Phobias: Explaining and Treating (Behavioural)

• What are phobias considered in mental health conditions?

  Phobias are one of the most interesting mental health conditions.
• Why might it be difficult to imagine how a phobia develops?

  It can be difficult to imagine how a phobia develops if you don't have that specific phobia.
• What is the behaviorist approach to explaining phobias?

  • Phobias are learned through interaction with the environment.
  • Key concepts include classical and operant conditioning.
  • The two process model explains acquisition and maintenance of phobias.
• What is the two process model in relation to phobias?

  The two process model suggests phobias are acquired through classical conditioning and maintained through operant conditioning.
• How are phobias initially acquired according to the two process model?

  Phobias are initially acquired through classical conditioning, which is learning by association.
• What is the role of unconditioned stimuli in phobia acquisition?

  An unconditioned stimulus produces an unconditioned fear response automatically.
• How does a neutral stimulus become a conditioned stimulus in phobia development?

  A neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus when paired with an unconditioned stimulus, forming an association.
• What does it mean for phobias to be generalized?

  Phobias can be generalized to similar stimuli, causing a conditioned fear response to other objects.
• How are phobias maintained according to the two process model?

  Phobias are maintained through operant conditioning, where avoidance leads to a reduction in anxiety.
• What happens when a person with a phobia avoids the phobic object?

  When a person avoids the phobic object, their anxiety decreases, reinforcing the phobia.
• Describe the scenario of Laura and her phobia of bees.

  • Laura played with bees without fear.
  • She was stung while playing, causing a fear response.
  • She now associates bees with pain and experiences fear when seeing them.
• How does Laura's phobia affect her social life?

  Laura's phobia impacts her ability to engage socially, as she avoids situations where bees may be present.
• What does the classic research by Watson and Rayner demonstrate about phobias?

  It demonstrates that phobias can be acquired through association, as shown with Little Albert and the rat.
• What was the outcome of Little Albert's exposure to the rat?

  Little Albert developed a phobic response to the rat after it was paired with a loud noise.
• What does the research by Dinardo suggest about dog phobias?

  Dinardo found that conditioning events like dog bites were common in participants with and without dog phobias.
• What did Mendes and Clark find regarding children's phobias of water?

  Mendes and Clark found that only 2% of children with a water phobia could recall a negative experience with water.
• What is a limitation of the behaviorist approach to explaining phobias?

  It does not fully explain all phobias, as some phobias do not have clear conditioning events.
• Why might evolutionary explanations be more valid for certain phobias?

  Evolutionary explanations suggest that fears of certain dangers helped ancestors survive and reproduce.
• What are the therapies developed from the behaviorist approach for treating phobias?

  • Counter conditioning therapies: flooding and systematic desensitization.
  • Both aim to replace fear associations with relaxation.
  • Based on the principle of reciprocal inhibition.
• What is the main difference between flooding and systematic desensitization?

  The main difference is how they help the client reach a state of no fear in the presence of the phobic object.
• What is the first step in systematic desensitization therapy?

  The first step is teaching the client relaxation techniques like breathing exercises.
• What is an anxiety hierarchy in systematic desensitization?

  An anxiety hierarchy is a list of feared situations with the phobic object, ordered from least to most feared.
• What is the final stage of systematic desensitization?

  The final stage is holding the phobic object without fear and with relaxation.
• How does flooding therapy work?

  Flooding involves immediate and full exposure to the maximum level of the phobic stimulus.
• What is the expected outcome of flooding therapy?

  The expected outcome is that the client will exhaust their fear response and no longer feel fear.
• What is a limitation of flooding therapy?

  A limitation is that if the therapy ends early, the phobia may be reinforced.
• Compare systematic desensitization and flooding in treating phobias.

  • Systematic desensitization: gradual exposure, client-controlled, preferred by clients.
  • Flooding: immediate exposure, quicker process, not suitable for everyone.
  • Both aim to reduce phobic responses through counter conditioning.
• What are alternative treatments for phobias?

  Drugs like tranquilizers and antidepressants can lower anxiety and reduce phobic responses.
• What is a limitation of drug treatments for phobias?

  A limitation is that drugs provide only temporary relief and may have side effects.
• What is virtual reality exposure therapy?

  Virtual reality exposure therapy adapts systematic desensitization principles into a virtual environment.
• What percentage of participants showed improvement in VR exposure therapy for spider phobia?

  83 percent of participants showed clinically significant improvement.
• What is the significance of the support from patrons mentioned in the video?

  The support from patrons allows the creator to teach part-time and produce educational content.
• What resources are available to patrons of the channel?

  Patrons have access to exclusive resources, tutorial videos, and a Discord channel.
• How many videos does psychboost.com offer for qualifications?

  Psychboost.com offers over 170 videos for qualifications.