but a phobic person's fear is disproportionately extreme to the actual danger.
    • Phobic individuals recognize their fear is unreasonable and beyond their control.
    • Approximately 5-10% of the UK population experiences some form of phobia.

    Defining Characteristics of Phobias

    • Feelings of restlessness and dread
    • Irrational thoughts about the phobic object
    • Physical symptoms like shortness of breath, nausea, shaking, and palpitations
    • Panic attacks and fleeing from the phobic object
    • Extreme anxiety or fear when encountering the phobic object
    • Persistent fear
    • Immediate avoidance behavior
    • Freezing or fainting as a response to the feared object/situation (linked to fight or flight), potentially as an adaptive response to a predator perceiving prey as dead
    • Irrational thinking and resistance to logic/rational arguments
    • Awareness that the fear is excessive or unreasonable.

    Types of Phobias

    • Specific phobias: Fear of animals (e.g., snakes), natural environments (e.g., heights), blood-injection, or situational triggers (e.g., planes).
    • Social phobias: Excessive anxiety in social situations like restaurants or meetings.
    • Agoraphobia: Anxiety in situations where escape might be difficult or embarrassing, like crowds or open spaces.

    Behavioral Explanations of Phobias

    • Mowrer's two-process model: This model combines two processes to explain phobia development and maintenance.
      • Classical conditioning: This explains the acquisition of phobias by associating a neutral stimulus (e.g., a plane ride) with a scary or traumatic event (e.g., turbulence). This creates a fear response linked to the neutral stimulus.
        • Neutral stimulus (NS) + Unconditioned stimulus (UCS) (causing an unconditioned response) = Unconditioned response (UCR), eventually Conditioned stimulus (CS) = Conditioned response (CR)
      • Operant conditioning: This explains how phobic avoidance behaviors are maintained. Avoiding the phobic object/situation reduces anxiety, making this avoidance rewarding and reinforcing the phobia.

    Little Albert Experiment

    • Watson and Raynor (1920) conducted the Little Albert experiment demonstrating classical conditioning in the development of phobias.

    Evaluation of Behavioral Explanations

    • There is empirical support for behavioral explanations, suggesting fear responses can be conditioned.
    • Not all phobias stem from a specific traumatic "triggering event."
    • Behavioral explanations might not consider how cognitive factors and irrational thinking contribute to phobias.

    Treating Phobias - Behavioral Approach

    • Systematic desensitization: A technique to reduce fear responses by gradually exposing the individual to the feared object or situation while relaxing.
      • Steps involve teaching relaxation techniques, creating a hierarchy of fear, progressive exposure to the feared object, and associating each step with relaxation.
    • Flooding: Implosive therapy, a method where the individual confronts their fear in a highly intense and realistic way.
      • Exposure to the feared stimulus until the fear response subsides through extinction.
      • Goal is to break the association between the fear-inducing stimulus and the fear response
    • Alternative treatments: Biological treatments for reducing anxiety (e.g., benzodiazepines, beta-blockers).

    Evaluation of Behavioral Therapies

    • Effective when the situation/object is clearly identifiable as the fear source.
    • Individuals need motivation.
    • While ethical concerns exist with flooding, few documented negative side effects, and SD is typically more effective than implosion techniques.
    • Therapies like beta-blockers/benzodiazepines reduce anxiety physiologically without behavioral exposure.

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    Description

    This quiz explores the characteristics, symptoms, and irrational responses associated with phobias. It delves into both the psychological aspects and physical reactions individuals experience when faced with their fears. Test your knowledge on the complexities of phobic disorders.

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