1. Starter: In pairs, using your Qs from last lesson, quiz each other on W&R. We will then rotate.

2. Key Questions In groups of three, discuss the following: What does the cognitive approach mean by ‘faulty thinking’? What do you think counts as ‘faulty thinking’? How do you think you could change this thought process? How, specifically, does this relate to phobias? Are there any issues/debates that apply to this topic – what are they?

3. Cognitive Approach Main Assumptions: Behaviour is the result of information processing Comparison between minds and computers Input/output Limited capacity Impose order and meaning on events * Atypical feelings reflect atypical or faulty processing of information Use of schemas

4. Cognitive theorists argue the way people think about, judge + appraise situations affects the likelihood of a fearful response People with phobias tend to focus on the negative aspects of situations – having experienced a negative event, this negative focus means they are more likely to believe that it will reoccur in the future Phobias can be maintained or made worse by the way people think

5. Cognitive biases: more likely to interpret ambiguous stimuli as a threat Phobias may then be overgeneralised The person may catastrophise situations Phobics are likely to i)over exaggerate the negative consequences ii)under estimate their ability to cope. iii)show “Catastrophic Misinterpretation” It’s poisonous ! I can’t escape ! I’m going to die !

6. DiNardo You’ve got 5 minutes to go through your notes. I will then randomly pick people to explain the Aims Procedure Results Conclusions Evaluation I want to encourage you to ask questions of your classmates once they have described their section. Also – add anything you’ve missed to your notes.

7. Cognitive explanation Key study: Di Nardo (1988) Aim To assess whether ‘excessive worry’ is a symptom of General Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Method Quasi-experiment covering three clinics in the USA.

8. Design Independent design. Participants Patients with and without diagnoses of GAD.

9. Procedure Patients were interviewed twice to assess reliability using two different structured interviews. The frequency of the symptom ‘excessive worry’ was analysed, along with the percentage of the day that each patient said they displayed this symptom for.

10. Findings Significantly more patients with GAD reported excessive worry than patients without GAD. More patients without GAD reported no excessive worry. Patients with GAD reported excessive worry for 59.1% of the day compared with 41.7% for patients without GAD.

11. Conclusion Excessive worry, which indicates faulty thinking, is found in more GAD patients, and its absence can be used to rule out a diagnosis of General Anxiety Disorder. Patients with GAD spend more time each day worrying.

12. Evaluation:

13. Task: Complete the summary worksheet (not the therapies section though). Finish for homework.

14. Homework Research (and come up with your own ideas!) for the evaluation of each explanation of phobias. Think about research and the general assumptions of the approach Use the issues and debates format to help you

15. Exit task Which explanation of phobias do you find the most convincing, and why? Weigh up your argument