Abnormal Psychology

298 CHAPTER 7

Key Concepts and Facts About Specifi c Phobias

• Specific phobia involves excessive and irrational anxiety or
  fear related to a specifi c stimulus and avoidance of the feared
  stimulus. DSM-IV-TR specifies five types of specific phobias:
  animal, natural environment, blood-injection-injury, situational,
  and other.


• People are biologically prepared to develop specifi c phobias to
  certain stimuli as well as to resist developing phobias to certain
  other stimuli.


• Neurological factors, such as an overly reactive amygdala,
  appear to contribute to specific phobias. Neurotransmitters
  involved in specifi c phobias include GABA, serotonin, acetylcho-
  line, and norepinephrine. Research suggests a role for genetics
  as well: Some genes are associated with specifi c phobias gener-
  ally, whereas other genes are associated with particular types of
  specifi c phobias.


• Psychological factors that give rise to specifi c phobias include
  possibly classical conditioning (but rarely), operant condi-
  tioning (negative reinforcement of avoiding the feared stimu-
  lus), and cognitive biases related to the stimulus (such as

overestimating the probability that a negative event will occur

following contact with the feared stimulus).

• Observational learning—a social factor—can influence what
  particular stimulus a person comes to fear.


• Treatment for specifi c phobias can include medication (target-
  ing neurological factors), specifi cally a benzodiazepine. How-
  ever, medication is usually not necessary because CBT—the
  treatment of choice for specifi c phobia—is extremely effective
  (targeting psychological factors). CBT—particularly when expo-
  sure is part of the treatment—can work in just one session.

Making a Diagnosis

• Reread Case 7.5 about Kevin, and determine whether or not his
  symptoms met the criteria for specifi c phobia. Specifi cally, list
  which criteria apply and which do not. If you would like more
  information to determine his diagnosis, what information—
  specifi cally—would you want, and in what ways would the infor-
  mation infl uence your decision?

Figure 7.13

7.13 • Feedback Loops in Treating Specifi c Phobias

Treatments Targeting

Neurological Factors

Medication: Not usually

necessary because

exposure is so effective;

benzodiazepines for

those refusing CBT

Changes neural

activity

Treatments Targeting

Psychological Factors

Social Factors

interactions

Treatments Targeting

Targeting Psychological Factors

CBT: Exposure,

cognitive restructuring

Changes thoughts,

feelings, and

behaviors