What's That Phobia?
Arachnophobia?
What is the fear of spiders?
This term describes a small brain structure that triggers fear responses like a racing heart and nervousness.
What is the amygdala?
This theory explains phobias through classical conditioning, then through operant conditioning.
What is Mowrer’s Two-Factor Theory?
This Greek word means “fear” and is the origin of the term “phobia.”
What is phobos?
Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia?
What is the fear of long words?
This learning process occurs when a neutral object becomes associated with a scary event, creating a fearful response.
What is Classical Conditioning?
According to counter-arguments, even if this theory doesn’t explain why phobias start, it helps explain why the fear is so strong and persistent.
What is the Biological/Neurobiological theory?
When someone faces their phobia, these physical reactions may occur, such as a fast heartbeat, shaking, or sweating.
What is the fight-or-flight response?
Acrophobia?
What is the fear of heights?
This is when a person avoids situations or objects that trigger fear, which makes their phobia stronger over time.
What is Avoidance Behaviour?
In Mowrer’s theory, the part that reinforces phobias, because avoiding fear feels good, is called this type of conditioning.
What is Operant Conditioning?
This part of the brain regulates fear but may fail to calm phobic reactions effectively.
What is the prefrontal cortex?
Ephebiphobia?
What is the fear of teenagers?
Fear of something harmful that comes from past experiences is stored in this part of the brain.
What is the Hippocampus?
This theory argues that humans are naturally more likely to fear snakes, spiders, or heights because it helped our ancestors survive.
What is Seligman’s Preparedness Theory?
Phobias are often caused by traumatic experiences, learned behaviour, genetics, or this type of theory that suggests some fears helped humans survive.
What is evolutionary theory?
Chiclephobia?
What is the fear of chewing gum?
This term describes a strong, irrational fear of something that is usually not dangerous.
What is a Phobia?
This psychologist created the Two-Factor Theory, explaining how phobias form through classical and operant conditioning.
What is O. Hobart Mowrer?
Even without a traumatic experience, some people develop phobias because of inherited sensitivity or this type of vulnerability.
What is genetic/biological vulnerability?