behavioural approach to treating phobias

• classical conditioning


  a neutral stimulus is repeatedly paired with another stimulus known as the unconditioned stimulus. the neutral stimulus becomes associated with the conditioned stimulus and elicits the same response
• classical conditioning - pavlovs dogs


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• classical conditioning is stage 1 of acquiring a phobia
• classical conditioning - little albert 


  good evidence that phobias are learned

  watson and raynor 1920

  
• operant conditioning 


  changing a behaviour because of a reward or for avoidance

  • once fear is established, individual avoids the object / situation that produces the fear
  • this in turn reduces the anxiety
  • also strengthens fear and makes it more likely that the object / situation will be avoided in the future
  • negatively reinforces to avoid the phobic stimuli
• operant conditioning is stage 2 and how a phobia is maintained
• the 2 process model - mowrer


  • suggests phobias are aquired as a result of classical conditioning and maintained by operant conditioning
  • person scared of spiders is likely to run away when they see one. the escape (of fear and anxiety they would have had if they had stayed) and consequent reduction of fear acts as a negative reinforcer, increasing chances of avoidance in the future
  • this maintains the phobia with the pleasant consequence
  • reduction in fear reinforces the avoidance behaviour so the phobia is maintained
• strength - good practical applications


  success of the therapy supports the explanation, suggesting they may have a behavioural origin in the first place
• weakness - 2 process model is a reductionist


  • reduces a complex phobia down to just simple conditioning
  • fails to take into account the impact of irrational thoughts, which are a major characteristic of phobias
• weakness - 2 process model is deterministic


  • we are controlled by our environment
  • not everyone who is bitten by a dog will develop a phobia of dogs

  better explained by a diathesis stress model

  • we may be genetically predisposed to develop certain fears, but they will only develop when triggered by some sort of experience - known as preparedness
  • we are born with a readiness to make some associations very quickly - particularly those that would have been of danger to our ancestors
• systematic desensitisation 


  reduce phobic anxiety through the principle of classical conditioning whereby a new response to the phobic stimulus is paired with relaxation instead of anxiety (anxiety hierarchy, relaxation techniques, exposition)
• flooding


  reduce phobic anxiety through the principle of operant conditioning whereby there is no option for avoidance
• functional analysis - stage 1 of SD


  • client and psychologist draw up a hierarchy of fears
  • least-most anxiety produced
  • decides treatment goals they want to work towards
• relaxation training - stage 2 of SD


  • taught different techniques for relaxing
  • eg. controlling breathing and muscular tension, positive self statements
• graduated exposure 


  • client is gradually brought into contact with phobic object
  • starting low on hierarchy of fears and working their way upwards
  • at each level they are encouraged to use their relaxation training until they are able to completely relax at that level
  • then they move onto the next level
  • treatment is complete once client has reached their treatment goals
• flooding


  • overwhelming individuals senses with item / situation that causes anxiety so they realise that no harm will occur
  • no relaxation techniques / build up
  • exposed repeatedly and in an intensive way with their phobia
  • they have their senses flooded with thoughts, images and actual experiences of their phobia
• how does flooding work?

  • stops phobic responses very quickly
  • without option of avoidance, patient learns the phobia is harmless - extinction
  • a learned response occurs when the conditioned stimulus (dog) is encountered without the unconditioned stimulus (being bitten)
  • result is that the conditioned stimulus no longer produces the conditioned response (fear)
• flooding eval - :) cost effective

  • comparable for other treatments but works quickly
  • patients are treated quicker
  • more cost effective for health service providers
• flooding eval - :( stressful for patient

  • traumatic, high levels of anxiety
  • Ps provide informed consent but many dont complete their treatment
  • can be a waste of time and money if Ps dont finish their therapy
• flooding eval - :( doesnt apply to all phobias

  • effective for specific phobias, less for social phobias
  • because social phobias are caused by irrational thinking and not an unpleasant experience
  • cannot be treated, CBT might be better