BA exp phobias

• Watson and Rayner -> Little albert study, acquisition of phobias 


  • Created a phobia in a 9 month old baby
  • No unusual anxiety at the start
  • When the white rat was presented, a loud bang was created using an iron bar (UCS)
  • The loud noise is an example of a (UCS) which already creates a fear response (UCR)
  • Albert displayed distress at the sight of any white furry object (e.g. non white rabbit, fur coat and watson wearing a beard made of cotton balls)
• Biological preparedness 


  Seligman
• What is the two process model to explaining phobias?

  • Hobart and Mowrer (1960) proposed the two-process model based on the behavioural approach to phobias.
  • Phobias are acquired by CC and then continues because of OC.
• Example of the two process model?

  • A phobia (conditioned response) is acquired through the association of something that we initially have no fear of (a neutral stimulus e.g. the dark, something we are naturally afraid of) with something that already triggers a fear response (an unconditioned response e.g. being mugged)
  • Our fear from the event or response to phobic stimulus tends to generalised to wider contexts
• How does operant conditioning explain the maintenance of a phobia?

  • Negative reinforcement causes an individual to avoid a situation that is unpleasant
  • Such behaviour results in a desirable consequence which meant the behaviour will be repeated.
  • Mowrer suggested that whenever we avoid a phobic stimulus, we successfully escape the fear and anxiety we would have suffered if we had remained there.
  • This reduction in fear reinforces the avoidance behaviour and so the phobia is maintained.