Tessa has an intense fear of cats.Whenever she sees a cat,she worries that it will bite her or scratch her.Her fear most likely stemmed from the time she visited her cousin when she was little,and her cousin had a mean cat.Every time Tessa went to pat the cat,the cat scratched her.It only took a few good scratches before Tessa didn't want to go anywhere near the cat,and from then onward,she has hated cats.What is the most probable cause of Tessa's anxiety disorder?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Tessa's fear of cats most likely developed through classical conditioning, where the negative experience of being scratched by a cat became associated with all cats, leading to a fear response whenever she encounters one.

Tessa Has an Intense Fear of Cats