Year: 2011
Type: article
Abstract: There is evidence for the role of trait anxiety in the specific phobias, and spider phobia in particular. Recently, trait disgust has received attention in relation to specific phobia and researchers and theorists have begun to address its contributions to phobia etiology, maintenance, and treatment processes. There is now strong evidence that a trait or dispositional proneness to experience disgust is related to spider phobia. What is perhaps more important is emerging evidence that both trait anxiety and trait disgust may contribute to spider phobia severity independently of one another. However, the overall picture is far from clear and distinguishing the role of anxiety from that of disgust in spider phobia is often quite difficult, perhaps in part due to the potential for synergistic effects between the two emotions. This chapter will review findings regarding the relationships among trait anxiety, trait disgust, and spider phobia, including cognitive and behavioral findings. The implications for theories of spider phobia etiology, maintenance, and treatment will be discussed.
Authors: Laura L. Vernon, Michiyo Hirai
Language: English
Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3205557603