Behavioural approach to explaining phobias

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    Created by
    merve k

    Cards (9)

    • The two process model
      -Classical and operant conditioning: Mowrer (1960) argued phobias are learnt through classical conditioning and maintained by operant conditioning.
    • Acquisition by classical conditioning: classical conditioning involves association.
      1. UCS triggers a fear response
      2. NS is associated with the UCS
      3. NS becomes a CS producing fear.
    • Little Albert - conditioned fear: Watson and Rayner (1920) showed how fear of rats could be conditioned.
      1. Whenever Albert played with a white rat, loud noise made close to his ear. Noise (UCS) caused fear response (UCR).
      2. Rat (NS) didn't produce fear until the bang and the rat had been paired together several times.
      3. Albert showed a fear response (CR) every time he came into contact with the rat (now a CS).
    • Generalisation of fear to other stimuli: Little Albert also showed a fear in response to other white furry objects.
    • Maintenance by operant conditioning (negative reinforcement): Operant conditioning takes place when our behaviour is reinforced or punished. When a person with a phobia avoids a phobic stimulus they escape the anxiety that would've been experienced. This reduction in fear negatively reinforces the avoidance behaviour and the phobia is maintained.
    • ++ Two process model has real world application. Idea that phobias are maintained by avoidance is important in explaining why people benefit from exposure therapy. This shows the value of the two process approach because it identifies a means of treating phobias.
    • --Inability to explain cognitive aspects of phobias. Behavioural explanations are geared towards explaining behaviour. However, phobias also have a significant cognitive component. This means that the two process model does not fully explain the symptoms of phobias.
    • ++ Evidence linking phobias to bad experiences. De Jongh et al.2006 found 73% of dental phobics had experienced trauma .This confirms that the association between stimulus and an unconditioned response does lead to the phobia.
    • --Preparedness is an alternative explanation. This is the tendency to develop phobias for things that posed a danger in our evolutionary past. This means that the two process model does not explain some important properties of phobias.