User:Inaram1999/sandbox

Wikipedia Assignment 3

Proposed Changes

Our group's proposed changes involve the creation of a ‘Causes’ section, describing the etiology of specific phobia. Our specific additions involve the discussion of the pathophysiological processes contributing to specific phobia. The new sentences are as follows:

“In non-experiential phobia, the typical activation of the amygdala in response to stimuli may be exaggerated due to pathological changes in the excitability threshold in fear circuits. A deficiency in amygdala habituation may also contribute to the persistence of non-experiential phobia1. Certain phobias that are less lethal (e.g. dogs) seem to be more frequently observed and easily acquired in comparison to potentially lethal fears which are more relevant to our current society (e.g. cars and guns). This may be due to biological adaptation being passed through evolution which makes recent threats less prone to easy acquisition2.”


 * 1) Garcia R. (2017). Neurobiology of fear and specific phobias. Learning & memory (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.), 24(9), 462–471. https://doi.org/10.1101/lm.044115.116
 * 2) Davis, T. E., Ollendick, T. H., & Öst, L.-G. (2019). One-session treatment of specific phobias in children: Recent developments and a systematic review. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 15(1), 233–256. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-050718-095608

Rationale for proposed change

Our Wikipedia article is currently lacking information on the causes and etiology of specific phobias. A ‘Causes’ subheading is typically found in similar healthcare-related articles and is vital to gaining a more robust understanding of specific phobias and factors that can lead to the development of this condition. In particular, we found information on the pathophysiological changes that are seen in those with specific phobias. The first sentence describes the neurological change that occurs in response to triggering stimuli in specific phobia. This sentence is followed by the factor which may be responsible for the persistence of specific phobia. Both of these sentences use information derived from the reference listed in question one and provide context on the physiology behind specific phobias. Additionally, we included a sentence on the biological adaptation of phobias as this is one prevailing theory used to explain the development of different types of phobias.

Area of controversy (if applicable)

There is currently a limited understanding of the etiology of specific phobia. However, this limitation did not prevent me from moving forth with the proposed changes, as it is still beneficial for readers to understand what research currently shows. Furthermore, my group members were also able to find relevant literature to support the topic, strengthening the information in that section.

Critique of source

The selected articles are limited in that it does not decisively provide the etiology of specific phobia. The first article discusses particular physiological mechanisms which may be responsible for specific phobia but it concludes that there is a need for further research. The second article similarly discloses the uncertainty in the exact causes of specific phobias but discusses several prevailing theories. As a result, it is unclear how valid the information could be deemed. Additionally, both articles reference hundreds of other sources, but many of the references are outdated (early 2000s and late 1990s).

Article Improvement

The proposed improvement has been posted on the Specific Phobia talk page along with corresponding references.