A01

• What is a phobia?

  An irrational fear of a particular stimulus or situation which causes high levels of anxiety and interferes with normal living
• Explain why phobias are categorised by irrational fear

  The extent of the fear is out of proportion to any real danger presented by the phobic stimulus
• List and outline the three categories of phobia recognised by the DSM-5

  1. Specific phobia - fear of a specific object or situation

  2. Social phobia - fear of social situations

  3. Agoraphobia - fear of being trapped in a public place where escape is difficult
• What disorder category of the DSM-5 do phobias fit under?

  Anxiety disorders
• What is meant by a behavioural characteristic of phobias?

  The way a phobic stimulus makes a person act
• What is meant by an emotional characteristic of phobias?

  The way a phobic stimulus makes a person feel
• What is meant by a cognitive characteristic of phobias?

  The way a phobic stimulus makes a person think
• State three behavioural characteristics of phobias

  1. Panic

  2. Avoidance

  3. Endurance
• State three emotional characteristics of phobias

  1. Anxiety

  2. Persistent fear

  3. Unreasonable emotional response
• State three cognitive characteristics of phobias

  1. Irrational beliefs

  2. Cognitive distortions

  3. Selective attention to phobic stimulus