After someone learns a phobia to one object, the phobia sometimes spreads to other similar objects. The spread could be described as

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Stimulus generalization occurs when a response that has been learned for one specific stimulus is also elicited by other similar stimuli. In the case of phobias, the fear response to one object may spread to other objects that share similar characteristics, leading to avoidance or distress in those situations as well.

After Someone Learns a Phobia to One Object, the Phobia