Phobias

• Define phobias and provide examples.

  Phobias are extreme irrational fears of certain objects or situations, such as arachnophobia and claustrophobia.
• What are the three key behavioural characteristics of phobias?

  The three key characteristics are avoidance, panic, and failure to function.
• How does avoidance manifest in individuals with phobias?

  Avoidance involves behavioral adaptations made to prevent encountering the phobic object or situation.
• What is the physical response associated with panic in phobias?

  Panic can result in uncontrollable physical responses such as screaming, escaping, or hyperventilating.
• Describe the emotional characteristics of anxiety and fear in relation to phobias.

  Anxiety is an uncomfortable high-arousal state that inhibits relaxation and pleasurable emotions, with thoughts focused on future encounters with the phobic object. Fear is an intense emotional state of panic linked to the physiological fight or flight response when presented with the phobic object.
• Define the cognitive characteristics of phobias.

  The cognitive characteristics of phobias include irrational beliefs, where sufferers overstate the potential danger of the phobic object or the importance of the social situation, and reduced cognitive capacity, where attention is so focused on the phobic object that it interferes with other tasks.