phobias

• Phobia: an irrational fear of an object or situation
• Behavioural characteristics of phobias

  • Panic
  • Avoidance
  • Endurance (remaining in the presence of a stimulus so you know where it is)
• Emotional characteristics of phobias:

  • Anxiety (prevents relaxation)
  • Fear (immediate and unpleasant feeling)
  • Emotional response is unreasonable
• Cognitive characteristics of phobias:

  • Selective attention to the phobic stimulus
  • Irrational beliefs
  • Cognitive distortions
• Behavioural approach to explaining depression:

  The two-process model: Mowrer proposed the idea that phobias are learned by classical conditioning and then continue due to operant conditioning.
• Acquisition by classical conditioning: Little Albert study

  Classical conditioning involves learning by association of something we originally had no fear of (neutral stimulus) with something that already triggers a fear response (unconditioned stimulus)
• Watson and Rayner created a phobia in little albert (9 month old baby)

  • When shown a white rat he tried to play with is and had no anxiety
  • Whenever the rat was then presented to albert they made a loud frightening noise by banging on an iron bar near albert.
  • This noise is the unconditioned stimulus which creates an unconditioned response of fear
  • When the rat and loud noise are encountered together albert associated them together
  • The neutral stimulus now also produces a fear response
  • Rat is now the conditioned stimulus and produces a conditioned response of fear
• Little albert study: The conditioned fear of the rat was then generalised to other similar objects and he would cry such as when shown Santa's white beard and a non-white rabbit.
• Maintenance by operant conditioning:

  takes place when our behaviour is reinforced or punished, increasing the frequency of our behaviours.

  • negative reinforcement is when an individual avoids a situation that is unpleasant and this results in a desirable consequence so the behaviour is repeated, this reinforces the avoidance behaviour
  • Positive reinforcement is when we get rewarded for aa certain behaviour
• Evaluation: Explaining phobias

  Real-world application

  Is used in exposure therapies such a systematic desensitisation and flooding. Uses the idea that phobias are maintained by avoidance so that this behaviour can be prevented to reduce anxiety
• Evaluation: Cognitive aspects of phobias

  Limitation of the two process model is that is doesnt account for the cognitive aspects of phobias. It explains the behaviour associated with phobias. There are cognitions associated with phobias such as irrational beliefs and the two process model fails to offer an adequate explanation for phobic cognitions

  Limited explanation
• Evaluation: Phobias and traumatic experiences

  Little albert study shows a strong link between traumatic experience and a phobia

  Ad de Jongh found that 73% of people with a fear of dental treatment experienced a traumatic experience involving dentistry. Compared to a control group of low dental anxiety and only 21% had a traumatic experience

  Therefore shows how the association between a stimulus and an unconditioned response (pain) does lead to the development of phobias
• Evaluation: weakness

  Not all phobias appear following a bad experience such as a common phobia of snakes occur in populations where not very people have experienced snakes let alone a traumatic event with one. Also not all frightening experiences lead to a phobia. There may be an explanation of evolution fears as snakes would've been a threat in our past- evolutionary preparedness.
• What is systematic desensitisation (SD)?

  It is a behavioural therapy designed to gradually reduce phobic anxiety.
• How does systematic desensitisation aim to cure phobias?

  By teaching a person to relax in the presence of the phobic stimulus.
• What is counterconditioning in the context of SD?

  It is the learning of a new response to the phobic stimulus, pairing it with relaxation instead of anxiety.
• What are the three processes involved in systematic desensitisation?

  1. Creating an anxiety hierarchy
  2. Teaching relaxation techniques
  3. Gradual exposure to the phobic stimulus
• What is the first step in systematic desensitisation?

  The anxiety hierarchy is put together by the client and therapist.
• What is an anxiety hierarchy?

  It is a list of situations related to the phobic stimulus arranged from least to most frightening.
• How might a person with arachnophobia structure their anxiety hierarchy?

  They might list a picture of a small spider as low and holding a tarantula as high.
• What is the purpose of teaching relaxation techniques in SD?

  To achieve reciprocal inhibition, where one emotion prevents the other.
• What is reciprocal inhibition?

  It is the concept that one emotion can prevent another, such as fear being inhibited by relaxation.
• What techniques might be used to teach relaxation?

  Breathing exercises, mental imagery, or meditation.
• How can a client achieve relaxation through mental imagery?

  By imagining themselves in relaxing situations, like lying on a beach.
• What is the final step in systematic desensitisation?

  The client is exposed to the phobic stimulus while in a relaxed state.
• How does the exposure process in SD progress?

  It starts at the bottom of the anxiety hierarchy and moves up as the client remains relaxed.
• When is treatment considered successful in systematic desensitisation?

  When the client can stay relaxed in high anxiety hierarchy situations.
• What is flooding in the context of phobia treatment?

  Flooding involves immediate exposure to a phobic stimulus without gradual build-up.
• How does flooding differ from systematic desensitization?

  Flooding does not use a gradual anxiety hierarchy, unlike systematic desensitization.
• What might happen to a person with arachnophobia during a flooding session?

  A large spider might crawl over them for an extended period.
• How long do flooding sessions typically last?

  Flooding sessions often last three hours.
• Why might only one long flooding session be sufficient to cure a phobia?

  Because it can stop phobic responses very quickly.
• What is the process called when a learned response is extinguished in flooding?

  This process is called extinction.
• How does flooding lead to extinction in classical conditioning terms?

  The conditioned stimulus is encountered without the unconditioned stimulus.
• What might happen to a client during flooding due to their fear response?

  They may achieve relaxation simply because they become exhausted by their fear response.
• Is flooding considered unethical?

  No, flooding is not unethical per se, but it is unpleasant.
• What is important for clients before undergoing flooding treatment?

  Clients must give fully informed consent and be fully prepared.
• What choice is typically given to clients regarding phobia treatment?


  Clients are usually given the choice between systematic desensitization or flooding.
• What are the key features of flooding as a treatment for phobias?

  • Immediate exposure to phobic stimulus
  • No gradual build-up in anxiety hierarchy
  • Sessions typically last three hours
  • Can stop phobic responses quickly
  • May lead to extinction of the phobia
• What are the ethical considerations for flooding treatment?

  • Not unethical per se, but unpleasant
  • Importance of fully informed consent
  • Clients must be prepared for the experience
  • Choice between flooding and systematic desensitization