Final answer:
Marks & Nesse's Theory of Phobias suggests phobias are rooted in an evolutionary past where fears that increased survival were selected for. Humans are biologically predisposed to certain fears, which can develop into phobias through environmental interactions. The theory incorporates elements of fear acquisition, preparedness, and recent neuroscience findings.
Step-by-step explanation:
Marks & Nesse's Theory of Phobias posits that certain fears may have an evolutionary basis and that phobias are essentially maladaptive manifestations of this evolutionary preparedness. Their concept suggests that our ancestors who readily learned to fear objects or situations posing real threats to survival were more likely to pass on their genes. This has led to humans being biologically predisposed to fear certain stimuli more than others.
These inherited tendencies interact with environmental factors which may result in the development of a phobia. Rachman's concept of fear acquisition, for instance, includes direct conditioning, vicarious learning (as studied by Mineka & Cook), and verbal transmission. Seligman's notion of preparedness aligns with this theory, suggesting that we are evolutionarily primed to develop fears that were historically advantageous, such as fear of snakes or the dark.
Recent studies in neuroscience, such as the work of Josselyn and colleagues, delve into how fear memories are stored and retrieved in the brain, potentially offering targets for treating fear and anxiety disorders. The understanding of phobias has evolved to integrate not just psychological theories but also biological perspectives on brain-behavior relationships, as investigated by researchers like Saxena, Bota, and Brody.