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

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