Phobias

    Classical conditioning is also involved in the development of fear and anxieties since the fear response is elicited by a previously neutral stimulus and becomes associated with an aversive stimulus. This is important in helping us avoid dangerous situations, but not all phobias are developed through classical conditioning and many often can’t recall when their phobia developed. We may develop phobias which is when we feel more intense or extreme fear and anxiety towards something. This can become a disorder if the fear and anxiety extends to other harmless events and the amount of anxiety and fear is out of proportion. These phobias may be treated with counter-conditioning, reciprocal inhibition, systematic desensitization, or flooding. 

    There are many different types of phobias that exist and some are very unique while others are fairly common. I wanted to learn more about phobias and learn about the most common phobias. I found a video that explains phobias and discusses the seven most common phobias which were arachnophobia (fear of spiders), ophidiophobia (fear of snakes), acrophobia (fear of heights), aerophobia (fear of flying), cynophobia (fear of dogs), trypanophobia (fear of injections), and mysophobia (fear of germs). Some of these phobias are thought to be derived from our primitive drive to survive, and they can be influenced by cultural influences as well. According to the American Psychological Association, phobias tend to develop during childhood or adolescence and it is common for people to have more than one phobia. I thought it was interesting that they talked about how the fear of flying was more logically irrational since airplane accidents are very rare, but it seems rational to the person with the phobia.