Behavioural Explanations of Phobias

• What are the key assumptions of the behavioural explanations of phobias?


  Phobias are all learnt in the same way all behaviours are learnt - through classical and operant conditioning.
• How does classical conditioning contribute to the acquisition of phobias?


  Phobias can be created when the natural fear response becomes associated with a particular stimulus.
• How does operant conditioning contribute to the maintenance of phobias?


  Reinforcement maintains a phobia through a negative experience
• What is a strength of the behavioural explanations of phobias?


  Real world applications as it has implications into exposure therapies to the feared stimulus, which can be used to improve a patient's life.
• What is a weakness of the behavioural explanations of phobias?


  Ignores the idea that not all phobias follow a traumatic experiences, which contradicts the two-process model (classical and operant conditioning) that states that phobias are acquired through classical conditioning from a negative experience.