PHOBIC BELIEFS - DO COGNITIVE-FACTORS PLAY A ROLE IN SPECIFIC PHOBIAS

It has long been assumed that specific phobias are by definition, non- cognitive and irrational. However, current cognitive theory suggests t hat idiosyncratic cognitions may be primary to the experience of phobi c anxiety. In this study, conscious beliefs related to exposure to pho bic stimuli were assessed. It was found that the majority of specific phobics reported high levels of belief in at least one of a set of cog nitions, such as ''I would go mad''. Analysis of the relationship betw een phobic anxiety, avoidance; interference and harm cognitions sugges ts a major role in phobias for harm cognitions as opposed to the other variables. These results appear to indicate that it is difficult to j ustify the assumption that the nature of specific phobias is essential ly non-cognitive.