Which is an example of a Specific Phobia?

Which is an example of a Specific Phobia?

• A. Spiders
• B. Social fear
• C. Heights used for general worry
• D. Dissociation

Answer: (A)

Specific phobia is an intense, persistent fear of a single object or situation that leads to immediate anxiety and avoidance, and is out of proportion to the actual danger. Spiders fit this pattern because many people experience a strong, disabling fear of spiders, causing them to go out of their way to avoid them and to feel distress when confronted with one. The fear is narrowly focused on spiders, and it tends to persist and interfere with daily life. Social fear describes anxiety tied to social interactions or performance, not a specific object, and would fall under social anxiety rather than a specific phobia. Heights described as general worry reflects non-specific anxiety rather than a focused, object-specific fear. Dissociation involves disruptions in memory, consciousness, or identity, which is not a fear of an object or situation.

Specific phobia is an intense, persistent fear of a single object or situation that leads to immediate anxiety and avoidance, and is out of proportion to the actual danger. Spiders fit this pattern because many people experience a strong, disabling fear of spiders, causing them to go out of their way to avoid them and to feel distress when confronted with one. The fear is narrowly focused on spiders, and it tends to persist and interfere with daily life.

Social fear describes anxiety tied to social interactions or performance, not a specific object, and would fall under social anxiety rather than a specific phobia. Heights described as general worry reflects non-specific anxiety rather than a focused, object-specific fear. Dissociation involves disruptions in memory, consciousness, or identity, which is not a fear of an object or situation.