Anxiety is a familiar human experience, but it can become a disorder when it is excessive, persistent, and disruptive. This lesson introduces anxiety disorders and examines specific phobia and agoraphobia.
Fear is an immediate reaction to an imminent threat. Anxiety involves apprehension, avoidance, and caution about a possible future threat or negative event. Anxiety can be useful: it may motivate someone to prepare for an exam, attend work on time, or avoid risky behavior.
All flashcards
How are fear and anxiety different?
Fear is an immediate reaction to an imminent threat. Anxiety is apprehension, avoidance, or caution concerning a potential threat or negative event.
When can anxiety be useful?
Anxiety can motivate preparation and prudent choices, such as studying for an exam, attending work on time, or avoiding risky behavior.
What is a specific phobia?
It is excessive, distressing, persistent fear or anxiety about a particular object or situation, often accompanied by avoidance.
What does phobic stimulus mean?
It is the specific object or situation that triggers fear and anxiety for a person with a phobia.
What characterizes agoraphobia?
Intense fear, anxiety, and avoidance of situations where escape may be difficult or help unavailable if panic-like symptoms occur.
Quiz questions
Beyond experiencing panic attacks, which pattern is required for panic disorder?Answer: Recurrent unexpected attacks followed by at least a month of concern, worry, or related behavior change.
How can safety behaviors maintain social anxiety?Answer: They can prevent people from discovering that feared social outcomes may not occur.
What is verbal transmission as a pathway for acquiring fear?Answer: Developing fear through information or warnings communicated by other people.
What does prepared learning propose about some phobias?Answer: Some danger associations may be acquired more readily because of evolutionary history.
Why can alcohol use become more likely when someone drinks to manage social anxiety?Answer: Temporary relief can negatively reinforce drinking when anxiety arises.
Based on Psychology 2e by Rose M. Spielman, William J. Jenkins, Marilyn D. Lovett (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.