Phobias

How are Phobias categorised?

Phobis are categorised by excessive fear and anxiety triggered by a stimulus

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What categories of phobias are recognised by the DSM-5 ?

Specific Phobia: Phobia of an object, animal or body part / Social Anxiety: Phobia of a social situation e.g. public speaking / Agoraphobia: Phobia or bein outside or in a public place

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What are the Behavioural Characteristics of Phobias?

Panic, Avoidance, Endurance

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What are the Emotional Characterisitcs of Phobias ?

Anxiety, Emptional responses are unreasonable

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What are the Cognitive Characteristics of Phobias ?

Selective attention to phobic stimulus, Irrational Beliefs, Cognitive Distortions

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What is the Two-Process model and who proposed it?

Hobart Mower, proposed the two-process model, which states that phobias are acquired through classical conditioning and continued through operant conditioning.

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What is the experinment conducted to prove acquisition by classical conditioning?

Watson and Rayner, created a phobia in 9 month old baby called little Albert. He was shown a white rat before the experiment, where tried to paly with it. To create a phobia, they made a loud noise by banging an iron bar close to his ear.

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What was the outcome of this experiment?

Albert acquired the phobia and the condition generalied to other similar objects. Little Albert displayed distree at furry objects e.g. A fur coat, santa clause beard etc.

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Show how classical conditioning is acquired

Noise (US) ------- Fear (UR) / Rat (NS) + Noise (US) -----> Fear (UR) / Rat (CS) ------> Fear (CR)

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How is Phobia maintained through operant conditioning?

Oprant conditioning takes place when behaviour is rewarded or punished. In case of negative reinforcement an individual avoids a situation that is unpleasant. :.Behaviour will be repeated.

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What does Mower state about phobias regarding operant conditioning?

Mower stated when we avoid a phobic stimulus we escape the fear and anxiety. This reduction in fear reinforces the avoidance behaviour and so phobia is maintained

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AO3: What are the strengths and limitations of behavioural approach to explaining phobias

P: + Is that it has good explanatory power / P: - Is that there is alternative explanation for avoidance behaviour / P: - There is an incomplete explanation of phobias / P: - Not all bad experiences lead to phobias

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What is Systematic Desensitisation and how is it used to treat Phobias?

SD is a behavioural therapy which gradually reduces phobic anxiety, through classical conditioning.

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Phobias

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