Cognitive characteristics of phobias

• Selective attention to the phobic stimulus – if a sufferer can see the phobic stimulus, it is hard to look away from it. As keeping our attention on something dangerous is good as it provides us with the best chance of reacting quickly to it, however this is not useful for when the fear is irrational.
• Irrational beliefs – a phobic may hold irrational beliefs to a phobic stimuli. For example, social phobias can involve beliefs like ‘if I blush people will think I’m weak’. This kind of belief increases the pressure on the sufferer to perform well in social situations.
• Irrational beliefs – a phobic may hold irrational beliefs to a phobic stimuli. For

  example, social phobias can involve beliefs like ‘if I blush people will think I’m

  weak’. This kind of belief increases the pressure on the sufferer to perform well

  in social situations.
• Cognitive distortions – a phobics perceptions of the phobic stimulus may be

  distorted. For example, an ophidiophoic (fear of snakes) may see snakes as alien

  or aggressive looking.