Order from us for quality, customized work in due time of your choice.
Weaving the (Neuronal) Web: Fear Learning in Spider Phobia
The article by Schweckendiek et al., “Weaving the (Neuronal) Web: Fear Learning in Spider Phobia,” explores the neurobiological difference between the standard mechanism of fear manifestation and the formation of dysfunctional brain response, that is, a spider phobia. The research includes an analysis of innate and acquired mechanisms for forming fear as a reaction to the anticipation of danger. The central hypothesis of the authors is that phobia is created when the mechanism of the regular occurrence and extinction of the response to empirical or non-empirical stimuli is disrupted (Schweckendiek et al., 2011). The paper aimed to study healthy people and people with a phobia and understand how their neuropsychological response to the stimulus differs, specifically, to spiders. The reactions of 15 patients with phobias and 14 healthy people to images of spiders were studied using MRI (Schweckendiek et al., 2011). The subjects were shown neutral pictures with geometric shapes and images that elicited a fear reaction. As a result, scientists have found that in people with a phobia, the amygdala reacts more actively, and the irritation process subsides slower. However, no other significant differences in brain activity were found.
This study gives an idea of the relationship between physiological and biological processes. Interestingly, the researchers could not find significant differences in neurological responses between different groups of subjects. Perhaps the article indicates that fear and phobia differ more on a psychological level than a neurobiological one. However, it can be noted that the study included a small number of participants whose medical history was not included (Schweckendiek et al., 2011). Therefore, it is impossible to know how many years and how much they had a phobia before the study.
Specific Fears and Phobias in the General Population
The article “Specific Fears and Phobias in the General Population” by Depla et al. is an epidemiological study of various phobias and their prevalence in the Netherlands. The goal of the paper is to study the percentage of the population suffering from phobias and find out which triggers cause phobias most often. The research method was data collection from the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study. The study included data from the Dutch general population between 18 and 65, although the researchers note that the youngest stratum of 18-24 was underrepresented in the analysis (Depla et al., 2008). Statistical analysis showed that 41.2% of respondents suffered from irrational fears. In the general mass, fear of heights (19.1%) and fears of various animals (12.6%) were especially prominent (Depla et al., 2008). Moreover, the study shows how specific phobias correlate with possible psychological and psychiatric conditions and complications – neuroticism, external locus of control, childhood trauma, etc. Scientists based on this work came to many different observations, including the fact that different groups of fears are associated with various psychological tendencies.
This article can be analyzed with other similar epidemiological studies in different populations or at different times. In this way, it will be possible to conclude whether the percentage of people suffering from phobias is approximately constant and whether the distribution by category of phobias changes. For example, it would be interesting to find out whether the number of social fears in the modern world, such as the fear of loneliness, is growing or whether people continue to be afraid of heights, animals, and blood. The disadvantages of the study include sampling since only data from people who had already entered the mental health system were used.
Virtual Reality in the Treatment of Spider Phobia
The article “Virtual Reality in the Treatment of Spider Phobia” by Garcia-Palacios et al. describes a controlled study in which people with spider phobia try to reduce the symptoms of their condition. The study involved 23 young people with arachnophobia who decided to have the treatment and had no psychological or physical comorbidities (Garcia-Palacios et al., 2002). The aim of the study was to use VR technology to test the therapeutic possibilities of virtual reality. The study hypothesized that the brain perceives any visual information as real; therefore, VR therapy will help reduce phobia symptoms. Treatment participants had to complete various buildings with virtual spiders with a gradual increase in difficulty. Subjects completed between 3 and 10 sessions, depending on how quickly they completed the tasks (Garcia-Palacios et al., 2002). The results of VR therapy were then compared with the results of other types of treatment for phobia; the scientists found a similar level of effectiveness.
This study is interesting because the phobia is reduced with the help of treatment, and the person’s reaction becomes healthier, associated with rational fear. Moreover, the study provides indicators by which the horror level is analyzed, including physiological and subjective psychological sensations. Experiencing fright, people feel a range of unpleasant symptoms, which in themselves become triggers for developing a phobia. For research, it may be helpful to analyze the causes of the development of a phobia and clinical symptoms and study the treatment process. Therapy can be indicative, as it spins the mental symptoms in the opposite direction, minimizing negative psychological distortions in the process of fear formation.
References
Depla, M. F., Ten Have, M. L., van Balkom, A. J., & de Graaf, R. (2008). Specific fears and phobias in the general population: Results from the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study (NEMESIS). Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 43(3), 200-208.
Garcia-Palacios, A., Hoffman, H., Carlin, A., Furness III, T. A., & Botella, C. (2002). Virtual reality in the treatment of spider phobia: A controlled study. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 40(9), 983-993.
Schweckendiek, J., Klucken, T., Merz, C. J., Tabbert, K., Walter, B., Ambach, W., Vaitl, D., & Stark, R. (2011). Weaving the (neuronal) web: Fear learning in spider phobia. NeuroImage, 54(1), 681–688. Web.
Order from us for quality, customized work in due time of your choice.