behavioural explanations + treatments for OCD

• what is the two process model?

  A theory that explains the two processes that lead to the development of phobias - they begin through classical conditioning and are maintained through operant conditioning
• what is classical conditioning?

  learning through association
• what is operant conditioning?

  learning through consequences
• what is negative reinforcement?

  taking away unpleasant consequences to increase the likelihood of the behaviour repeating
• using the two process model, explain how a phobia is acquired and maintained?

  - the phobia is developed through classical conditioning

  - a situation / event / object (NS) causes a fear response (CR) so the NS becomes associated with the response

  - the phobia can become generalised to similar situations

  . the phobia is maintained through operant conditioning

  - feelings of fear or anxiety around the stimulus however when avoiding / escaping the stimulus, those feelings go away and there is a feeling of relief which negatively reinforces the phobia
• name a strength of the two process model as an explanation for phobias

  REAL WORLD APPLICATION:

  - behaviourist theories have been practically applied to counter-conditioning therapies such as systematic desensitisation

  - as these treatments are effective, this suggests that the behaviourist principles they are based on are valid
• name a limitation of the two process model as an explanation for phobias

  . not all phobias appear following a bad experience

  . for example snakes and spiders are very common phobias but very few people have had experiences (and especially not traumatic ones)

  . this means the association between frightening experiences and phobias isn't as strong as we expect and may be better explained by evolutionary theory
• what are the two methods of treating phobias using the behavioural approach?

  systematic desensitisation

  flooding
• what is systematic desensitisation?

  behavioural therapy designed to reduce an unwanted phobic response through classical conditioning - counterconditioning
• explain the 3 processes involved in SD

  1. anxiety hierarchy

  - put together by client and therapist

  - list of situations put together that provoke anxiety

  2. relaxation

  - therapist teaches the client to relax

  - impossible to be relaxed and feel fear at the same time - reciprocal inhibition

  3. exposure

  - client is exposed to the phobic stimulus while in a relaxed state

  - start at the bottom of the hierarchy and work up
• name two strengths of systematic desentisiation?

  EVIDENCE OF EFFECTIVENESS

  - Gilroy et al (2003) followed 42 people who had SD for spider phobia

  - at both 3 and 33 months, the SD group were all less fearful than the control group

  SUITABLE FOR MANY PEOPLE

  - people with learning difficulties may struggle with cognitive therapies and may be overwhelmed by flooding so SD is a good alternative

  - therefore the most appropriate treatment
• what is flooding?

  behavioural therapy in which a person with a phobia is exposed to an extreme form of phobic stimulus in order to reduce to anxiety triggered by the stimulus - takes place over a small number of long sessions
• how does flooding work?

  without the option of avoidance behaviour, the client quickly learns that the phobic object is harmless - known as extinction and results in the conditioned stimulus no longer producing the conditioned response
• name one strength of flooding

  cost effective

  . can work in as little as one session meaning more people can be treated at the same cost as SD for example
• name on limitation of flooding

  traumatic

  . Schumacher et al. found participants ranked it much more stressful than SD

  . raises ethical issues as psychologists know they are causing psychological harm - less of a problem if full informed consent is provided

  . drop out rates are much higher