n. (in psychology) a quality of some stimuli that makes them much more likely to trigger a pathological fear. For example, animals or high places are much more likely to become the subject of a *phobia than are plants or clothes. One theory is that individuals are genetically predisposed to *conditioning of fear to objects that have been a biological threat during human evolution.
n. a pathologically strong *fear of a particular event or thing. Avoiding the feared situation may severely restrict one’s life and cause much suffering. The main kinds of phobia are specific phobias (isolated fears of particular things, such as sharp knives), *agoraphobia, *claustrophobia, social phobias of encountering people, and animal phobias, as of spiders, rats, or dogs (see also preparedness). Treatment is with *cognitive behavioural therapy, *desensitization, *graded self-exposure, or *flooding. Antidepressants are also useful.... phobia
Health Encyclopedia