Behavioural Explanation of Phobias

• How are phobias acquired?

  Through classical conditioning (Mowrer)
• How are phobias maintained?

  Through operant conditioning
• What is a phobia?

  An extreme or irrational fear of an object, situation or activity that is disproportionate to the actual danger and disruptive to everyday life
• How is a phobia maintained through operant conditioning?

  • Through avoidance of the phobic stimuli
  • Which is negatively reinforced as something unpleasant is avoided.
  • So the behaviour continues
• What is the process of classical conditioning?

  • UCS triggers a fear response (UCR)
  • NS is paired with the UCS
  • NS becomes the CS producing fear (CR)
• What is the model to explain phobias called?

  The two process model
• Strength of the Behavioural Explanation:

  • Real World Application
  • Phobias successfully treated by preventing avoidance, as suggested by the model
• Limitation of the Behavioural Explanation:

  • Cognitive aspects of Phobias
  • Fails to account for cognitive aspects of phobias e.g. irrational fears.
• Strength of the Behavioural Explanation:

  Supporting Evidence:

  • 73% of people with a dental phobia had past trauma, in control group with no phobia only 21% had trauma (De Jongh et al)

  COUNTERPOINT:

  • Not all cases of phobias follow bad experiences.
• Strength/Limitation of Behavioural Explanation:

  • Learning and Evolution
  • Strength - 2 process model explains individual phobias
  • Limitation - Evolutionary approach explains general aspects of phobias.
• Limitation of the Behavioural Explanation:

  • Diathesis Stress Model
  • A phobia can only occur if the person has a specific gene and an activating event.