Phobias
Intense, irrational fear that may focus on: category of objects event or situation social setting
Phobias It is not phobic to simply be anxious about something
Afraid of it Bothers slightly Not at all afraid of it
Beingclosed in,
in a smallplace
Being alone
ina houseat night
Percentageof peoplesurveyed
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0Snakes Being
in high,exposedplaces
Mice Flyingon an
airplane
Spidersand
insects
Thunderand
lightning
Dogs Drivinga car
Being in
a crowdof people
Cats
Study of normal anxieties
Specific Phobias
Specific phobias - fear of specific object animals (e.g., snakes) substances (e.g., blood) situations (e.g., heights) more often in females than males
Social Phobias
Social phobias - fear of failing or being embarrassed in public public speaking (stage fright) fear of crowds, strangers meeting new people eating in public
Considered phobic if these fears interfere with normal behavior
Equally often in males and females
Development of Phobias
Classical conditioning model e.g., dog = CS, bite = UCS problems:
often no memory of a traumatic experiencetraumatic experience may not produce
phobia
Seligman’s preparedness theory
Mood Disorders
Depressive disorders depression of mood
Bipolar disorders cycling between depression and
mania (extreme euphoria)
Depression
Symptoms include: sadness feelings of worthlessness changes in sleep changes in eating anhedonia suicidal behavior
DepressionMajor Depression
prolonged, very severe depression lasts without remission for at least 2 weeks
Dysthymia less severe, but long-lasting depression lasts for at least 2 years
Can have both at the same timeWomen diagnosed far more often than men
Biological Bases for Depression
Neurotransmitter theories dopamine norepinephrine serotonin (observations on REM)
Genetic component more closely related people show
similar histories of depression
Situational Bases for Depression
Positive correlation between stressful life events and onset of depression Is life stress causal of depression?
Most depressogenic life events are losses spouse or companion long-term job health income
Cognitive Bases for Depression
A.T. Beck: depressed people hold pessimistic views of themselves the world the future
Depressed people distort their experiences in negative ways exaggerate bad experiences minimize good experiences
Cognitive Bases for Depression
Hopelessness theory depression results from a pattern of thinking person loses hope that life will get better negative experiences are due to stable,
global reasonse.g., “I didn’t get the job because I’m stupid and
inept” vs. “I didn’t get the job because the interview didn’t go well”
Depressive Realism: Sadder-but-wiser effect
Alloy and Abrahamson: normals: overestimate control over positive events, underestimate control over negative events; overestimate skills
depressed: more accurate
distinguish between realistic and adaptive
Seasonal Affective Disorder
Cyclic severe depression and elevated mood
Seasonal regularityUnique cluster of symptoms
intense hunger gain weight in winter sleep more than usual depressed more in evening than morning
Bipolar Disorders
Cyclic disorders Mood levels swing from severe depression to
extreme euphoria (mania) No regular relationship to time of year (like SAD) Bipolar disorder is severe form Cyclothymia is less severe form Strong heritable component Bipolar disorder often treated with lithium
Somatoform Disorders
Bodily ailments in absence of any physical disease
Examples are conversion disorder and somatization disorder
Psychological Influences on Physical Symptoms
and Diseases
Conversion Disorder
Person temporarily loses some bodily function blindness, deafness,
paralyzed portion of body
glove anesthesia
No physical damage to cause problems
Conversion Disorder
Rare in western culture now relatively common 100 years ago prominent in Freud’s work/clients
Often see examples in non-Western people exposed to traumatic event e.g., high rate of psychological blindness in
Cambodian women after Khmer Rouge reign of terror in 1970s
Somatization Disorder
Kleinman’s theory somatization and depression are
different manifestations of the same problem
cross-cultural research
pattern of somatoform disorders affected by cultural beliefs
Psychological factors and medical condition
Traumatic Grief studied people’s health before and
after death of spouse 25 months following death of a
spousesurviving spouses had increased
incidences of flu, heart disease, cancer
Immune function & emotional distress
Emotional distress shuts down some bodily defenses against pathogens makes person more vulnerable to infectious
diseases
Some studies temporary decrease in T-cells following
frustrating cognitive task only in people who also showed other signs of
physiological distress to task
Exposed group of people to cold virus
Quarantined for 6 days
Distressed develop cold more easily
Not due to other risk factors like: smoking diet sleep
Cohen, et al. (1991)
11-12
Score on psychological distress scale
3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10
50
45
40
35
30
25P
erce
nta
ge
wh
o d
evel
op
ed c
old
s