Understanding Phobias

What is a phobia?

• A mild fear that does not affect daily life

• An intense, irrational fear of an object or situation

• A fear that everyone experiences at some point

• A dislike of certain things

Which of the following is NOT a key characteristic of phobias?

• Emotional – Extreme fear or panic

• Behavioural – Avoidance of the object/situation

• Cognitive – Rational thinking about the fear

• Cognitive – Belief that something bad will happen

What is the main behavioural symptom of a phobia?

• Increased focus on the feared object

• Avoiding the feared object or situation

• Forgetting about the phobia over time

• Enjoying the feeling of fear

Which of these is an example of an irrational belief in phobias?

• “If I see a spider, I will definitely be bitten and die.”

• “Spiders are sometimes found indoors.”

• “Spiders are part of the ecosystem.”

• “Not all spiders are dangerous.”

Which famous person has a fear of clowns (Coulrophobia)?

• Johnny Depp

• Taylor Swift

• Elon Musk

• Albert Einstein

Which of these is an example of a specific phobia?

• Social phobia

• Agoraphobia

• Arachnophobia (fear of spiders)

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder

What is acrophobia?

• Fear of water

• Fear of heights

• Fear of small spaces

• Fear of open spaces

Which of these is an unusual phobia?

• Fear of needles (Trypanophobia)

• Fear of enclosed spaces (Claustrophobia)

• Fear of the color yellow (Xanthophobia)

• Fear of flying (Aviophobia)

Which theory explains phobias as learned through association?

• Evolutionary theory

• Classical conditioning

• Biological theory

• Cognitive theory

What happened in the Little Albert experiment?

• Albert learned to fear white rats after they were paired with a loud noise

• Albert was born with a fear of rats and other small animals

• Albert was treated for his phobia using systematic desensitisation

• Albert showed no fear of white rats