PSY254: CH. 4

7. Describe at least four characteristics of agoraphobia (define). How does the woman featured in the posted video on agoraphobia demonstrate these characteristics? So FIRST define agoraphobia, then LIST 4 characteristics finally apply these 4 characteristics to the woman in the posted video.

Agoraphobia is when someone is afraid of being in public places or situations in which escape might be difficult or help unavailable, should they experience panic or become incapacitated. Four characteristics of agoraphobia are pronounced, disproportionate, or repeated fear about being in at least two of the following situations (lines or crowds, public transportation), fear of such agoraphobic situations derives from a concern that it would be hard to escape or get help if panic or embarrassment occurs, avoidance of the agoraphobic situations, symptoms continuing for at least 6 months, and significant distress or impairment. The woman in the video has a very disproportionate fear of being outside her house, her symptoms have been continuing for 10 years, leaving her house causes her visible distress, and her fear derives from a traumatic experience.

9. Describe in detail the exposure therapies (define what exposure therapy is) of systematic desensitization (define), flooding (define), and modeling(define) in the treatment of specific phobias. How does the video on Howie Mandel demonstrate one (1) of these therapies?

Exposure treatment is an approach in which people are exposed to the objects or situations that they dread. Systematic desensitization is an exposure technique where you learn to relax while gradually facing the objects or situations that they fear. Flooding is an exposure treatment for phobias in which clients are exposed repeatedly and intensively to a feared object and made to see that it is actually harmless. Modeling is a process of learning in which a person observes and then imitates others. Howie Mandel demonstrated exposure therapy since he was exposed to the heights for a short amount of time.

1. What criteria are used to distinguish between clinically significant fear and anxiety (define each term) and everyday fear and anxiety? Give examples of each. Why is it important to know the difference?

Fear is defined as the central nervous system's physiological and emotional response to a serious threat to one's well-being. Anxiety is defined as the central nervous system's physiological and emotional response to a vague sense of threat or danger. Everyday fear and anxiety are not pleasant, but prepare us for action when danger threatens. For ex. It may help us drive more cautiously in a storm. However, some people suffer such disabling anxiety that they cannot lead normal lives. Fear can cause anxiety, and anxiety can cause fear. But the subtle distinctions between the two give you a better understanding of your symptoms and may be important for treatment strategies. Fear is clinically significant when it is excessive in number and duration.

10. Describe the differences between in vivo desensitization (define) and covert desensitization(define) and give an example of each. Include virtual reality in your response. You can use the Howie Mandel video for this too if you like.

Vivo desensitization means that while the client is in a state of relaxation, the therapist has the client face the event at the bottom of the hierarchy. This may be an actual confrontation, a process called in vivo desensitization. For example, a patient may be exposed to dogs over time to help their phobia. Covert desensitization means if the confrontation is imagined. The patient will imagine a frightening event while the therapist describes it. For example, the therapist may describe jumping out of a plane to someone with a phobia of heights.

3. Identify and provide examples for basic irrational assumptions, meta-worries, and intolerance of uncertainty theory (define each of these terms please) from the cognitive-behavioral perspective's explanation of anxiety. So define each of the underlined terms and explain each from a cognitive behavioral perspective (define).

-Basic irrational assumptions, inappropriate and inaccurate beliefs held by people with different psychological problems. "It is a necessity for an adult to be loved and adored by every single person in the world." -Meta-worries, worrying about the fact that they're worrying. "I am going crazy with all this worrying" - Intolerance of uncertainty, certain individuals cannot tolerate the knowledge that negative events may occur even if the likelihood is small. "Think of a person you're attracted to and how you feel waiting for them to text you back. The worry you experience is the same for these individuals every single day."

4.What are the effects, positive and negative, of taking benzodiazepines for generalized anxiety disorder? So first explain what benzodiazepines are and give an example; then give ONE positive effect and ONE negative effect of taking these drugs.

Benzodiazepines are depressants that produce sedation and hypnosis, relieve anxiety and muscle spasms, and reduce seizures. An example is xanax. A positive effect is reduction of anxiety, the induction and maintenance of sleep, muscle relaxation, and the treatment and prevention of epileptic seizures. A negative effect is feeling dulled and slow. feeling isolated and unreal. feeling cut off from your emotions. feeling irritable and impatient.

5. Explain in detail, from a biological perspective, how GABA (define) is related to the experience of anxiety. What are some limitations of this explanation? (Hint: GABA is a neurotransmitter so you need to know how it works and THEN how is MIGHT contribute to the experience of anxiety. Having done that give 2 or 3 limitations of this explanation.)

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a common neurotransmitter in the brain. GABA carries inhibitory messages: when GABA is received at a receptor, it causes the neuron to stop firing. Researchers believed that GABA activity throughout the brain must be deficient in people with generalized anxiety disorder. A limitation of this belief is the fact that research conducted in this century indicates that the biological basis of GAD is more complicated than the disturbed activity of this single neurotransmitter. At the same time, improper functioning by various neurons, structures, interconnections, or other neurotransmitters throughout the fear circuit can also lead to broad circuit hyperactivity and contribute to the development of GAD.

2. Briefly compare and contrast the sociocultural, psychodynamic, humanistic, cognitive behavioral, and biological perspectives regarding the development of generalized anxiety disorders. So BRIEFLY list and define each of the perspectives and BRIEFLY explain how EACH perspective would explain how one develops generalized anxiety. (Note: A good way to approach this BIG question is to 1) FIRST define generalized anxiety disorder BRIEFLY 2) merely list the five approaches: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and give a few words explaining that particular approach; 3) the question asks you how each of the five perspectives would explain the DEVELOPMENT of GAD . For example: GAD =_____________ 1 Biological perspective =____________; 2. this perspective would propose a biological explanation of how GAD MIGHT develop. Use this as your template for the other 4 perspectives.)

Generalized anxiety disorder = condition of excessive worry about everyday issues and situations. It lasts longer than 6 months. In addition to feeling worried you may also feel restlessness, fatigue, trouble concentrating, irritability, increased muscle tension, and trouble sleeping. Sociocultural theorists = anxiety is most likely to develop in people who are faced with ongoing societal conditions that are dangerous Psychodynamic perspective= freud believed that all children experience some degree of anxiety as part of growing up and that all use ego defense mechanisms to control anxiety. However, some children have high levels of anxiety or their defense mechanisms may be inadequate which can lead to GAD Humanistic perspective= GAD arises when people stop looking at themselves honestly and acceptingly. Repeated denials of their true thoughts, emotions, and behavior make these people extremely anxious and unable to fulfill their potential as human beings Cognitive perspective = suggest that psychological disorders are often caused by problematic behaviors and dysfunctional ways of thinking. Their explanations focus on the nature of such behaviors and thoughts, how they are acquired, and how they influence feelings and emotions Biological perspectives= believe that GAD is caused chiefly by biological factors

16 On the video on Agoraphobia, how severe was the agoraphobia featured in the woman? To answer this, you need to explain her behavioral symptoms, how long she has suffered with this. What approach did Dr. Rachel take with her. Describe..

Her agoraphobia is very severe. She suffered a trauma at a family event and it took a year for her to start experiencing panic. Her panic started in a car, she felt a sudden beating in her chest. It got so bad that she couldn't go to work or anywhere she could only stay home. It has been 10-11 years that she's been dealing with this. Dr. Rachel used exposure therapy, because she brought her outside the house for a walk which wasn't exactly leaving the house but it was a small start.

19. In the video on the "strange situation" what is demonstrated? To answer this you need to 1. explain what the Strange Situation is: 2) state the psychologist who created this experiment; 3) what does it demonstrate?

It assesses the quality of a child's attachment to their caregiver and allows us to identify, without lengthy home observation, infants who effectively use a primary caregiver as a secure base. A psychologist named Mary Ainsworth created the strange situation. It demonstrates how babies or young children respond to the temporary absence of their mothers.

8. Describe how a cognitive-behaviorist would explain the development of a dog phobia, using modeling (define). Include an example. You can use the Little Albert video as partial explanation (behavioral part).

Modeling is a process of learning in which a person observes and then imitates others. In a famous report, psychologists described how they taught a baby boy called Little Albert to fear white rats. Researchers found that modeling plays a key role in the acquisition of such problems. Additionally, a cognitive behaviorist would say that the phobia can be acquired through classical conditioning, meaning they were conditioned to fear.

6. Describe at least four differences between normal fear(define) and phobia (define). Identify some of the uses of fear. A good way to approach this is to give examples of when we would experience "normal fear" and then define 'phobia' in clinical terms .

Normal fear is a normal reaction to a real or imagined threat. Phobia is a persistent and unreasonable fear of a particular object, activity, or situation. People with a phobia become fearful if they even think about the object or situation they dread, but they usually remain comfortable as long as they avoid it or thoughts about it. A phobia is more intense and persistent and the desire to avoid the object is stronger. People with phobias often feel so much distress that their fears may interfere dramatically with their lives. One would experience fear when in danger or when someone or something is threatening them. A phobia example could be agoraphobia, acrophobia, etc.

13. Following the example of the case vignettes (stories) in the textbook, write a description of someone experiencing an obsessive-compulsive disorder (define). Include the MOST common themes in obsessive thoughts AND compulsive behaviors. You can use one of the examples from the text if you wish.

Obsessive compulsive disorder is a disorder in which a person has recurrent obsessions, compulsions, or both. An individual with OCD says I can't get to sleep unless I am sure everything in the house is in its proper place so that when I get up in the morning, the house is organized. I work like mad to set everything straight before I go to bed, but, when I get up in the morning, I can think of a thousand things that I ought to do.... I can't stand to know something that needs doing and I haven't done it." The most common theme appears to be contamination or dirt, violence and aggression, orderliness, religion, and sexuality.

15. DSM-5 includes a category called obsessive-compulsive-related disorders (define) . List and describe the four patterns(actual disorders) in that group. What is the underlying commonality in all of these disorders?

Obsessive compulsive related disorders are disorders in which obsessive-like concerns drive people to repeatedly and excessively perform certain abnormal patterns of behavior. The four patterns in that group are hoarding disorder, trichotillomania, excoriation, and body dysmorphic disorder. People with hoarding disorder feel that they must save items, and they are distressed if they try to discard them. People with trichotillomania repeatedly pull out hair from their scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes, or other parts of the body. People with excoriation keep picking at their skin, resulting in significant sores or wounds. People with body dysmorphic disorder become preoccupied with the belief that they have a particular defect or flaw in their physical appearance. All disorders involved obsessions, compulsions or both.

11. Imagine that a person has a diagnosed panic disorder (define). Based on the latest research, which treatment options (2) are most appropriate for this person? Give a specific example.

Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder marked by recurrent and unpredictable panic attacks. The main treatment options are psychotherapy or drug therapy. Antidepressant drugs appear to prevent or reduce panic attacks by increasing the activity of the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain's panic circuit, thus helping to correct the circuit's tendency to be hyperactive. For example, researchers have discovered that benzodiazepine drugs can be effective in many cases of panic disorder (ex. xanax). Another example is the cognitive-behavioral theorists who believe that panic-prone people often misinterpret bodily sensations that cause them to be extremely overwhelmed and thus cause a panic attack. (ex. "something i ate", or "an argument with a boss"

14. Compare the psychodynamic (define) and cognitive-behavioral (define) perspectives regarding the causes of obsessive-compulsive disorders (define). Give examples of each.

Psychodynamic theorists believe that an anxiety disorder develops when children come to fear their own id impulses and use ego defense mechanisms to lessen the resulting anxiety. For example, A woman who keeps imagining her mother lying broken and bleeding, for example, may counter those thoughts with repeated safety checks throughout the house. The cognitive behavioral theorists begin their explanation of OCD by pointing out that everyone has repetitive, unwanted, and intrusive thoughts, however most people ignore these thoughts but people with OCD try to neutralize these thoughts. For example, Anyone might have thoughts of harming others or being contaminated by germs, for example, but most people dismiss or ignore them with ease.

12. List at least four (4) dysfunctional beliefs and expectations behind social anxiety disorder (define). First define 'social anxiety disorder' then list 4 dysfunctional beliefs and expectations

Social anxiety disorder is a psychological disorder in which people fear social situations. Four dysfunctional beliefs include believing they are unattractive social beings, holding unrealistically high social standards and believing they must be perfect in social situations, believing they are always in danger of behaving incompetently in social situations, and believing they have no control over the feelings of anxiety that emerge in social situations.

18. In the Harry Harlow experiment on baby monkeys where Harlow presents a 'robot-like' object to the baby monkey raised solely on 'wire monkeys', what is the baby's reaction and why? What phenomenon in human baby's also demonstrates this response?

The researchers found that the baby monkeys spend significantly more time with the cloth mother. The baby monkey is showing contact comfort. When exposed to fear the monkey runs to the cloth mother instead of the wire mother who offers food source.

17. In the "Little Albert" video, what approach was used to produce fear in Little Albert? (1 pt). Explain the experiment.(2 pts) Who was the psychologist? (1pt). Albert extended his initial to other similiar objects, what is this process called? (1 pt).

They used classical conditioning to produce fear in Little Albert. First, the investigators demonstrated that Little Albert didn't fear animals prior to conditioning. They then used classical conditioning for Albert to fear the rat. They struck a steel bar with a hammer whenever Albert reached for the rat which startled and upset him. After 6 times of this Albert was conditioned to react frightened and be afraid of the rats whether they were paired with a loud noise or not. After the conditioning, he started crying when a white rat was placed in front of him and the same with animals of similar nature. The psychologist was named John B Watson. Through generalization little Albert began to fear animals that were similar to the white rat such as a rabbit.