Cognitive Characteristics of Phobias

• The cognitive element is concerned with the ways in which people process information.

  People with phobias process information about phobic stimuli differently from other objects or situations.
• Selective attention to the phobic stimulus


  • If a person can see the phobic stimulus it is hard to look away.
  • Keeping our attention on something really dangerous is a good thing as it gives us the best chance of reacting quickly to a threat, however it is not so useful when the fear is irrational.
• Irrational beliefs


  • A person with a phobia may hold unfounded thoughts in relation to phobic stimuli.
  • This kind of belief increases the pressure on the person to perform well in social situations.
• The perceptions of a person with a phobia may be inaccurate and unrealistic.