CLASS 28

Phobias

- irrational fear of

a specific situation or thing

- highly focused

Definition

Specific Phobias:

• A few are especially common– they seem to be easily acquired– seen in most cultures

• there are some cultural variations but similar categories are prominent

Fear Factor• T.V. program highlighting common fears

What fears does the T.V. program emphasize?

• Several traditional categories keep being used

• i.e., common phobias

snakes

Insects

Eating bugs

heights

Deep Water

Claustrophobia

CATEGORIZING PHOBIAS

1. Animals: Insects; dogs; snakes

2. Natural environmentsHeights, storms, water

3. Specific situationsAgoraphobia; Claustrophobia

4. Fear of Injury

• Spears & knives are threats

• Blood & Guts are cues

THEORIES OF ORIGINS

1. Psycho-Dynamic Theory

– Repressed fears

– Symbolic (e.g., snake = penis)

2. Social Learning Theory

– conditioned by traumatic experience

– sometimes the exact event forgotten

– explains cultural differences

– examples ?

3. Evolution & Genetics

• our species has hardwired (prepared) fears

• most phobias make evolutionary sense

• individual differences also passed on by genetics

Can we explain other common fears with evolutionary psychology?

• The Supernatural: ghosts, etc.

• Germ phobia

• Dentists & Doctors

• Modern inventions: guns, electricity

Altogether different?

– Agoraphobia

– Math phobia

– Social phobia

– Homophobia

Bottom line

• Most phobias may be hard-wired or at least easily acquired

• Some phobias may be culture-specific